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prince william and kate middleton
Prince William and Kate Middleton have announced details of their son’s christening.
Prince George will be christened on Wednesday, October 23, at the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace – just over three months after his birth.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, will perform the christening.
Prince George, who was born on July 22 at St Mary’s Hospital in London, is third in line to the UK’s throne.
The Kensington Palace said in a statement: “Their royal highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are pleased to announce the christening of Prince George will take place on Wednesday, 23rd October at the Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace.
“Prince George will be christened by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby.”
Prince George will be christened on Wednesday, October 23, at the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace
As the Chapel Royal is small and would only accommodate close family and a few others.
In 1997 the coffin of Prince William’s mother Diana, Princess of Wales, lay before the chapel’s altar before her funeral in Westminster Abbey.
Princess Beatrice was the last royal baby to be christened in the Chapel Royal in December 1988.
Prince William was christened at Buckingham Palace in August 1982 by Dr. Robert Runcie, then the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The current Archbishop later spoke of his joy at being asked to conduct the christening.
The Most Reverend Justin Welby said: “I am delighted to be invited to conduct the baptism of His Royal Highness Prince George.
“It is a great privilege and honor and will without doubt be an occasion of immense joy and celebration.
“I am looking forward to welcoming him into the family of the church.”
Prince George will be christened in a replica of the intricate lace and satin christening gown made for Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter, Victoria, the Princess Royal, in 1841.
The Earl and Countess of Wessex’s son Viscount Severn became the first royal baby to wear the new robe at his christening in 2008.
Earlier, Kensington Palace announced that a new coat of arms had been chosen to represent Prince William and Kate Middleton as a married couple.
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Prince William and Kate Middleton have named their baby son George Alexander Louis.
When the baby rules the kingdom, perhaps not for half a century or more, he will be King George VII. Until then, he will be known formally as His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge.
Prince William and Kate Middleton came to a relatively quick decision yesterday about the hugely anticipated name. George had long been the favorite, with bookmakers shortening the odds in recent days.
Prince William and Kate Middleton have named their baby son George Alexander Louis
While there will be much speculation as to the inspiration behind the names, the Kensington Palace officials were quick to insist it was simply “because they liked them – no more no less”.
According to reports, Prince William and Kate Middleton had already decided by the time they introduced the Queen to her heir – and third great-grandchild – at Kensington Palace yesterday morning.
There is no royal protocol which dictates the sovereign must be given approval, but it is believed the couple discussed their choice with the Queen during their 30-minute meeting.
They then told other members of their immediate family before making the news public at 6.15 p.m.
A statement issued by their office at Kensington Palace said: “The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to announce that they have named their son George Alexander Louis.
“The baby will be known as His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge.”
It took only two days for the name to be released, compared with seven when Prince William was born in 1982.
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Queen Elizabeth II has paid a visit to her new great-grandson, the son of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
The half-hour visit to Kensington Palace came after Prince William, Kate Middleton and the royal baby spent their first night at home.
They left St Mary’s Hospital in west London on Tuesday evening, where Prince William told reporters they were yet to name the third in line to the throne.
The Queen visited without her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, as he continues to recover from abdominal surgery.
She made the short journey from Buckingham Palace in a dark green Bentley.
The private meeting comes as the monarch prepares to leave for Balmoral in Scotland on Friday, where she has her traditional summer break.
The Queen had said she was “thrilled” at the arrival of her third great-grandchild during a reception at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday evening.
Louise Butt, a guest at the event for the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, said the monarch had also described the baby as a “big boy” and had said that “the first born is very special”.
There has been no word yet from the duke, who is expected to take about two months to convalesce following exploratory abdominal surgery last month.
The Queen was not the first to meet the royal baby prince.
Queen Elizabeth II has paid a visit to her new great-grandson, the son of Prince William and Kate Middleton
Prince Charles and Camilla, and Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, paid visits to the hospital on Tuesday afternoon.
Later that day, Kate’s sister Pippa Middleton, accompanied by boyfriend Nico Jackson, went to Kensington Palace to meet her day-old nephew.
Prince Charles said the baby was “marvelous” while Carole Middleton said he was “absolutely beautiful”.
Prince William was at the hospital for the birth at 16:24 BST on Monday, and stayed with his wife and son, who weighed 8lb 6oz (3.8kg), overnight.
They left at 19:15 BST on Tuesday – just under 27 hours after the baby’s arrival.
