# Yet another (and hopefully the last) British line of succession hypothetical **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 30, 2011, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-and-hopefully-the-last-british-line-of-succession-hypothetical/580256 "2011-04-30T03:42:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-and-hopefully-the-last-british-line-of-succession-hypothetical/580256/1 "2011-04-30T03:42:00Z")
Suppose that it is discovered that Charles had an illegitimate son with Camilla (or indeed with any other woman), sometime prior to the birth of William. Would this person join the line of succession, between Charles and William? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-and-hopefully-the-last-british-line-of-succession-hypothetical/580256/2 "2011-04-30T03:50:27Z")
According to [Wiki:](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Succession_to_the_British_throne#Current_rules): > [@](#): > > Children born out of wedlock and adopted children, however, are not eligible to succeed. Illegitimate children whose parents marry are legitimated, but remain ineligible to inherit the Crown. So any child born out of wedlock would not join the line of succession. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-and-hopefully-the-last-british-line-of-succession-hypothetical/580256/3 "2011-04-30T04:06:31Z")
Do they have to take the surname, Snow? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-and-hopefully-the-last-british-line-of-succession-hypothetical/580256/4 "2011-04-30T08:07:24Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > So any child born out of wedlock would not join the line of succession. This doesn’t bode well for Harry. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-and-hopefully-the-last-british-line-of-succession-hypothetical/580256/5 "2011-04-30T08:15:15Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > This doesn’t bode well for Harry. Why? Prince Harry’s legal parents were married when he was born. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-and-hopefully-the-last-british-line-of-succession-hypothetical/580256/6 "2011-04-30T16:13:07Z")
this is the case of india hicks. india is in the line of succession, her 4 children are not. she and her ummmm…have been together for years but never married. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-and-hopefully-the-last-british-line-of-succession-hypothetical/580256/7 "2011-04-30T16:30:30Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Suppose that it is discovered that Charles had an illegitimate son with Camilla… Hey, we’re trying to breed some good looks into that family after hundreds of years of inbreeding. Don’t go thinking about reversing the process! ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-and-hopefully-the-last-british-line-of-succession-hypothetical/580256/8 "2011-04-30T17:58:44Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > Why? Prince Harry’s legal parents were married when he was born. Persistent rumours… [http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1432660/posts](http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1432660/posts) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-and-hopefully-the-last-british-line-of-succession-hypothetical/580256/9 "2011-04-30T18:02:40Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > Persistent rumours… [http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1432660/posts](http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1432660/posts) Even if he were the offspring of another man, as long as he was born during the marriage of his nominal parents Harry would qualify as being legitimate. It is only actual out-of-wedlock birth that would make someone illegitimate. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-and-hopefully-the-last-british-line-of-succession-hypothetical/580256/10 "2011-04-30T18:09:58Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > Persistent rumours… [http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1432660/posts](http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1432660/posts) Holy smoke. Citing FreeRepublic citing the Sun citing a book by a discredited “energy healer.” This is the trifecta of bad cites. It may be the worst cite of all time! :dubious: ---
**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:** [April 30, 2011, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-and-hopefully-the-last-british-line-of-succession-hypothetical/580256/11 "2011-04-30T18:13:14Z")
Parliament could, _in theory_, insert illegitimate offspring into the line of succession (as was done with Queens Mary I and Elizabeth I), but it’s extremely unlikely to happen. For starters unlike in the 16th century nowdays there are 15 other realms sharing the same monarch who’s parliaments would need to approve the change.