 One of the monarch 's historic prerogatives was the dissolution of Parliament , which was " perhaps the most important residual prerogative exercised personally by the sovereign , and represents the greatest potential for controversy . " This prerogative was normally exercised at the request of Parliament and the prime minister , either at his or her discretion or following a motion of no confidence . Constitutional theorists have had differing views as to whether a unilateral dissolution of Parliament would be possible today ; Sir Ivor Jennings wrote that a dissolution involves " the <unk> of ministers " , and as such the monarch could not dissolve Parliament without <unk> consent ; " if ministers refuse to give such advice , she can do no more than dismiss them " . A. V. Dicey , however , believed that in certain extreme circumstances the monarch could dissolve Parliament single @-@ <unk> , on the condition that " an occasion has arisen on which there is fair reason to suppose that the opinion of the House is not the opinion of the electors ... A dissolution is <unk> , or necessary , whenever the wishes of the legislature are , or may fairly be presumed to be , different from the wishes of the nation . " 
