14 DAY TRIAL // According to sources on Downing Street, the British Prime Minister is currently trying to work out ways in which to abolish a very old British Royal tradition, which holds that male heirs have priority to the throne over their elder sisters. The PM is also seeking to cancel the rule that holds that members of the Royal family cannot marry Romano-Catholics, unless they renounce any future claim to the throne. Gordon Brown says that this type of laws are obsolete, and have no place in the 21st century.
The Act of Settlement, established in 1701, is seen by the PM as a redundant piece of legislation, sources have announced last night. The same informants have added that Queen Elizabeth II will also be consulted when the legislation will be changed, and that Buckingham Palace is open to the idea and ready to negotiate on it. At the Commonwealth summit in November, Gordon Brown will also present the proposal to the representatives of all other countries where the Queen is head of state.
The modified law will have to be adopted in all of these nations, if it's to become official. Brown is said to have specified very clearly that there will be no change in the Royal requirement of the Monarch being a Protestant and not a Catholic. A breach in this tradition would deeply upset the established Church of England, of which the Monarch is also the Supreme Governor.
According to the 1701 piece of legislation, just Protestant heirs of Sophia, granddaughter of James I, can ever become King or Queen of England. When it comes to choice, the Act gives priority to male heirs, even if they have an elder sister, more experienced in state affairs. The bill to suppress this priority has been pushed in the House of Commons, and has implicitly received Elizabeth II's approval. Members of several parties support the amendment, along with major Catholic representatives.