General

Boys no longer reign supreme in royal succession

First-born child to be next in line to British throne regardless of gender

Boys will no longer take precedence over girls in the succession rules of the British monarchy, thanks to an agreement reached on Friday by leaders of Commonwealth countries meeting in Perth, Australia. Canada and the 15 other countries that still recognize Queen Elizabeth II as their head of state concurred that the old rules governing royal succession were antiquated. For over 300 years, boys have taken precedence over girls irrespective of age. Now, though, the order of succession to the throne will be the order of birth, regardless of gender. “Put simply, if the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were to have a little girl, that girl would one day be our queen,” British Prime Minister David Cameron told reporters. Prime Minister Stephen Harper expressed his support for the amendment, noting that the changes were long overdue.

The Globe and Mail

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