- Royal Families will be allowed to marry Catholics
- Women will have the same rights as men to the throne
Queen is not amused by Brown's Royal succession plan
By
Steve Doughty and
Rebecca English
Last updated at 12:52 AM on 28th March 2009
The Queen sounded a note of caution yesterday over Gordon Brown's revolutionary plans to bring equality to the monarchy.
Buckingham Palace said no changes to the laws and traditions of the Crown could be made until every country where the Queen is head of state had given its approval.
That means years of delay while 15 legislatures – including those of Australia, New Zealand and Canada – quibble over the Prime Minister's proposals.
Behind the Queen's insistence on cast-iron support from the Commonwealth is thought to lie her deep concern about the role of Christianity in Britain and the unforeseen impact of any reforms.
The Queen is said to be concerned about the change to the rule of succession
Mr Brown aims to remove the 308- year-old legal barriers that prevent a Roman Catholic or anyone married to a Catholic from becoming King.
He also intends to sweep away primogeniture, the ancient principle that says a man must always take precedence over a woman in line to the throne.
The surprise announcement that Downing Street and the Palace were in talks over reforms was made by Mr Brown's aides during a visit to Brasilia on Thursday.
Yesterday the Prime Minister accepted that Commonwealth countries must have a say, but added: 'I think in the 21st century people do expect discrimination to be removed and they do expect us to be looking at these issues.'
Queen of the Commonwealth: Her Majesty wants to listen to all 15 realms over changes to the succession
A spokesman for Buckingham Palace, however, said: 'This entire issue for us depends on obtaining agreement from each of the 15 realms of which the Queen is head of state. If an agreement were to be reached, then we would assess the situation. But not until then.'
It was underlined yesterday that the Queen is deeply committed to her overseas dominions and wants to be seen as taking her lead from them, not from the British Government.
And while Buckingham Palace was neutral over Mr Brown's reforms and the equality agenda that informs them, the Queen is known to be concerned over their impact on Christian belief and practice in Britain.
She is a serious Anglican and is aware of the possibility that Christianity may be sidelined if reforms to the monarchy culminate in the severance of the historic constitutional links between the Church of England and the state.
Mr Brown's reforms would mean the repeal of the Act of Settlement, the 1701 law designed to prevent the return of the Catholic Stuarts.
The abolition of primogeniture would open up the succession to women – for example Princess Anne would become fourth in line after Charles, William and Harry, and would overtake her brothers, Princes Andrew and Edward.
