Now quicker European access

Queen Elizabeth: Girls should have equal rights to throne

Queen Elizabeth II

LONDON (CNN) -- It may not happen in your lifetime, but one day a British monarch's first child will be a girl, and she'll automatically be first in line for the throne.

For 1,000 years, male children have been given preference to the throne.

That changed Friday, when a spokesman for Queen Elizabeth II told the House of Lords the queen has no objection to eradicating the practice of primogeniture.

Of course, parliament must pass legislation making the change in succession official, but with the queen's approval and Prime Minister Tony Blair's huge voting block, the legislation is not expected to encounter any insurmountable problems.

Initial reaction positive

CNN's Richard Blystone examines the proposal to change the line of succession to the British throne

The queen's announcement was made as the lords debated a bill on primogeniture, introduced by Lord Archer, better known as novelist Jeffrey Archer.

"Her Majesty had no objection to the government's view that, in determining the line of succession of the throne, daughters and sons should be treated in the same way," Lord Williams, a junior minister in the Home Office, told the lords.

The 40 non-elected members in the session welcomed the queen's move toward modernization.

"Our rule is particularly derogatory to women as well as being quite out of date," said Lord Simon.

Modernizing the monarchy

Prince William

"If Prince William had three girls in a row and then a boy, the law at the moment is the boy leapfrogs over the three girls and becomes the king. It's farcical," said Archer, who withdrew his bill after being satisfied that change is in the works. A new bill will likely come from the House of Commons, he told CNN.

"And who among us would say, on balance, that our kings have been more impressive and have more impressive records than our queens?" Archer asked his colleagues.

A half-dozen women have sat on the British throne, including Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria. Elizabeth II ascended to the throne, because she was the eldest daughter and had no brothers.

Unlike her predecessors, whether kings or queens, Elizabeth II has been forced to bend to public pressures to modernize the monarchy.

In recent years, she's begun to pay taxes, she's opened Buckingham Palace to paying visitors, and she's given up her royal yacht.

'It's about time'

So how does the public feel about giving up primogeniture?

"It's about time. It's amazing they haven't done it before," said Olivia Wormald, a 26-year-old lawyer.

"I'm a republican. The sooner they get rid of an outdated institution like the monarchy, the better. I think they're tinkering at the margins," said Hugh Appleton, 34, also a lawyer.

The 15 other Commonwealth nations that recognize the queen as head of state will have to approve the legislation, once Parliament passes it.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Related site:

Note: Page will open in a new browser window

• The British Monarchy - official site

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.

---

 

---

Sound off on our message boards & chat

© 1998 Cable News Network, Inc.
A Time Warner Company
All Rights Reserved.

Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines.