Britannia Radio

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CAMERON'S CHANGE WILL NOT BE SO SIMPLE

British prime minister David Cameron's announcement that Commonwealth

nations have approved a change to the rules of succession to allow

first-born daughters and heirs who marry Catholics to inherit the throne is

wrong and is blatant politicking on his part. Despite the media headlines,

nothing whatsoever has been changed.

In the first instant the issues have nothing to do with the Commonwealth as

a whole, but only those countries of which the Queen is sovereign. Moreover

not all prime ministers are present, and even if they are all in favour,

they cannot themselves commit the parliaments of their respective

countries,

most of which would have changed by the time any legislation is presented.

Furthermore, as far as opening marriage to royals is concerned, there are a

number of Acts that would need to be amended, including the Act of

Settlement, the Bill of Rights, the Coronation Oaths Act, the Crown in

Parliament Act, the Act of Union and the Royal Marriages Act. Getting such

amendments through the British parliament, and especially the House of

Lords, will be difficult enough, but on top of this, it will be necessary

for all the parliaments of the remaining fifteen realms, i.e.: Antigua and

Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Grenada,

Jamaica,

New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint

Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu plus possibly also

of

the six Australian States, because the Queen is also separately their

Queen.

The British prime minister's proposals are not really about discrimination,

for all religions aspire to protect their beliefs and can therefore be said

to discriminate. What Mr Cameron is actually proposing is to end the

Protestant Succession and ultimately the monarchy in England.

Philip Benwell MBE

(National Chair - Australian Monarchist League)