PERTH, Australia - It's taken 300 years, but the old boys club of royal primogeniture has finally been shelved.
Sixteen Commonwealth "realms" that still maintain the Queen as their head of state agreed Friday to change the rules of succession that have favoured boys over girls since the 17th century.
The rules of primogeniture — which determine the constitutional figurehead of Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia, among others — were belatedly dragged into the 21st century by dint of the massive popularity of Prince William and his wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge.
"In future, the order of succession should be determined simply by the order of birth," British Prime Minister David Cameron said in announcing the agreement at a Commonwealth leaders' summit. "And we've agreed to introduce this for all descendents from (Charles) the Prince of Wales."
Friday, October 28, 2011
Commonwealth heads agree to update 300-year-old royal succession rules
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