Question on Brittish inheritance?

Question

Ok so i know that girls can inherit the Brittish throne, obviously. But if we were to suppose that Prince William becomes King, and has a daughter followed by a son, will the daughter inherit the throne as the eldest child, or will the son still inherit due to the old desire for a male heir?

Answer 1

The eldest son ALWAYS inherits, no matter how many older females there are.  Just the way it's always been, don't ask me why...

Answer 2

It's nothing to do with the desire for a male heir.  It is a rule under the Act of Settlement 1701 that the eldest male child of the sovereign will succeed to the throne.  In Sweden a change was recently introduced to the legislation so that the current heir to the throne is a princess, although she has a younger brother.  It has been suggested that the UK follow suit, and this is a good time to air the question because with so many males in direct line to the throne it will be a completely objective decision, but the Labour government have been too busy with other things for this question to be debated in the  House of Commons (and in due course the House of Lords). It would, however, be a good idea for it to be settled before Prince William marries and starts producing heirs.

Answer 3

The current  British succession Act follows the Cognatic primogeniture rule.  The crown is passed on by male-preference primogeniture. In other words, an individual's male children are preferred over his or her female children, and an older child is preferred over a younger child of the same gender, with children representing their deceased ancestors. Succession in the United Kingdom is also governed by the Act of Union 1800, which restates the provisions of the Act of Settlement 1701 and the Bill of Rights (1689). These laws stipulate that those who are not legitimate descendants of Sophia, Electress of Hanover and those who have ever been Roman Catholics, or who have married Roman Catholics, are disbarred from succeeding to the Crown. The descendants of those who are disbarred for becoming or marrying Roman Catholics, however, may still be eligible to succeed.

Read more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Succession_...

Answer 4

Under the current rules, his son would inherit ahead of his older sister. The last king to inherit despite having an older sister was Edward VII.

There have been proposals to change the law of succession giving men an women equal rights but as the next two in the line of succession are both men, it is a moot point at the moment and as it would require ratification by both Houses of Parliament there is little time to discuss it.

Answer 5

England follows the rule of primogeniture:the eldest son inherits the throne.It would take an act of Parliament to have the eldest child,regardless of gender,to inherit the throne.

Answer 6

The First born son is highly regarded in the kingship.