Camilla's religion.

[Greenbhoy]

I heard on a programme somewhere that Camilla is Catholic, can anyone confirm or deny this?

[kempie]

If this were the case Prince Charles would no longer figure in the line of succession to the British Crown.

The criteria required of a candidate to the line of succession are that he or she be born in wedlock, of a marriage contracted in accordance with the Royal Marriages Act of 1772, and that he or she not be a Roman Catholic or have married one (according to the Act of Settlement of 1701).

[Greenbhoy]

That was what I was wondering about when I heard that she was a Catholic.

It's quite poor that they are addressing sectarianism in football and schools but my daughter could never become the Queen of her country because of what church she goes to.

[kempie]

I think the greater impediment to your daughter becoming Queen is not being a descendent of Sophia, Electress of Hanover.  Unless, of course, she is!!!

            Heraldica  &  Wikipedia

[Oleanda]

Camilla is not Catholic, but her first husband, Andrew Parker Bowles is.

[Greenbhoy]

kempie - she isn't a direct decendant but she could always marry a direct decendent.

[kempie]

But marrying doesn't make her a direct descendent - still ineligible I'm afraid.

[Greenbhoy]

But if she married Prince William, would she not become Queen to his King?

[kempie]

She would be Queen Consort but could never ascend the throne.

[kempie]

... and if we play the Catholic card again William would not become King if he married your daughter.

[hopalong]

Do you think William really wants to be king or will he br FORCED into it

[kempie]

It's not a case of want; if and when both HM The Queen and Prince Charles die William is King.  An Act of Parliament is required if he then wishes to abdicate, as in the case of Edward VIII, the only British Sovereign to voluntarily relinquish the throne.

Edward VIII also had to relinquish the line of succession of his heirs.  Since this is the only case we can cite then surely if Charles were to abdicate in favour of William (as is often suggested by the great british public) the crown would go to Andrew.

[hopalong]

Kempie, I think it would go to Harry, Not Andrew 

[kempie]

hopalong - in the scenario I was proposing if Charles were to abdicate both William and Harry would no longer be in the line of succession.

[bernardo]

Edward VIII abdicated for himself and all his heirs because he did not have any heirs, and there was the possibility that he might have had some children later with Mrs Simpson/ the Duchess of Windsor.  In other words, if he had abdicated only for himself, then there might have been a rival claimant to the throne from his children, and that would have caused a constitutional crisis.

If Prince Charles / King Charles III / King George VII were to abdicate, then there would be no need for him to include his heirs within his abdication, since his heirs are already in place and in line to the throne.  In other words, they are not usurping the other heirs (Prince Andrew etc) in the way that Edward VIII's children could have done if they had been born after George VI was already King.

[Abdy C V]

Were Charles' sisters divorcees when they tried to marry divorcees.