Chaired by the monarch, the council comprises all cabinet ministers and the crown prince or princess when coming of age.
However, since the formation of real political parties at the beginning of the 20th century, these debates were moved from the council to informal ministerial meetings where government policy could be coordinated – usually held every Wednesday.
According to section 22 of the Danish constitution, a bill must be granted assent within thirty days of its passing by parliament, at the latest, for it to become an Act.
Unlike its British and Canadian counterparts, membership of the council does not carry along with it an entitlement to a special title or form of address.
In 1918 the presidium had formed into a regular cabinet office and was transformed into what today is known as the Ministry of the State of Denmark (Danish: Statsministeriet).