LONDON — The news of King Charles III’s cancer diagnosis has refocused attention on the responsibilities of Britain’s monarch and revived a central question about the country’s centuries-old system of government: What does the king actually do? Under Britain’s constitutional monarchy, the king is head of state but must remain politically neutral and leave policy-making to the elected Parliament. He is obliged to follow the government’s advice and not act on his own opinions. RELATED: Prince William in charge? Heir expecting more ‘influence and control’ as king ages But even in his largely ceremonial job, Charles performs a number of duties integral to the running of the U.K. His most visible role is at the annual State Opening of Parliament,…
