One of the characteristics of constitutions in general is that they contain significant areas that are governed by conventions rather than by strict law. This is a particularly notable feature of the UK constitution: many of its important features are regulated by convention alone. For example, the Queen, as head of state and a constituent part of Parliament, has the legal right to refuse royal assent to bills presented to her by Parliament (which would prevent them from becoming law). By convention, however, the Queen does not refuse assent.