You mostly seen Queen Elizabeth II in photographs wearing her brightly colored suits and giving to charity, but the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom has the power to do some very important governmental tasks. Check out these nine things that you might not have realized the Queen has the power to do.

1. Open Parliament Sessions – The parliament is the UK’s highest governing body, yet Queen Elizabeth II still has some power over this legislative group. She must officially open Parliament sessions every May to commence the Parliamentary year. The elaborate ceremony is steeped in tradition with the Queen leading a procession through the Royal Gallery at the Palace of Westminster. She wears the Imperial State Crown and gives a formal address to both Houses of Parliament. This is the only ceremonial event where the House of Commons, House of Lords, and the Queen gather in the same space.

2. Legitimize Laws – Parliament makes the laws, but the Queen has to sign off on a proposed bill before it goes into effect. She gives what is known as the royal assent to approve the laws, but she also has the power to reject them as well.

3. Appoint Ministers to the Crown – Most government officials in the UK are chosen through a vote, but the Queen appoints Ministers to the Crown including advisors and cabinet officials. She most frequently chooses from existing members of the Parliament.

4. Pardon Criminals – If the Queen sees fit, she can grant a royal pardon to anyone convicted of a crime. This is a power, however, that is rarely used. The purpose of the royal pardon was originally to provide exemption from the death penalty, but that penalty has since been abolished. It can also reduce prison sentences, which the Queen did in 2011 when two inmates jumped into action to save a prison worker’s life after he was attacked by a wild boar.

5. Issue Passports – Any citizen of the United Kingdom that has a passport is due to the Queen. The Queen doesn’t issue them directly, but ministers are typically the ones to issue them on her behalf. Every British passport is issued in her name. She also has the power to withdraw a passport.

6. Command the Armed Forces – The 92-year-old monarch is the Commander-in-Chief of the UK’s entire military force. All British soldiers must swear an oath to her before joining the armed forces. The power to command the army is often a delegated duty and the Queen has the power to assign the position of Commander-in-Chief to another government official, most commonly the Prime Minister or the Secretary of State for Defense.

7. Declare War – The Queen is the only one in the United Kingdom with the power to declare war. Queen Elizabeth II has never declared war throughout her entire reign. The last monarch to do so was her father, King George VI who declared war on Nazi Germany in 1939.

8. Dissolve Parliament – If she chose to, the Queen could fire everyone in the House of Commons and hold an election for new members. She’s never used this power, but even if she did, the Prime Minister and Cabinet would be unaffected. The last time a monarch dissolved the Parliament was in 1830.

9. Present Citizens with Titles of Honor – The Queen can personally bestow honors on individuals that have proven themselves to be exemplary citizens of the United Kingdom. There is a whole host of honors, but the titles you are likely most familiar with include “Sir” (Knight) and “Dame.” Those titles don’t actually come with much power, but they are still considered a title of honor.

What do you think of the Queen’s abilities? Did you know she had that much power? Share this story with your friends and family and see if they know.