A new tell-all book has revealed how the late Queen Elizabeth and King Charles reacted to a major change that altered the future of the Firm forever when new legislation was introduced in 2013
An explosive new book has claimed that the late Queen Elizabeth was not “overly enthusiastic” about a major change to the rules of the royal succession.
The Succession to the Crown Act 2013 welcomed in a new era of the Firm, changing the rules of succession from male-preference ascension to absolute primogeniture, meaning birth order, not gender, determined succession for those born after October 2011, with the eldest child inheriting the throne regardless of gender.
According to Valentine Low’s new book, titled Power and the Palace: The Inside Story of the Monarchy and 10 Downing Street, neither Queen Elizabeth, King Charles nor aides at Buckingham Palace showed any great eagerness on the reform.
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The constitutional change was brought about by former Prime Minister David Cameron, who insisted that the other 15 realms were on board with the drastic reform and change to tradition.
Mr Low writes: “Crucially, the palace was not against it. But they said that the government had to ensure the backing of the other 15 realms.”
A source is quoted as saying: “I always thought that the signals from Buckingham Palace were that if it was the wish of the duly elected prime minister of the day, and the realms can be sorted out, we will not stand in its way. I didn’t get the sense there was any great enthusiasm from the palace and the Queen herself.”
King Charles was also interested in what the new reform would mean for the future of the monarchy, as he “ambushed” the permanent secretary at the Cabinet Office, with questions about the Act . He also expressed his disappointment that his eldest child, Prince William, wasn’t consulted in the matter.
The book reported that Charles wanted to know all about what would happen if William’s first child was a girl, especially with the planned Succession to the Crown Bill, as his main concern was whether the royal house name of Windsor could be changed if a granddaughter who became monarch married and took her husband’s name.
According to reports by Hello!, Charles gave an example and asked whether the house would continue being the House of Windsor or if it could become the House of Smith, if she married someone with this surname.
The explosive book also alleged that Charles was concerned about the monarchy if William’s first child was a daughter, who would later become a Queen, and she married a Catholic, given that the monarch is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
The rule change means Princess Charlotte remains ahead of her younger brother, Prince Louis, in the line of succession, as the children were born after the Act was introduced to impact those born after October 28th 2011.
This is unlike Princess Anne, who was overtaken by her younger siblings, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.
