Britain said Saturday it was mulling changes to rules governing the line of succession, meaning Prince William and Kate Middleton's first born could accede to the throne whether it was a boy or girl. Currently the principle of male primogeniture means that the first born son would be next in line to the throne, even if he had an older sister.
But Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who is responsible for constitutional reform, is looking at ways of changing the rule to grant any future princesses born to the couple the same chance as their male heirs of taking the throne. Clegg said that the idea only a man should become monarch was "a little old-fashioned."
"Prince William and Catherine Middleton might have a baby daughter for instance as their first child," he said during a visit to the northern English city of Sheffield. "I think most people in this day and age would think it's worth considering whether we change the rules so that baby girl could become the future monarch." William, the second-in-line to the British throne, will marry Kate at London's Westminster Abbey on April 29.
But any attempt at changing the rules is complicated by the fact that legislation would be needed in all the countries where the British monarch is head of state - a total of 16 Commonwealth nations including Britain. A government spokesman stressed that any change would be "complex and difficult" but discussions had started with Commonwealth countries that would be affected. "The government accepts there are provisions which could be discriminatory," he said.
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