6 days ago
Princess Charlotte 'marked end of centuries-old tradition' that Princess Anne suffered
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A "centuries-old" royal tradition that once affected Princess Anne's place in the line of succession was finally overturned with Princess Charlotte, thanks to a pivotal Act of Parliament.
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, her eldest son Charles immediately ascended to the throne. His firstborn, William, stepped up as the next in line, with his offspring, Prince George, as his heir.
This marked the first occasion in nearly a century that Britain saw both a male sovereign and his male heir.
Historically, under a 1701 law, the throne would pass to the eldest male, sidelining any older sisters (a practice known as male primogeniture), but this outdated rule was rewritten in recent years, reports Gloucestershire Live.
But with the introduction of the Succession to the Crown Act in 2013, the outdated "centuries-old, men-first tradition" was abolished. It ensured that Princess Charlotte wouldn't be bumped down the succession line by her younger brother, unlike Princess Anne who ranks below her younger brothers.
(Image: undefined via Getty Images)
Wesley Kerr OBE, an ex-BBC Royal correspondent, told Channel 5's Secrets of the Royal Traditions: "So, whereas Princess Anne, who's the second child of Elizabeth, is below all three of her brothers in the line of succession, Charlotte did not go down a place when Louis was born.
"There's absolute equality between boys and girls. So, had Charlotte been the eldest, she would be the next monarch - a well-needed piece of modernisation."
Royal historian Gareth Russell added that Queen Elizabeth believed there should be "no reason" why a female couldn't ascend to the throne, whilst BBC's Jennie Bond expressed that this alteration champions the cause for "striking out for the modern woman".
Charlotte, who is the middle child of Prince William and Kate Middleton, follows her older brother Prince George and is followed by the youngest, Prince Louis.
(Image: Getty Images)
In recently celebrating her 10th birthday, a new image of Charlotte was released by her parents from her time in Cumbria. The royals' social media accounts featured this photograph with the caption: "Happy 10th Birthday Princess Charlotte."
As reported by Sky News, William and Kate habitually engage their followers by sharing personal photos of their children, often captured by the Duchess herself.
Following this, just over a week ago, another photo surfaced online—this time featuring young Prince Louis. This latest snapshot was taken by Josh Shinner and posted in celebration of the prince turning seven years old.
