Prince William and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, aren’t the only ones preparing for arrival of the royal baby – with the rest of the world also gearing up for the blessed event!
But while the media has already descended outside the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital in London, there are also more formal preparations that need to be finalised regarding the royal rules of succession.
All 16 Commonwealth nations that have the Queen as head of state have already or will soon ensure that their respective constitutions confirm Prince William and Catherine’s first child as the third in line to the throne, irrespective of gender.
Under the decree made in 2011, the royal couple’s baby, which is expected any day now, will ascend before any males other than his or her grandfather and father – and that includes Prince Harry!
Under previous laws, which had been in place for 300 years, the crown passed to the oldest male heir.
What the means now is that if the Wills and Kate have a baby girl, she’ll one day be queen – even if they subsequently have a son.
Meanwhile, the Queen is also making sure that her great grandchild will be third in line to the throne.
When Catherine was three months pregnant, The Queen issued a Letters Patent declaring “all the children of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales should have and enjoy the style, title and attribute of royal highness with the titular dignity of prince or princess prefixed to their Christian names or with such other titles of honour”.
The royal line of succession is now as follows:
Current Monarch: Queen Elizabeth II (born 1926)
Prince Charles
Prince William
Prince or Princess “Royal Baby”
Prince Harry
Prince Andrew
Princess Beatrice
Princess Eugenie
Prince Edward
Viscount Severn
Lady Louise
Princess Anne