Kate Middleton and Prince William described becoming parents as “very emotional”.
A Kensington Palace spokesman said on Wednesday it was “now private and quiet time for them to get to know their son”.
Although the couple have yet to decide on a name it is known that the newest royal will be known as HRH Prince (name) of Cambridge.
George is the bookmakers’ favorite for the first name of the prince, who is destined to be king one day. James and Alexander are among other names on a short price.
Royal fans waited seven days before the name of a newborn Prince William was announced in 1982, and there was a wait of a month following the Prince Charles’s birth in 1948.
All births in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, regardless of parentage, must be registered within 42 days at the hospital or a local register office.
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Kate Middleton has given birth to a baby boy, Kensington Palace has announced this evening.
The baby was delivered at 16:24 BST at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, west London, weighing 8lb 6oz.
Prince William said in a statement the couple “could not be happier”.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will remain in the hospital overnight.
The news has been displayed on an easel in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace in line with tradition.
A bulletin – signed by the Queen’s gynaecologist Marcus Setchell, who led the medical team that delivered the baby – was taken by a royal aide from St Mary’s to the palace under police escort.
The document said: “Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Cambridge was safely delivered of a son at 4.24 pm today.
“Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well.”
The news of royal baby boy arrival has been displayed on an easel in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace in line with tradition
When the news was announced, a large cheer went up from well-wishers and journalists outside the hospital while a large crowd greeted the posting of the bulletin outside Buckingham Palace.
The Kensington Palace press release said Prince William was present for the birth of his son, who will be known as the Prince of Cambridge.
“The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry and members of both families have been informed and are delighted with the news,” it said.
And the Prince of Wales, in a separate statement, said he and the Duchess of Cornwall were “overjoyed at the arrival of my first grandchild.
“It is an incredibly special moment for William and Catherine and we are so thrilled for them on the birth of their baby boy,” he added.
“Grandparenthood is a unique moment in anyone’s life, as countless kind people have told me in recent months, so I am enormously proud and happy to be a grandfather for the first time and we are eagerly looking forward to seeing the baby in the near future.”
Prince William and Kate Middleton spent time bonding with their son before they told the family their news, according to new reports.
Royal doctor Michael Setchell described the new arrival as “wonderful baby, beautiful baby”.
PM David Cameron, speaking outside Downing Street, hailed the “wonderful news”.
“It is an important moment in the life of our nation but I suppose, above all, it’s a wonderful moment for a warm and loving couple who’ve got a brand new baby boy,” he added.
He said the Royal Family could “know that a proud nation is celebrating with a very proud and happy couple tonight”.
Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said: “I am sure that people across Scotland will be absolutely thrilled to hear the news of the birth of a baby boy to the Royal couple and will want to join me in wishing the proud parents many congratulations.”
And Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones congratulated the couple “on behalf of the people of Wales” as “they enter their journey into parenthood”.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, meanwhile, said he was “delighted to congratulate the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on the arrival of their baby boy”.
“Along with millions here and around the world, I share in their joy at this special time,” he added.
“May God bless this family with love, health and happiness in their shared life ahead.”
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The royal baby’s impending birth is good news for bookmakers as thousands of people have rushed to place bets on everything from the child’s name to its due date, weight, gender and eye color.
Most wanted to bet on the baby’s name and bookies said George and Alexandra are the hot favorite names for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s baby.
Other strong contenders from Prince William’s family include Elizabeth, Diana, Charles and Philip.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are also likely to take inspiration from Kate’s side of the family, possibly honoring her father Michael, or picking Francis, which is both her father and her grandfather’s middle name.
Frances was Kate Middleton’s great-great-great grandmother’s first name, and was also Prince William’s mother’s middle name.
Meanwhile James, another very strong favorite if the baby is a boy, has links to both families.
Bookmakers also said punters – who have spent an estimated £1 million ($1.5 million) betting on the baby – were expecting the baby to be a girl, weighing between 7 lb-7lbs 15oz, and to have brown hair.
Once the baby is born the Queen will be informed of the chosen names before they are announced officially, but she is unlikely to exercise her veto.
Royal writer Christopher Warwick said: “The Queen is so down to earth that she’s not likely to jump up and down and say this boy has got to be called Charles and George.
“This isn’t going to be <<Granny, do you approve?>> but more <<These are the names we’ve chosen – do you like them?>>.
“It’s much more of a personal thing these days.”
