The “Succession to the Crown Act 2013” came into effect in the United Kingdom, and the other Commonwealth realms at midnight GMT 26 March 2015, after being ratified by Australia, Barbados, Canada, the Grenadines, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis and St Vincent. Nine realms concluded that no legislation was necessary to accept the changes, these are: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, St Lucia, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.
Pragmatically the new succession act entails that males no longer take precedence over females, meaning that an elder daughter cannot be overtaken by a younger son. The UK, and the other fifteen realms now apply absolute primogeniture as rule for succession to the Crown. The move leaves Monaco and Spain as the only European monarchies were semi-Salic law is applied, only Liechtenstein excludes heiresses altogether.
Marriage to Roman Catholics is now allowed while retaining rights to the throne (the monarch must be Anglican, however, as Head of the Church of England).
Another further change signifies that only individuals who are within the first six places of the line of succession require permission from the Monarch to marry.
The act was agreed upon by the Commonwealth realms at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth, Australia back in October 2011. The changes are backdated to begin on the day of initial agreement which was 28 October 2011. In practical terms several members of the extended Royal Family who married Roman Catholics (e.g. HRH Prince Michael of Kent) are reinstated to the line of succession, others changed places as the precedence of males over females is hitherto obsolete.
The issue was settled before the upcoming Commonwealth Summit to be hosted in November 2015 in Malta by President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca and Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.
For more information:
Commonwealth Summit: https://chogm2015.mt/
President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca: https://www.gov.mt/en/Government/Government%20of%20Malta/Presidents%20of%20Malta/Pages/Marie-Louise-Coleiro-Preca.aspx
