# Royal succession laws changed in UK **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 28, 2011, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-succession-laws-changed-in-uk/601060 "2011-10-28T10:01:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2011, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-succession-laws-changed-in-uk/601060/61 "2011-10-30T04:47:06Z")
> [@Alka\_Seltzer](#): > > I’m fairly sure William and Kate’s daughter would have succeeded in that case. Harry would have had to do her in too to become king, but he has the training for it. Yep, their daughter would become Queen, but Harry would rule as Prince Regent until her 18th birthday. > [@Baker](#): > > When Victoria became Queen her father was already dead. She inherited from her uncle William IV. She had male cousins, but they were all the children of sons younger than her father had been. Victoria also had 2 older brothers, both of whom were alive at the time of her ascension. However they from her _mother’s_ first marriage, and thus were never in the line of succession to begin with. Queens Mary II and Anne also had a living brother (James Francis Edward Stuart; “The Old Pretender”) who would’ve normally been ahead of them in the succession. Since he was baptised a Roman Catholic he was stripped of the succession at the same time his father, James II, was deposed. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2011, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-succession-laws-changed-in-uk/601060/62 "2011-10-30T05:20:45Z")
> [@flodnak](#): > > …And although there were no signs of this at the time, most Norwegians are now glad the change did not take effect one generation earlier, because Märtha is into all manner of woowoo things and no one actually wants her on the throne over her more grounded, better-prepared younger brother. That’s what happens with all that inbreeding. Has anyone noticed that Western royals are marrying as far out of royalty as they possibly can? ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2011, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-succession-laws-changed-in-uk/601060/63 "2011-10-30T06:38:24Z")
> [@Mighty\_Girl](#): > > That’s what happens with all that inbreeding. Märtha’s mother, Queen Sonja, was not born royal or born into nobility, making her the product of the first generation in centuries that _didn’t_ marry a close relative. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2011, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-succession-laws-changed-in-uk/601060/64 "2011-10-30T08:50:12Z")
> [@williambaskerville](#): > > The Guardian disagrees. > > [Royal equality act will end succession of first born male - rather than older sister | Monarchy | The Guardian](http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/oct/28/commonwealth-royalty-succession-change) > > Quote from the above article :- > > "• An elder daughter should be placed behind a younger son in the line of succession. > > The order of succession will in future be determined by the order of birth. The immediate impact will place the Princess Royal, the Queen’s daughter, fourth in the line of succession behind the Prince of Wales and his two sons. At the moment the princess is 10th. The Duke of York, who is fourth, will drop to eighth." That’s yet another Grauniad fuck-up, then. [Here’s](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15492607) the BBC news article. > [@BBC article](#): > > Announcing the succession changes, Prime Minister David Cameron said they would apply to descendents of the Prince of Wales. They will not be applied retrospectively. ---
**Author:** ![BeaMyra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@BeaMyra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeaMyra)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2011, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-succession-laws-changed-in-uk/601060/65 "2011-10-30T10:41:45Z")
[QUOTE=chizzuk;14405797…But Spain has been contemplating a similar change and there has been no mention whatsoever of removing Crown Prince Felipe from his position, even though he has two older sisters.[/QUOTE] That’s because he’s so goodlooking. If he was ugly, they’d have tossed him aside:D ---
**Author:** ![williambaskerville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f14d63/32.png) [@williambaskerville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/williambaskerville)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2011, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-succession-laws-changed-in-uk/601060/66 "2011-10-30T10:59:23Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > That’s yet another Grauniad fuck-up, then. [Here’s](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15492607) the BBC news article. Well it’s a paper of record and they haven’t corrected it. I’ll email them and see if they’re sure they’re right. Cameron isn’t the brightest, his words frequently don’t mean what he wanted them to mean. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2011, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-succession-laws-changed-in-uk/601060/67 "2011-10-30T15:27:49Z")
> [@williambaskerville](#): > > Well it’s a paper of record and they haven’t corrected it. I’ll email them and see if they’re sure they’re right. Cameron isn’t the brightest, his words frequently don’t mean what he wanted them to mean. Goodness me, you actually think there’s any wiggle room in a phrase like “they will not be retrospective”? :eek: How about > [@bbc article](#): > > Sons and daughters of **any future** UK monarch will have equal right to the throne, (emphasis mine) I’ll await developments with interest. ---