Despite their freer rein, it is unlikely that Prince William and Kate Middleton would pick a name out of keeping with royal tradition, and they will be mindful of choosing a name that befits a future king or queen.
In the past, the approval of the sovereign has held great importance.
When the Duke and Duchess of York had their second daughter Princess Margaret Rose in 1930, they were planning to call her Ann Margaret, but changed their mind after learning that King George V disliked the name Ann.
Queen Victoria insisted that the name Albert be used as a middle name, if not a first, in honor of her beloved consort Prince Albert.
Royal babies’ names are not usually revealed straight away and the public are often left guessing for several days as speculation mounts.
When Princess Beatrice was born in 1988, it was two weeks before her name was known.
When Prince William arrived in 1982, his parents waited seven days before deciding upon and announcing his name. Princess Diana was thought to have preferred names such as Sebastian and Oliver, while Charles was reportedly holding out for Albert.
Charles’s own name, however, remained a mystery for an entire month and was only declared ahead of his christening in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace in December 1948.
In a more modern approach, Prince William and Kate Middleton could buck the trend and unveil their chosen name immediately.
Most wanted to bet on the baby’s name and bookies said George and Alexandra are the hot favorite names for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s baby
Royal babies tend to be given a number of middle names.
The Prince of Wales has four names – Charles Philip Arthur George – while the Duke of Cambridge also has four – William Arthur Philip Louis.
The Queen has three names – Elizabeth Alexandra Mary – while Diana, Princess of Wales, was Diana Frances.
Kate Middleton has just two names, Catherine Elizabeth.
Prince Harry’s first name is actually Henry, followed by Charles Albert David.
King Edward VIII, who abdicated the throne, had seven names – Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David – but was always known to his family as David.
Queen Victoria was named Alexandrina Victoria and as a child was nicknamed Drina.
If the baby is a boy, he will be styled a Prince and, thanks to a new letters patent issued by the Queen, if the baby is a girl, a Princess.
When William was born he was Prince William of Wales and his children will use Cambridge in the same way, becoming HRH Prince [forename] of Cambridge or HRH Princess [forename] of Cambridge.
According to the monarchy’s official website: “For the most part, members of the Royal Family who are entitled to the style and dignity of HRH Prince or Princess do not need a surname, but if at any time any of them do need a surname (such as upon marriage), that surname is Mountbatten-Windsor.”
In 1917, George V adopted Windsor as the royal family’s House and surname.
In 1960, for the direct descendants of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh who require a surname, it became Mountbatten-Windsor.
Mountbatten was the surname Greek-born Prince Philip assumed when he became naturalized in 1947.
If a boy, the baby is also likely to one day be Prince of Wales when William accedes to the throne. The title is usually given to the male heir to the throne, but it is not automatic.
Bookies are already cashing in after due dates backed by the punters passed by without a baby.
The most popular day for due-date bets was last Thursday, July 18, when 1,142 people lost money with Ladbrokes alone.
One punter was down £1,000 ($1,500) after putting their money on July 17, and the company will make £23,000 ($35,000) after getting to midnight last night without a royal baby. Meanwhile Coral says it has already made £25,000 ($38,000) from lost bets.
William Hill said it had already taken £100,000 ($150,000) in due date bets but could not say how many people had lost out as all bets remain open until the baby is born.
The bookmaker has now stopped taking bets on when the baby will arrive, and said the majority of people had bet on it being today. Meanwhile there has also been a surge in bets for an August due date – money they are now likely to lose.
Bookies are also taking bets on everything from the baby’s star sign to its hair color, and whether Prince William or Kate Middleton will be holding it when they first emerge from hospital.
A baby girl is favorite, with odds of 1-2, while the odds on it being a boy are 6-4, Coral said today. The bookmaker said the baby’s birth has been the biggest non-sporting event in the company’s history.
If the baby comes before 4.54 p.m. today it will be a Cancer star sign, and if it comes after that it will be Leo, as Kate Middleton’ mother has predicted.
