17 August 2008
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a respective nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government.
The word "privy" means "private" or "secret" thus a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on affairs of state.
In non-monarchical nations (e.g. the United States) the equivalent body is the "cabinet" although some nations have both a privy council organized around the monarch and a cabinet organized around the prime minister, such as the United Kingdom although in this case the Cabinet is technically a committee of the Privy Council.
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