Why Wasn't the British Empire Ruled by A British Emperor? (Short Animated Documentary)

Summary by Krater

This video explains why the British monarchs were never styled as British Emperor or Empress, attributing this to the unique nature of the British constitution and monarchy, anti-monarchical reactions, and the specific status of India as an empire within the realm.

From the video

Answers: Why weren't British monarchs called Emperor?

• British monarchy history
• Imperial titles
• British Empire
• Emperor of India

What it concludes

• Britain never had a traditional imperial title because its role and government type remained the same without historical precedent for a change in royal titles.
• After the 17th century, the British developed an extreme allergic reaction to absolute monarchy, making the title of emperor unacceptable to Parliament.
• George III refused the title of British Emperor in 1801 partly because he was an elector of the Holy Roman Empire.
• Queen Victoria adopted the title Empress of India in 1876 because India was seen as the crown jewel of the empire, made up of many smaller kingdoms, and its people were not seen as equal to those of Britain.