It has been a big week for the Royal family, with the announcement that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expecting their first baby, followed quickly by the news that the Duchess has been rushed to hospital suffering from the severe, acute nausea and vomiting known as hyperemesis gravidarum.
The news of a royal baby and future heir to the throne has thrown the Government into overdrive on its plans to amend the laws of succession, so that the baby will accede to the throne regardless of its gender.
Under the present laws on Royal succession, known as primogeniture, a female child would lose their right to the throne if a younger male child was subsequently born.
The Government has been keen to change the law, as part of the Succession to the Crown Bill, but have had to wait for the 16 other commonwealth nations to agree to the changes.
The rules require legal changes in all the Queen's Realms where she is head of state, including Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
There was some concern that the commonwealth countries would not agree to the changes in time, something that was brought into stark focus by Monday's announcement of the royal pregnancy.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg hailed the agreement of all 16 commonwealth nations as a historic moment for Britain.
"We can also all celebrate that whether the baby is a boy or a girl, they will have an equal claim to the throne," he said.
"It's a wonderful coincidence that the final confirmation from the other realms arrived on the very day that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made their announcement," he added.
However, the law will not be changed to allow Roman Catholics to accede to the throne, a law that has existed since the Bill of Rights in 1689.
Source:
Change to Royal succession law agreed by Commonwealth nations (The Telegraph)
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