TOP TEN NAMES IF THE ROYAL BABY IS A GIRL:
1) Alexandra (9/4)
2) Charlotte (5/1)
3) Elizabeth (10/1)
4) Victoria (10/1)
5) Isabella (12/1)
6) Diana (14/1)
7) Alice (20/1)
8) Mary (25/1)
9) Catherine/Kate (33/1)
10) Grace (33/1)
(source: William Hill)
TOP TEN NAMES IF THE ROYAL BABY IS A BOY:
1) George (5/1)
2) James (10/1)
3) Henry (14/1)
4) Arthur (20/1)
5) Louis (25/1)
6) Albert (40/1)
7) Alexander (40/1)
8) Benjamin (40/1)
9) David (40/1)
10) Philip (40/1)
(source: William Hill)
It was revealed today that Kate Middleton official due date is July 13.
Mystery has shrouded the expected date of birth ever since Kate Middleton was rushed into the King Edward VII hospital with severe morning sickness in December, early in the pregnancy.
Because of her illness, the Palace was forced to announce she was expecting before she had undergone her 12-week scan.
It meant no one outside Kate and William’s close circle knew exactly how far the pregnancy had progressed.
A friend of the pair revealed: “Some of Kate and William’s closest pals were at a barbecue hosted by a family friend of the Royals recently.
“They were all discussing the fact that Kate’s baby is due to be born on July 13. Everyone was very excited.”
Unfortunately, the birth due date falls in the middle of the Coronation Festival, a four-day celebration to mark 60 years since Queen Elizabeth II was crowned, 16 months after being proclaimed Monarch on her father’s death.
Kate Middleton official due date is July 13.
The festival, expected to rival last year’s jubilee revelries, runs from July 11 to July 14 – meaning Prince William and Kate Middleton are almost sure to miss out.
Opera singer Laura Wright, who will perform in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, joked: “I had better not sing too many high notes . . . what if my singing made her go into labor?”
The baby is expected to be delivered in the private Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington – the same place Prince William was born – under the supervision of Royal gynecologists Alan Farthing and Marcus Setchell.
Just after the pregnancy was announced in December, bookmakers were taking bets on whether the baby might share a birthday with Princess Diana, July 1.
Now it appears the child will have a birthday closer to the Duchess of Cornwall’s, on July 17. Unless the baby is more than nine days late, it will be born under the same cancer star sign as Diana, an avid astrology follower.
July 13 is also the birthday of satirist Ian Hislop, actor Harrison Ford, painter Frida Kahlo and even Julius Caesar – although some historians argue that he may have been born the day before.
Proposed changes to the rules of succession will mean that if the baby is a Princess, she will be third in line to the throne, regardless of whether she has a younger brother.
Kate Middleton had purchased a pale blue Bugaboo buggy, fuelling speculation the child will be a boy.
A Palace spokesman said last night: “We have only said that the Duchess is due in July. Anything further would be speculation.”
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s baby is due in July, St James’s Palace announced today.
Kate Middleton’s condition is also continuing to improve following her stay in hospital last month for severe pregnancy-related sickness, a spokesman for the couple said.
The 31-year-old Duchess is believed to be around 13 to 14 weeks pregnant and confirmation of the birth month means it is likely she has now had her 12-week scan.
“Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to confirm they are expecting a baby in July,” a St James’s Palace spokesman said.
“The Duchess’s condition continues to improve since her stay in hospital last month.”
The announcement was made at 11 a.m. today by St James’s Palace, the traditional time of day for royal announcements.
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s baby is due in July
The update is also further confirmation that Kate Middleton is expecting just one baby – after speculation that she might be carrying twins.
The Duchess was less than 8 weeks pregnant and staying with her parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, at their $7.5 million country mansion in Berkshire when she fell ill at the beginning of December.
As her condition worsened and she began to become severely dehydrated, the decision was made to admit her to the King Edward VII Hospital in Marylebone, central London, for treatment on December 3.
Doctors diagnosed her with hyperemesis gravidarum, an acute form of pregnancy-related sickness.
Later that day the palace reluctantly announced details of her pregnancy, stressing that she was well under the crucial 12-week stage at which such pronouncements are normally made.
A spokesman also confirmed that, contrary to speculation, it was not a multiple pregnancy.
They declined to say whether the couple planned to find out the sex of the baby, although members of the royal family normally do not.
Queen Elizabeth II has formally declared that the future daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be a Princess.
With a long-awaited royal baby due in late spring or early summer, the Queen today issued what is known as a Letters Patent to announce that Prince William and Kate Middleton’s baby would become an HRH – Her Royal Highness – even if she is a girl.
In doing so the Queen rectified a century-old anomaly that meant a royal daughter would not automatically become a princess.
A decree made by King George V in 1917 stipulated that that while a son would become a prince, a daughter would not become a princess.
