Yes, its much more of an Absolute Monarchy now, though the Great Houses aren't abolished. My new government is as follows-
-Head-Vyra Tyrs, who has final say and ultimate power over everything, as well as personal control of all magical studies and the military.
-The Great Houses- control the provinces, one province per House, with the House Matriarch or Patriarch required to reside in Tharsis, as a adviser/hostage to the Queen
-Each Province also has a Royal Adviser required to be kept with the ruling House, to keep an eye on the provincials. If said adviser is assassinated, mistreated, or harmed in any way, that House is immediately removed from power over the province. So they won't be tempted to remove the Queen's influence.
-Lesser Houses- Each Great House has influence over Lesser Houses, which control regions and villages inside each Province. Should the Great House lose favor with the Queen, or should their Royal Adviser have an accident, one of the Lesser Houses takes the place of the offending Great House.