by the State Opening of Parliament, during which the monarch or the governor-general reads the Speech from the Throne. All laws in Antigua and Barbuda are enacted only with the viceroy's granting of Royal Assent in the monarch's name. The Royal Assent, and proclamation, are required for all acts of parliament, usually granted or withheld by the governor-general, with the Public Seal of Antigua and Barbuda. Courts The sovereign is responsible for rendering justice for all his subjects, and is thus traditionally deemed the fount of justice. In Antigua and Barbuda, criminal offences are legally deemed to be offences against the sovereign and proceedings for indictable offences are brought in the sovereign's name in the form of The King versus [Name]. Hence, the common law held that the sovereign "can do no wrong"; the monarch cannot be prosecuted in his or her own courts for criminal offences. The governor-general, on behalf of the monarch of Antigua and Barbuda, can also grant immunity from prosecution, exercise the power of pardon, and pardon offences against the Crown, either before, during, or after a trial. The granting of a pardon and the commutation of prison sentences is described in section 84 of the Constitution. All judges of the Supreme Court have to swear that they would "well and truly serve" the monarch of Antigua and Barbuda, on taking office. Any attempt to kill the monarch or the governor-general is considered "high treason", and the person guilty of the offence is sentenced to death. Cultural role The Crown and Honours Within the Commonwealth realms, the monarch is deemed the fount of honour. Similarly, the monarch, as Sovereign of Antigua and Barbuda, confers awards and honours in Antigua and Barbuda in his name. Most of them are often awarded on the advice of "His Majesty's Antigua and Barbuda Ministers". Through the passage of the National Honours Act 1998, Antigua and Barbuda established four national orders, namely, the Order of the National Hero, the Order of the Nation, the Order of Merit, and the Order of Princely Heritage. References to St Edward's Crown on the insignia of these orders illustrate the monarchy as the locus of authority. The monarch's vice-regal representative, the governor-general serves as the chancellor of all these orders. The Crown and the Defence Force The Crown sits at the pinnacle of the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force. The monarch is the Commander-in-Chief of