# Can a fetus be King/Queen? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 31, 2004, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-fetus-be-king-queen/272201 "2004-10-31T22:29:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-fetus-be-king-queen/272201/41 "2004-11-02T21:58:21Z")
> [@](#): > > You’re missing a point there – suppose the Queen trips over a corgi or something and dies tomorrow. Charles then becomes king. Now, his heir is William, his eldest son – but the next in line should be his other son, not his brother. But what if Charles tripped over that corgi (whatever the heck that is) before Lizzy? Wouldn’t York (who presumably has a name, no?) then become Heir Apparent, as the oldest surviving son of the Monarch? Or at least, wouldn’t it put him ahead of Henry? If that’s the case, then it would seem that the exact ordering of the list for succession would depend on what order people die in. And while we’re at it, could we have pictures of the afore-mentioned Beatrice of York, Zara Phillips, and Lady Helen Taylor? Drooling over royalty is perfectly acceptable, but it’s a bit improper not to share. ---
**Author:** ![Hadrian0117](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Hadrian0117](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hadrian0117)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-fetus-be-king-queen/272201/42 "2004-11-02T22:13:03Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > But what if Charles tripped over that corgi (whatever the heck that is) before Lizzy? Wouldn’t York (who presumably has a name, no?) then become Heir Apparent, as the oldest surviving son of the Monarch? Or at least, wouldn’t it put him ahead of Henry? If that’s the case, then it would seem that the exact ordering of the list for succession would depend on what order people die in. > > And while we’re at it, could we have pictures of the afore-mentioned Beatrice of York, Zara Phillips, and Lady Helen Taylor? Drooling over royalty is perfectly acceptable, but it’s a bit improper not to share. If the eldest son of the monarch dies then his eldest son (or daughter if she has no brothers) becomes heir apparent. Likewise if Prince William were to marry and have a child everone after him in the line of succesion would get knocked down a place. This is also the only way a woman can become Heiress Apparent under current law. Example the monarchs eldest son dies with only daughters and no sons; since it would be impossibe for him to have any future sons. ---
**Author:** ![bonzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@bonzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonzer)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-fetus-be-king-queen/272201/43 "2004-11-02T22:18:45Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And while we’re at it, could we have pictures of the afore-mentioned Beatrice of York, Zara Phillips, and Lady Helen Taylor? Drooling over royalty is perfectly acceptable, but it’s a bit improper not to share. [Beatrice](http://www.debretts.co.uk/royal_connections/princess_beatrice.html), [Zara](http://www.debretts.co.uk/royal_connections/zara_phillips.html) and [Helen](http://www.angelfire.com/de3/verenasroyalty2003/Helen.html). [sub][I know someone who met Lady Helen under entirely casual circumstances, without realising who she was at the time; he reports that she’s nothing special.][/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Hadrian0117](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Hadrian0117](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hadrian0117)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-fetus-be-king-queen/272201/44 "2004-11-02T22:23:30Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > … Wouldn’t York (who presumably has a name, no?)… His Royal Higness The Prince Andrew Albert Christian Edward Mountbatten-Windsor, Duke of York, Baron Killyleagh, Earl of Inverness, KCVO, ADC > [@Chronos](#): > > …And while we’re at it, could we have pictures of the afore-mentioned Beatrice of York, Zara Phillips, and Lady Helen Taylor? Drooling over royalty is perfectly acceptable, but it’s a bit improper not to share. I much prefer Prince Willia of Wales, Prince Henry of Wales, or Peter Phillips. ---
**Author:** ![Hadrian0117](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Hadrian0117](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hadrian0117)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-fetus-be-king-queen/272201/45 "2004-11-02T22:23:35Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > … Wouldn’t York (who presumably has a name, no?)… His Royal Higness The Prince Andrew Albert Christian Edward Mountbatten-Windsor, Duke of York, Baron Killyleagh, Earl of Inverness, KCVO, ADC > [@Chronos](#): > > …And while we’re at it, could we have pictures of the afore-mentioned Beatrice of York, Zara Phillips, and Lady Helen Taylor? Drooling over royalty is perfectly acceptable, but it’s a bit improper not to share. I much prefer Prince William of Wales, Prince Henry of Wales, or Peter Phillips. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-fetus-be-king-queen/272201/46 "2004-11-02T22:40:19Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > But what if Charles tripped over that corgi (whatever the heck that is) It’s the Queen’s favorite breed of dog. Some news articles with pictures of royal corgis: [the picture at the top of the page](http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/animals/newsid_3359000/3359017.stm) [the picture near the top shows the corgis underfoot](http://www.novascoop.com/article.php3?id_article=4555) ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-fetus-be-king-queen/272201/47 "2004-11-03T10:01:52Z")
They might be a two-bob bicycling royal family but the swedes certainly do a good line in princesses: [![](https://www.aftonbladet.se/kvinna/0212/12/NYHETER-12s11-madde-92_368.jpg) ](https://www.aftonbladet.se/kvinna/0212/12/NYHETER-12s11-madde-92_368.jpg) Sadly the only Royal (as far as I know) to get them out for the lads is Fergie (who is bearing up quite well for an old bird). Bizzarely the Internet doesn’t seem to have this photo. That can’t be right - it was in the Telegraph. ---
**Author:** ![Iceland\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@Iceland\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iceland_Blue)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-fetus-be-king-queen/272201/48 "2004-11-03T10:46:26Z")
A friend of mine was in digs at Oxford with Lord Frederick Windsor. And then there’s the St.Andrews mob(friends of some schoolmates) who hang about with his Royal Williness… ---
**Author:** ![Iceland\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@Iceland\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iceland_Blue)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-fetus-be-king-queen/272201/49 "2004-11-03T10:48:11Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > They might be a two-bob bicycling royal family but the swedes certainly do a good line in princesses: > > [http://www.aftonbladet.se/kvinna/0212/12/NYHETER-12s11-madde-92\_368.jpg](http://www.aftonbladet.se/kvinna/0212/12/NYHETER-12s11-madde-92_368.jpg) > > Sadly the only Royal (as far as I know) to get them out for the lads is Fergie (who is bearing up quite well for an old bird). Bizzarely the Internet doesn’t seem to have this photo. That can’t be right - it was in the Telegraph. Beatrice is 16. Therefore, I am perfectly entitled to ask for her to get them out 😃 ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-fetus-be-king-queen/272201/50 "2004-11-03T10:59:09Z")
> [@Iceland\_Blue](#): > > A friend of mine was in digs at Oxford with Lord Frederick Windsor. And then there’s the St.Andrews mob(friends of some schoolmates) who hang about with his Royal Williness… I used to drink in the Duke of Cambridge in Battersea which at weekends is pretty much Eton’s SCR. I used to see William in there with his school mates (and a few hefty chaps in suits, drinking orange juice). I also know Hewitt (he’s a pal of a pal of mine - nice bloke but thick as two short planks) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f07891/32.png) [@Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Plastic_Ninja)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-fetus-be-king-queen/272201/51 "2004-11-05T17:32:10Z")
> [@Iceland\_Blue](#): > > Yes. And she’s officially hot. hubba hubba 😃 > And don’t forget Eugenie either > 🆒 Whereas, after looking at a picture, I’m fairly certain the Duke of York is a VAMPIRE. :eek: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-fetus-be-king-queen/272201.md?page=2)