James II and the Declaration of Rights.

In 1689, the role of the British Monarchy and Parliament would change forever. Legally, this began with a single document: the Declaration of Rights. A landmark British document, the Declaration stated Parliament’s formal intent to recognise William lll and Mary ll as King and Queen. This included an agreement that they would rule only according to new limitations laid down by Parliament.

Read this story online here or see the document for yourself, on display until end of July 2026, at The National Archives in Kew.