It may sound like a sexually transmitted disease, but 
primogeniture is in fact the common law right of the first born son to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings. Note the word “son” in this sentence, in this enlightened day of sexual equality.
So why in the 21st century do males still take precedence over females when succeeding the throne? Why are females ranked lower than males in their royal household? And isn’t it a seriously worrying thought that Princess Beatrice should rank 5th in line to the throne while our hard working Princess Anne limps behind at 10th? Who would you have more confidence in as your monarch if we ever reached such extreme measures?
I was heartened to learn from the erudite Graham Dines, a top ranking political editor with the East Anglian Daily Times, that this dated legislation is unlikely to have a leg to stand on in the European courts, should any female royals chose to challenge it.
In his blog, he states:
“It’s time to do away with the Act of Succession, which wouldn’t stand up to the scrutiny of the European Court because of its discrimination against Catholics and women.”
I didn’t realise that a cross-party group of MPs, including Colchester’s Bob Russell, wants an end to primogeniture. I have no idea how much support it has, but what about you think, do you feel our female royals are unfairly discriminated against today?
good point ellee and I particularly agree about Princess anne. What a stalwart she is – and I mean that in the nicest possible way. Mind you, Prince Andrew was on breakfast TV this mornign talking about Davos and what he’s doing out there. Sounds like a lot of lunches and dinners in the name of business – but perhaps I’m being cynical.
Crikey what a good question!
Whilst I remain staunchly in favour of having a royal family, I would have no support whatsoever for any member of the Royal Family that tried to use the European Courts to jump the queue for the throne.
Whilst I’m sure some aspects of court life are demanding, princesses don’t exactly have things that hard do they? Royality is an old fashioned institution, if were were truly to bring this relic of European history into the twenty-first century we would simply abolish it.
If you are born a Royal you either accept the historical status quo, with all of the quirks, pros and cons your hereditry status bequests or renounce your right to the throne altogether in my view. If the issue was inheritence of assets I’d support a legal challenge, as would most of the public I should imagine. There are far more pressing issues for our politicans to be dealing with than the matter of gender discrimination against potential monarchs.
It is in no way ‘worrying’ who is in line to the throne. We’ve reached the point where as soon as any monarch makes a pig ear of things and becomes unpopular the government, or the opposition, of the day will seize on this and banish them all to a life of obscurity following a referedum to abolish the monarchy.
They all no doubt realise this, and young Princess Beatrice no doubt realises that she will never be Queen anyway. If we had a situation where Prince William had on older sister then I’m sure the clamour amongst ‘womens rights’ groups would be louder than the ludicrous demand for equal prize money at Wimbledon. As he doesn’t I suggest we all get on with something more important.
It applies to all hereditary titles. The problem is that if a woman were to become a Duke, what title would her husband have? I think somebody in the House of Lords was complaining about this a few weeks ago: the fact that when a man is given a title, his wife automatically receives one and it was suggested that there should be no titles for spouses. In the case of the monarchy, I tend to agree with Stephen_L: once you start tinkering around with it, it’s the beginning of the end of it.
The example of the Queen herself should be enough to bring about a change in the law. There is no logic to it.
““It’s time to do away with the Act of Succession, which wouldn’t stand up to the scrutiny of the European Court because of its discrimination against Catholics and women.â€?
EU interference again.
Aside from all arguments about the validity of a Royal family in these times, I agree entirely with you, Ellee. I have long thought it ludicrous that the line of succession does not go through the reigning monarch’s children in age order and then on through his/her grandchildren. It’s crazy that Princess Anne does not stand a chance, and yet, what a Princess Royal she has been. Maybe with sovereignty hanging over her for all her life, she’d be talking to the plants by now…like Big Bro.
Personally I think we could consider going back to the old Anglo-Saxon tradition of electing our monarch.
No is the answer because we should get rid of the monarchy!
It’s a completely academic argument at the moment as Charles and William are both eldest children as well as eldest sons, but if Prince William were to marry and have a daughter, there would then be a clamour for the law to be changed to allow that daughter to inherit the Crown over and above the claims of any younger brothers, and my guess is that the change would then take place.
The interesting thing about it, to my mind, is the question of whether discrimination on the basis of order of birth makes any more sense than discrimination on the basis of gender. Why not allow a younger brother to inherit over an older sister? Or vice versa. Whether you say that “older trumps younger” or “male trumps female,” either way it’s discrimination.
In the real world, of course, we’ve by and large solved the problem by abolishing primogeniture and dividing up our wealth between all our children equally, but the House of Windsor is the one family which really cannot do this even if it wanted to. I don’t pretend there is an easy answer.
No!
Off with all their heads – forward towards a democratic Republic…
Are you trying to inject the idea of equality into who becomes . . .errrr King or Queen? Surely you see the irony in that one Elle? Anyhow, best not get me going on this subject. I suspect we will differ on that as on politics. Hope you are well.
David, wouldn’t life be dull if everyone agreed all the time. And yes, I am very well, thank you.