Succession to the Crown Bill
Encyclopedia
The Succession to the Crown Bill was a British
Private Member's Bill
aimed at reforming the manner of succession to the British Monarchy
published in the House of Lords
by Labour
peer Lord Dubs
on 9 December 2004, and withdrawn by him on 14 January 2005, after the Government said that it would block the Bill.
It would have involved three major measures: firstly, the change of the form of primogeniture
used from male-preference to gender-neutral primogeniture — that is, that the eldest child would succeed regardless of gender; secondly, that the Acts of Union 1707
, both in Scotland
and in England
, as well as other relevant legislation, be altered to remove the clauses forbidding the monarch or heirs from marrying any Catholic; and, thirdly, the revocation of the Royal Marriages Act 1772
, which requires descendants of King George II
(other than descendants of princesses who married foreigners) to obtain the Sovereign's consent to marry. However, the provisions of the Act of Settlement 1701
, barring the monarch from being Catholic, would have still remained in force.
The most immediate effect of the Bill passing and becoming law would have been the moving of Princess Anne
from her position of ninth on the British Line of Succession
to fourth, displacing Prince Andrew, Duke of York
. It was unclear as to how the Bill would have affected the lines of succession
to the other 15 Commonwealth Realm
s' Thrones. The Bill drew on the recommendations of the Fabian Society
's Commission on the Future of the Monarchy, which reported in 2003. Lord Dubs is a member of the Fabian Society's Executive Committee.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Private Member's Bill
Private Member's Bill
A member of parliament’s legislative motion, called a private member's bill or a member's bill in some parliaments, is a proposed law introduced by a member of a legislature. In most countries with a parliamentary system, most bills are proposed by the government, not by individual members of the...
aimed at reforming the manner of succession to the British Monarchy
Monarchy of the United Kingdom
The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
published in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
by Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
peer Lord Dubs
Alf Dubs
Alfred Dubs, Baron Dubs is a Czech-born British Labour Party politician and former Member of Parliament.- Youth and education :...
on 9 December 2004, and withdrawn by him on 14 January 2005, after the Government said that it would block the Bill.
It would have involved three major measures: firstly, the change of the form of primogeniture
Primogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
used from male-preference to gender-neutral primogeniture — that is, that the eldest child would succeed regardless of gender; secondly, that the Acts of Union 1707
Acts of Union 1707
The Acts of Union were two Parliamentary Acts - the Union with Scotland Act passed in 1706 by the Parliament of England, and the Union with England Act passed in 1707 by the Parliament of Scotland - which put into effect the terms of the Treaty of Union that had been agreed on 22 July 1706,...
, both in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and in England
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
, as well as other relevant legislation, be altered to remove the clauses forbidding the monarch or heirs from marrying any Catholic; and, thirdly, the revocation of the Royal Marriages Act 1772
Royal Marriages Act 1772
The Royal Marriages Act 1772 is an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain which prescribes the conditions under which members of the British Royal Family may contract a valid marriage, in order to guard against marriages that could diminish the status of the Royal House...
, which requires descendants of King George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
(other than descendants of princesses who married foreigners) to obtain the Sovereign's consent to marry. However, the provisions of the Act of Settlement 1701
Act of Settlement 1701
The Act of Settlement is an act of the Parliament of England that was passed in 1701 to settle the succession to the English throne on the Electress Sophia of Hanover and her Protestant heirs. The act was later extended to Scotland, as a result of the Treaty of Union , enacted in the Acts of Union...
, barring the monarch from being Catholic, would have still remained in force.
The most immediate effect of the Bill passing and becoming law would have been the moving of Princess Anne
Anne, Princess Royal
Princess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
from her position of ninth on the British Line of Succession
Line of succession to the British Throne
The line of succession to the British throne is the ordered sequence of those people eligible to succeed to the throne of the United Kingdom and the other 15 Commonwealth realms. By the terms of the Act of Settlement 1701, the succession is limited to the descendants of the Electress Sophia of...
to fourth, displacing Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
. It was unclear as to how the Bill would have affected the lines of succession
Order of succession
An order of succession is a formula or algorithm that determines who inherits an office upon the death, resignation, or removal of its current occupant.-Monarchies and nobility:...
to the other 15 Commonwealth Realm
Commonwealth Realm
A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...
s' Thrones. The Bill drew on the recommendations of the Fabian Society
Fabian Society
The Fabian Society is a British socialist movement, whose purpose is to advance the principles of democratic socialism via gradualist and reformist, rather than revolutionary, means. It is best known for its initial ground-breaking work beginning late in the 19th century and continuing up to World...
's Commission on the Future of the Monarchy, which reported in 2003. Lord Dubs is a member of the Fabian Society's Executive Committee.