King George had ordered that the titles HRH and Prince and Princess should be restricted to the children of the sovereign, the children of the sovereign’s sons and the eldest son of the eldest of the Prince of Wales.
Royal sources said the Queen felt it was time such a long-standing imbalance was formally rectified.
The Queen’s proclamation, issued through the House of Lords on December 31 last year but only made public today reads: “The Queen has been pleased by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm dated 31 December 2012 to declare that all the children of the eldest son of The Prince of Wales should have and enjoy the style, title and attribute of Royal Highness with the titular dignity of Prince or Princess prefixed to their Christian names or with such other titles of honor.”
Queen Elizabeth II has formally declared that the future daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be a Princess
While the announcement is no great surprise, it is, nevertheless, an important milestone for the future third-in-line-to-the-throne.
Letters Patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by the monarch. Their name derives from the Latin pateo, meaning exposed and accessible.
They are a form of public proclamation and a rare exercise of extra-parliamentary power by the sovereign, known as royal prerogative.
Prior to the establishment of parliament the sovereign ruled absolutely by the issuing of his or her personal written orders.
That said, such documents – which are rare nowadays – tend to be issued with informal government approval.
The Letters Patent would have been marked with the Great Seal of the Realm, the chief seal of the Crown, used to show the monarch’s approval of important State Documents.
Any document relating to a close member of the Royal Family requires the use of a unique blue seal.
Buckingham Palace refused to comment on the timing of the announcement and whether it meant that Kate Middleton was now safely past the crucial 12-week stage of pregnancy.
However well-placed royal sources suggested that the Queen had been keen to do for some time.
Kate Middleton, who celebrated her 31st birthday yesterday, was taken into hospital in early December suffering from acute pregnancy-related sickness and has retained a low profile ever since.
Last month a new law was published – the Succession to the Crown Bill – which end the system of male primogeniture, meaning the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s first child will become monarch whether they are a boy or a girl.
Jacintha Saldanha, the nurse who transferred a prank phone call from two Australian radio presenters about Kate Middleton, has died in a suspected suicide – two days after being duped.
Mother-of-two Jacintha Saldanha, who was working on the switchboard when 2DayFM obtained intimate details about Kate Middleton, was found dead near the King Edward VII Hospital today.
Prince William and Kate Middleton are “deeply saddened” by the tragedy and a Palace spokesman said the couple had not made a complaint about the prank call.
“Their thoughts and prayers are with Jacintha Saldanha’s family, friends and colleagues at this very sad time,” a statement said.
When asked if they had expressed concern, the spokesman added: “On the contrary we offered our full and heartfelt support to the nurses involved and hospital staff at all times.”
The Palace declined to say whether the Duchess met Jacintha Saldanha but it was very possible.
The King Edward VII Hospital, which was not believed to be disciplining the nurse over incident, said it announced her death with “very deep sadness”.
Their statement added: “Jacintha has worked at the King Edward VII Hospital for more than four years. She was an excellent nurse and well respected and popular with all over her colleagues.”
Jacintha Saldanha answered the hoax call at 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning and transferred the call through to Kate Middleton’s ward.
Another nurse then told the giggling DJs, Mel Greig and Michael Christian, who were pretending to be the Queen and Prince Charles, how the Duchess was about to “get freshened up”.
Prince William and Kate Middleton are deeply saddened by Jacintha Saldanha’s death and the couple had not made a complaint about the prank call
The station apologized for “any inconvenience caused” but provoked widespread fury and disbelief by continuing to continuing to promote its hoax, calling it “the prank call the world is talking about” before playing clips of the recording.
As the backlash grew Mel Greig and Michel Christian both deleted their Twitter accounts.
The emergency services were called and two ambulances were dispatched to the central London residence today.
But paramedics were unable to revive her and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Her family, husband and two children have been informed.
The hospital said this afternoon: “It is with very deep sadness that we confirm the tragic death of a member of our nursing staff, Jacintha Saldanha.
“Jacintha has worked at the King Edward VII’s Hospital for more than four years. She was an excellent nurse and well-respected and popular with all of her colleagues.
“We can confirm that Jacintha was recently the victim of a hoax call to the hospital. The hospital had been supporting her throughout this difficult time.”
John Lofthouse, Chief Executive at King Edward VII’s Hospital, added: “Our thoughts and deepest sympathies at this time are with her family and friends. Everyone is shocked by the loss of a much loved and valued colleague.”
