Privy council

A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically in a monarchy.

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-monarchial nations (e.g. the United States) the equivalent body is the "cabinet" although some nations have both a privy council organized around the monarch and a cabinet organized around the prime minister (e.g. the United Kingdom).