Privy council.html

A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation on how to exercise their executive authority, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on affairs of state.

In non-monarchical nations, the equivalent body is the cabinet, although in some nations the cabinet is a committee of the privy council.