Sovereign immunity

Section 20(1)(b) of the State Immunity Act 1978 provided: “… the Diplomatic Privileges Act 1964 shall apply to: (a) a sovereign or other head of state; (b) members of his family forming part of his household...” There was no interpretational basis for giving the phrase ‘members of his family forming part of his household’ a wider meaning in relation to heads of state than in relation to diplomats. It was clear that Parliament did not think s 20 used the household concept more widely in relation to heads of state than to diplomats.