Crown Dependencies

The Crown dependencies are self-governing possessions of the British Crown, as opposed to the overseas territories of the United Kingdom. They comprise the Channel Islands (the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey in the English Channel) and the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea.

Being independently administered jurisdictions, none forms part of the United Kingdom nor of the European Union.

"The Crown" is defined differently in each Crown dependency. In Jersey, statements in the 21st century of the constitutional position by the Law Officers of the Crown define it as the "Crown in right of Jersey", with all Crown land in the Bailiwick of Jersey belonging to the Crown in right of Jersey and not to the Crown Estate of the United Kingdom. Legislation of the Isle of Man defines the "Crown in right of the Isle of Man" as being separate from the "Crown in right of the United Kingdom". In Guernsey, legislation refers to the "Crown in right of the Bailiwick", and the Law Officers of the Crown of Guernsey submitted that "The Crown in this context ordinarily means the Crown in right of the république of the Bailiwick of Guernsey" and that this comprises "the collective governmental and civic institutions, established by and under the authority of the Monarch, for the governance of these Islands, including the States of Guernsey and legislatures in the other Islands, the Royal Court and other courts, the Lieutenant Governor, Parish authorities, and the Crown acting in and through the Privy Council." This constitutional concept is also worded as the "Crown in right of the Bailiwick of Guernsey".

Although the Crown dependencies are British possessions of the Crown, and are not sovereign nations in their own right, the power to pass legislation affecting the islands ultimately rests with their own respective legislative assemblies, with the assent of the Crown (Privy Council, or in the case of the Isle of Man in certain circumstances the Lieutenant-Governor). In 2005, Jersey followed the Isle of Man and Guernsey in creating the role of Chief Minister to serve as the island's head of government.

All three Crown dependencies are members of the British–Irish Council.