Under the former law, dating back to 1701, women were succeeded by their brothers in succession even if they were the first born.
The act also allows the future monarch to marry a Roman Catholic.
The Succession to the Crown Act 2013 came into force after being approved by all 16 Commonwealth countries where Her Majesty is head of state.
In October 2011, the legislation was decided in principle at…
Star of Sherlock, Benedict Cumberbatch, will read a poem at the re-internment of the last Plantagenet King, Richard III, on Thursday. The re-internment service will take place at Leicester Cathedral three years after his remains were discovered at the site of an…
Over 500 years after his death, and nearly three years after the discovery of his remains under a Leicester car park, King Richard III is finally set to get the funeral that he deserves, as his reburial procession got underway in Leicester today. Richard III’s remains…
The Queen-in-Council issued a proclamation setting out the dates when Parliament will be prorogued ahead of its dissolution, heralding the beginning of the short campaign for the British General Election on this May.
The Order read that Parliament would be prorogued (which means suspended) “no earlier than 26th March” and “no later than 30th March”, though in practice the…
Buckingham Palace to open State Rooms Grand Entrance for first time during annual summer opening
18th March 2015
As Buckingham Palace prepares to welcome the swathes of tourists for the annual summer opening, visitors will for the first time be able to enter through the Grand Entrance.
Previously, the entrance had been reserved for visiting Heads of State but the Palace will throw…
Petition to give Anne Boleyn a Royal Pardon after she was 'wrongly accused' of her crimes
14th March 2015
An e-petition has been created to try and grant Anne Boleyn a Royal Pardon after it is believed that she was ‘wrongly accused’ of the crimes that led to her execution in 1536.
In addition to asking for a Royal Pardon, the petition calls for the former Queen of…
For years, it was believed that King Richard III had dark hair and black eyes. That is how he is portrayed in his portraits, and the image certainly is consistent with that of a notorious King, rumoured to have murdered his nephews. But now, scientists say that the last of the Plantagenet rulers may, in fact, have had blonde hair and blue eyes.
The results of DNA tests carried out by Dr Turi King…
Henry VIII’s illegitimate son, Henry Fitzroy’s tomb recreated by University of Leicester
11th March 2015
Henry Fitzroy, the illegitimate male heir of King Henry VIII, would never ascend the throne, his tomb though was designed as if he were already King.
3D scan of 3rd Duke’s monument, Framlingham Photo Credit: University of Leicester
In 2013, the dismantled tombs of…
King George I, King George II, King George III, King George IV and Queen Victoria. All Hanoverian Monarchs of the United Kingdom but the House of Hanover also presented us with another King – William IV. He may not have brought the Hanoverians to Britain like his…
Alexandrina Victoria chose to reign as Queen Victoria
There are few circumstances in which one may pick their name, ascending the throne is one such. Upon becoming Sovereign, the new King or Queen may choose to use a new name to reign in. This is known as a regnal name.
Regnal names are also followed by a regnal number, expressed with a Roman numeral, in order to make each name unique to such…