**Author:** ![Sarabellum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarabellum/32/3492_2.png) [@Sarabellum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarabellum)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-succession-laws-changed-in-uk/601060/68 "2011-10-31T01:32:06Z")
Weren’t there some people fairly high up the succession list for the British throne that got booted from the list for marrying Catholic? The Duke of Kent and his children may be who I’m thinking of. Will they get reinstated? ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-succession-laws-changed-in-uk/601060/69 "2011-10-31T03:49:28Z")
It was Prince Michael of Kent, the Duke’s brother (although his children are eligible since they’re not Catholic). The Duke of Kent is currently married to a Catholic, but since she converted after marriage, he’s okay (his two sons are ineligible, one for marriage and one for conversion, but neither his daughter nor his first son’s younger daughter ever converted, and I think his second son’s kids are too young to be either way yet). ---
**Author:** ![Crawlspace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Crawlspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crawlspace)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-succession-laws-changed-in-uk/601060/70 "2011-10-31T04:16:15Z")
This is all well and good, but what would be the precedent for conjoined twins? Nothing disfiguring mind you, and easily separated, but born at the same time. Is the monarchy prepared for such an occurrence? Why I think not. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-succession-laws-changed-in-uk/601060/71 "2011-10-31T04:18:27Z")
Could a pair of Siamese Twins rule, of either gender? ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-succession-laws-changed-in-uk/601060/72 "2011-10-31T08:50:24Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Could a pair of Siamese Twins rule, of either gender? Anyone else amused by this post/user combo? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-succession-laws-changed-in-uk/601060/73 "2011-10-31T09:53:47Z")
> [@chizzuk](#): > > Yeah, I think it depends on each country’s specific situation. Sweden changed the titles immediately. But Spain has been contemplating a similar change and there has been no mention whatsoever of removing Crown Prince Felipe from his position, even though he has two older sisters. I believe the general sentiment is that the oldest child, Infanta Elena, is a bit woo-woo and while everyone is all for gender equality in concept, no one actually wants her on the throne over her more intelligent, better-prepared younger brother. > > So far they haven’t done anything because Prince Felipe has two girls. I guess if they have a boy, Spain might go the Sweden route but only apply it onward from Felipe’s children. Part of the problem with Spain is that it’s a Constitutional change, not a lower-level law. Yes, there has recently been a (minor and alredy matching some local laws set at lower levels) change to our Constitution, but this is something which would have direct consequences as it would mean making Elena (who’s on the low-IQ side of normal) our next Queen: it wouldn’t pass without a lot of debate, and that debate would have a lot of other long-demanded changes brought up as well as trigger the “and why the heck do we have to be a Monarchy anyway” debate. If Cristina had been the eldest, we might already have had non-salic inheritance from the onset… Felipe and Letizia have already said that they’re stopping at #2 unless there’s an accident. They’ve got the heir-apparent, they’ve got the replacement, there’s no reason to court a #3 which could be a boy and, as you say, bring the whole mess to the forefront. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-succession-laws-changed-in-uk/601060/74 "2011-11-01T01:38:17Z")
Uh, do we really want some dame running a country? An \*ENGLISH \*dame??? hh ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-succession-laws-changed-in-uk/601060/75 "2011-11-01T02:38:15Z")
Dames aren’t of sovereign rank, so no danger of that. ---
**Author:** ![ballardfam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8797f3/32.png) [@ballardfam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ballardfam)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-succession-laws-changed-in-uk/601060/76 "2011-11-01T03:24:56Z")
> [@Illuminatiprimus](#): > > I can’t help but wonder if we don’t have better things to worry about at this precise moment. While the context is silly (imo) I’m always happy to see one more inane ‘rule’ that minimizes women bite the dust. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-succession-laws-changed-in-uk/601060/77 "2011-11-01T03:52:44Z")
This may be the break the McCain campaign has been waiting for! ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-succession-laws-changed-in-uk/601060/78 "2011-11-02T00:55:45Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > This may be the break the McCain campaign has been waiting for! No, it’s the break _Hillary_’s campaign has been waiting for! No more ‘Glass Ceiling’! ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-succession-laws-changed-in-uk/601060/79 "2011-11-02T04:18:46Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Felipe and Letizia have already said that they’re stopping at #2 unless there’s an accident. They’ve got the heir-apparent, they’ve got the replacement, there’s no reason to court a #3 which could be a boy and, as you say, bring the whole mess to the forefront. In the UK that’s called ‘the heir and spare.’ ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-succession-laws-changed-in-uk/601060/80 "2011-11-02T05:17:30Z")
If, you have to drive on the spare, get to a shop ASAP. The spares these days can’t take a lot of mileage. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-succession-laws-changed-in-uk/601060.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-succession-laws-changed-in-uk/601060.md?page=5)