Monarch

A single, hereditary ruler or head of state. May be styled king, prince?, duke?, queen, princess?, duchess?, shah?, ayatollah?, sultan?, czar?, emperor, empress?, pharaoh, or such titles. A state ruled by a monarch is called a monarchy.

Few monarchs modernly exercise absolute authority. Although there are a number of hereditary monarchies still existing in the world, many countries with hereditary royalty are defacto ruled by representative legislatures such as parliaments or congresses, headed usually by a [prime minister]?, while the monarchy continues to hold a symbolic or ceremonial position (eg. United Kingdom; see also constitutional monarchy).