Lord Glenarthur, Chairman of King Edward VII’s Hospital, says: “This is a tragic event. Jacintha was a first class nurse who cared diligently for hundreds of patients during her time with us. She will be greatly missed.”
Officers from Scotland Yard launched an investigation yesterday and are treating the death as “unexplained”.
The exact cause of death remained unclear. However, one source indicated that the woman appeared to have killed herself.
A former neighbor of tragic nurse Jacintha Saldanha yesterday described her as a “nice, lovely lady”.
The neighbor lived next door to Jacintha Saldanha, her two sons and partner Benedict Barboza – know as Ben – at an address in Bristol several years ago.
Even today Michael Christian was urging people to tune in to their show to hear more about #royalprank.
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s first child will accede to the throne – even if she is a girl.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s child will not be subject to the centuries-old law of primogeniture, which puts male heirs ahead of women, after a groundbreaking deal by David Cameron.
British Prime Minister David Cameron has agreed a deal with other Commonwealth countries to change the rules on the royal line of succession which means male heirs will no longer be given priority.
This means that in the 15 other countries where Queen Elizabeth II is head of state the rules must be changed.
It had been feared there could be a constitutional crisis if Prince William and Kate Middleton had a baby girl before the law was changed.
But today’s announcement that the Duchess of Cambridge is expecting the couple’s first child – third in line to the throne – has come after the deal was agreed.
In October 2011, David Cameron announced that the 16 Commonwealth countries where the Queen is head of state had agreed to give female royals the same rights of succession as their brothers.
“Put simply, if the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were to have a little girl, that girl would one day be our queen,” David Cameron said.
Under the ancient rules of male primogeniture, first born royal daughters in direct line to the throne were leapfrogged by their younger male siblings.
The principle was criticized and widely viewed as outdated and discriminatory.
The current law of male primogeniture only allows Elizabeth II to be queen because she did not have any brothers.
Moves towards constitutional change gathered pace in the wake of the Duke and Duchess’s wedding in April 2011 in anticipation they would produce an offspring.
David Cameron had previously warned it would take time due to on-going negotiations with the Commonwealth countries where the Queen is also head of state, but at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in October 2011 he confirmed the changes would go ahead.
Downing Street said any attempt to alter the law would be a “difficult and complex matter”, with parallel legislation needed in all such Commonwealth nations.
It will also involve amendments to some of Britain’s key constitutional documents, such as the Bill of Rights and Coronation Oath Act of 1688, the 1701 Act of Settlement and the 1706 Act of Union with Scotland.
Proposed legislation will refer to the descendants of the current Prince of Wales, meaning that William’s first child would follow him in the line of succession, whether a girl or a boy.
However, the current generation of royals will not be affected. It will not be retrospective – meaning the Princess Royal will not jump ahead of her younger brothers the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex.
Ministers have made clear the changes will apply from October 28, 2011 – the date of the Commonwealth summit where the countries agreed the plans.
The change needs to be legislated for in the Commonwealth nations of the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Belize, St Christopher and Nevis, St Lucia, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Papua New Guinea. But this is regarded as assured.
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s first child will accede to the throne, even if she is a girl
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg told the Commons in May: “If the birds and bees were to deliver that blessing to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and indeed the nation, then that little girl would be covered by the provisions of these changes of the rules of succession because they operate from the time of the declaration of the Commonwealth summit last October.
“It is very important to remember that the rules are de facto in place, even though they have yet to be implemented through legislation in the way that I have described.”
The changes mean that, for all descendants of the Prince of Wales, younger sons will no longer take precedence over an elder daughter in the line of succession.
Members of the Royal Family who marry a Roman Catholic will also in future be able to succeed to the Crown.
And an ancient and unused rule saying descendants of George II are supposed to gain the consent of the monarch to marry will only apply to the first six people in the line of succession.
The law was brought in following the Glorious Revolution – when a Dutch invasion helped overthrow a Papist king – so that a Catholic could never sit on our throne again.
It also means that the Princess Royal, the Queen’s second born, is just tenth in line to the throne behind her younger brothers Andrew (fourth) and Edward (seventh).
The 15 other countries where Elizabeth II is queen are Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Soloman Islands, Tuvalu, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, and St Kitts and Nevis.
The Commonwealth leaders also agreed to overturn the 1701 Act of Settlement, which means that only the Protestant heirs of the Electress Sophia of Hanover, granddaughter of James I, can become king or queen.
