A look at the state of today's British monarchy, how the past has shaped it, and how it will secure its survival, if at all, in the future—will William be "the last?"

This examination addresses the reasons the British monarchy has lasted longer than any other, the role of the current Monarch in the UK and all the countries of the Commonwealth, current public opinion polls including European and American public perceptions, the Monarch as a modern head of state, and the "good for tourism" argument. The future of Britain and its monarchy are called into question by the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's child, the debate surrounding the succession of the Prince and Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall and whether it should skip a generation, and issues relating to the constitution of the UK—the future of the House of Lords, Scottish independence, and the future of the Established Church. All of these issues are covered in full, as is the key question of the British monarchy—the institution's staying power beyond the current succession.