The Australian Government is being asked to approve changes in the law governing royal succession to allow the first born child of the sovereign, whether male or female, to become heir to the throne. Britain’s constitutional law minister Mike Harper disclosed overnight that discussions to change the Act of Settlement were taking place. “Ministers have already accepted that the provisions of the Act of Settlement might be discriminatory. Discussions are under way,” he said.
Those discussions involve Commonwealth countries like Australia which still have the Queen as the head of state.
The London Daily Telegraph reports that under the current law, any male child takes precedence in the order of succession over his sisters. That would mean that any son born to Prince William would become King, even if he had an older sister. The UK’s Coalition government believes that the law may be discriminatory and is considering ways to change it. That would mean changing the law in every one of the 15 Commonwealth countries where the Queen is head of state.
British Prime Minister David Cameron, says the Telegraph, is expected to discuss changing the Act at a summit of Commonwealth leaders in Australia later this year.
8 Comments
“any son born to Prince William would become King, even if he had an older sister”?
Only the eldest living son would become king, surely.
Chris, Why?
“The UK’s Coalition government believes that the law may be discriminatory”
hahhahahahahhaha
gosh, no, you don’t say?
What about the whole “ruler of the country must be member of Windsor family” thing? Also a teensy weensy bit discriminatory, no?
A woman? Quelle horreur!
Catching up – because a daughter would become Queen?
Although the sentence isn’t quite clear – “any son born to Prince William would become King, even if he had an older sister”?
Does that mean if William had an older sister, or if William’s son had an older sister?
Either way, a girl becomes Queen, not King.
p.s. Big up HMQEII for the step. Its an enormous leap for woman kind.
Only the most rabid monarchist could see this move as progressive . If the British wish to remove discrimination , they should abolish their hereditary monarchy , which discriminates against all males and females , other than the Windsor family . The British parliament can do this without a referendum , unlike Australia .
Umm, clearly Franz, Duke of Bavaria should be king?!?! Jacobite succession biatches!!!