The Queen hailed the deal on changing the rules as the 53 Commonwealth countries met last year, saying she wanted the theme of allowing women to play a full part to last for years.
She said: “The theme this year is Women As Agents of Change.
“It reminds us of the potential in our societies that is yet to be fully unlocked and it encourages us to find ways to allow all girls and women to play their full part.
“We must continue to strive in our own countries and across the Commonwealth together to promote that theme in a lasting way beyond this year.”
Her comments were taken as a sign that the Queen approves of the reform.
The Commonwealth is a looser group of 53 countries, of which the Queen is the head.
David Cameron had criticized the existing rules as “out-dated” and in need of change.
It was also agreed that the barrier to the heir to the throne marrying a Catholic will also be removed, but that it would not affect the position of the Anglican Church as the established Church.
The Queen and future monarchs will be Anglicans and Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
An ancient rule meaning that all descendants of George II are supposed to require the consent of the monarch before they can marry will also be abolished.
The UK government must now introduce legislation to change the 1701 Act of Settlement, the Bill of Rights 1688, the Coronation Oath Act 1688 and the Royal Marriages Act 1772.
But because the rule will be backdated and it will be many years before a female heir will be close to the throne, the government says the change isn’t urgent.
Government sources have stressed that the new rule will apply only to heirs born after October 2011.
Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, would still be placed below her two younger brothers, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex.
Had the rule been in force before, British history would have been very different.
Constitutional experts say that in 1509 Margaret Tudor would have taken the throne instead of Henry VIII, and as a result Elizabeth I would never have been Queen.
It would also have meant Queen Victoria would have been succeeded by her daughter, Princess Victoria, the Princess Royal, in 1901, and not King Edward VII.
When she died just a few months later, her son Kaiser Wilhelm II would have ascended the throne – something which could have prevented the First World War.
It is said the Queen of England now would have been the completely unknown Princess Marie Cecile of Prussia.
Most European monarchies have already established an equal law of succession – it is in force in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
Now only Spain, Liechtenstein and Monaco are left with the old system.
THE CURRENT LINE OF SUCCESSION
- The Prince of Wales (Prince Charles)
- Prince William of Wales
- Prince Henry of Wales
- The Duke of York
- Princess Beatrice of York
- Princess Eugenie of York
- The Earl of Wessex
- Viscount Severn
- The Lady Louise Windsor
- The Princess Royal
- Mr. Peter Phillips
- Miss Zara Phillips
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that the Duchess of Cambridge is expecting a baby, St James’s Palace announced today.
Kate Middleton, 30, was taken to King Edward VII Hospital in Central London with acute morning sickness this afternoon.
In a statement on the couple’s website, Prince William and Kate Middleton said they were “delighted with the news”.
Kate Middleton was taken to King Edward VII Hospital in Central London with acute morning sickness this afternoon
“Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting a baby.
The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry and members of both families are delighted with the news.
“The Duchess was admitted this afternoon to King Edward VII Hospital in Central London with Hyperemesis Gravidarum. As the pregnancy is in its very early stages, Her Royal Highness is expected to stay in hospital for several days and will require a period of rest thereafter.”
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West relationship is going from strength to strength, with Kim apparently planning her wedding to the rapper – although he has yet to propose.
According to reports, Kim Kardashian wants a wedding to rival that of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Although Kim Kardashian is still legally married to Kris Humphries she is reportedly already planning her nuptials and wants a huge English event.
A source said: “Kim would love to wed at Westminster Abbey like William and Catherine, but that won’t be possible.
“Instead she’s been looking at castles near London. She wants the most spectacular wedding and she’s talking about having guests like Jay-Z and Beyonce, Eva Longoria, Lindsay Lohan, Rihanna and Katy Perry arrive in horse drawn carriages – just like the royal wedding.”
Kim Kardashian wants a wedding to rapper Kanye West to rival that of Prince William and Kate Middleton
Kim Kardashian reportedly also wants children with Kanye West and has her heart set on twins and is even planning a nursery even though she isn’t pregnant.
The source added to America’s OK! magazine: “It’s going to be huge – at least 2,000 square feet. And luxury is top priority from the carpet to the light fixtures. Kim and Kanye love Old Hollywood so that’s going to be a theme with lots of white and cream with splashes of butter yellow and black and some leopard print.”
