New British legislation will end ban on Catholics in royal family
December 06, 2012
The British government will introduce legislation early next year to end the 300-year old policy that bars Catholics and spouses of Catholics from the throne.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg announced that a general agreement has been reached on the terms of legislation that will allow members of the royal family to marry Catholics without sacrificing their chance of succeeding to the throne. The legislation will, however, retain the ban on a Catholic monarch, since the British king or queen is by law the head of the Church of England.
The new law will also end the preference for male offspring in the line of succession, making it possible for the daughter of a monarch to become queen if she is the oldest child.
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Further information:
- Nick Clegg: Succession law change has been 'agreed' (BBC)
- Britain will change laws of succession to the Throne, ending discrimination against women and Catholics (Vatican Insider)
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