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Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgharrive for the opening ceremony of the 2011 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, in Perth, Western Australia Tim Rooke/PA Wire/Press Association Images

"Outdated" succession law set to be changed

A change in succession laws in Commonwealth countries means male heirs no longer can take the throne ahead of their older sisters.

BRITISH MONARCHS WILL be allowed to marry Catholics once current legislation is updated.

And at a meeting today, the 16 Commonwealth countries for which Queen Elizabeth II is monarch agreed at a meeting in Perth that males will no longer have precedence over females in the order of succession to the throne.

Any one of the former British colonies could have vetoed the changes to the centuries-old rules that ensure that a male heir takes the throne ahead of older sisters.

British Prime Minister David Cameron told reporters in Perth:

Attitudes have changed fundamentally over the centuries and some of the outdated rules — like some of the rules of succession — just don’t make sense to us any more.
The idea that a younger son should become monarch instead of an elder daughter simply because he is a man, or that a future monarch can marry someone of any faith except a Catholic — this way of thinking is at odds with the modern countries that we have become.

The announcement was made on the first day of a biennial meeting of 53 Commonwealth leaders.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Australia’s first female leader and chairwoman of the summit, welcomed the decision.

Elizabeth II opened the meeting of leaders – who represent 30 percent of the world’s population – today by vowing to bring needed relevancy to the Commonwealth in a time of global uncertainty and insecurity.

She cited financial concerns, food supply insecurity and climate change among key issues she expected the forum to tackle.

The Queen also said the meeting would bring “new vibrancy” to the Commonwealth forum, which will be forced to defend itself against accusations of irrelevancy.

A report questioning its effectiveness will be presented to Commonwealth leaders during the summit.

Britain’s government began the process of reviewing the rules of royal succession so that if Prince William’s first child with wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, is a girl, she would eventually become queen.

William is second in line to the throne after his father, Prince Charles, who is the queen’s first-born child.

Charles’ sister Anne is lower in the line of succession than her younger brothers Andrew and Edward. Charles, in turn, had only sons, William and Harry.

Elizabeth II succeeded her father, King George VI, because he had no sons. If she had had a brother, however much younger he was, he would have jumped above her in the line of succession.

Buckingham Palace has always refrained from commenting on the political issue, saying it’s a matter for the government to decide.

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19 Comments
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    Mute Pete Gibson
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    Oct 28th 2011, 1:38 PM

    It will still be forbidden for the British monarch to BE a catholic.
    Still the “Fid Def”.
    Very modern indeed
    King Henry VIII would approve.

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    Mute Burned Toast
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    Oct 28th 2011, 1:49 PM

    True, but at least Posh Spice can be next in line if she can prove she was the illegitimate love child of Prince Big Ears. A great day indeed.

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    Mute ChrisDuffin
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    Oct 28th 2011, 2:12 PM

    Kind of difficult to BE a Catholic and still be the head of the Church of England don’t you think? A somewhat logical restriction surely.

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    Mute Peter Carroll
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    Oct 28th 2011, 2:30 PM

    Fid Def predates Henry’s break with Rome. It was bestowed on Henry 8 by Pope Leo X.

    Any way if a presidential candidate in “holy” was pilloried for being a devout catholic who says the British would want a Roman Catholic as monarch.

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    Mute EDDIE BARRETT
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    Oct 29th 2011, 11:59 AM

    Just shows that The Commonwealth (which Gay Mitchell wanted us to join) is stuck in the middle ages, in maintaining the nonsense of the monarchy and the head of this nonsense monarchy being the head of the Church of England – they need to wise up and become a proper Democracy !

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    Mute David McDermott
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    Oct 28th 2011, 2:14 PM

    What would happen if a royal was gay? Are they allowed to marry same sex? Could u have 2 kings??

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    Mute ChrisDuffin
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    Oct 28th 2011, 2:18 PM

    Wouldn’t it be 2 Queens?

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    Mute Réada Quinn
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    Oct 28th 2011, 3:14 PM

    Great thought David. I love to see everything being challenged and old elitist standards crumbling down. Where will it all end? Can’t be any worse than the way things are now.

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    Mute David McDermott
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    Oct 28th 2011, 3:23 PM

    could be either chris, that was the question.

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    Mute Justin Tighe
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    Oct 28th 2011, 3:43 PM

    Dont you mean two queens!!!

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    Mute Waffler
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    Oct 28th 2011, 4:42 PM

    recent polls have shown catholicism to be the most practised faith in the uk so theyre covering their asses. expect them to marry muslims in a few years too

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    Mute Seán Ó Briain
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    Oct 28th 2011, 8:12 PM

    Monarchies are outdated, full stop.

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    Mute Charlie Solan
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    Oct 28th 2011, 9:22 PM

    Completely agree – these changes are like moving the deck chairs on the Titanic This is a ridiculous form of governance

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    Mute Stewart Curry
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    Oct 28th 2011, 3:04 PM

    The idea that anyone should become a monarch — this way of thinking is at odds with the modern countries that we have become. FTFY

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    Mute LeeKelly
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    Oct 28th 2011, 1:53 PM

    DavOd Cameron sure says allot. :D

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    Mute Noirin Lynch
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    Oct 28th 2011, 2:00 PM

    Genuine question: a future king/queen can marry a catholic, but can a catholic be a future king/queen?!

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    Mute Noirin Lynch
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    Oct 28th 2011, 2:07 PM

    ignore the question – my phone didn’t show up any of the other comments until after I’d posted this!

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    Mute Peter Carroll
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    Oct 28th 2011, 2:31 PM

    The present Queen is a catholic, an anglican catholic.

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    Mute Kittytwister
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    Oct 28th 2011, 2:10 PM

    So ‘Burnt Toast’ is a perfect specimen of a person,

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