Princess Charlotte is currently fourth in line to the throne behind her elder brother Prince George, her father Prince William and her grandfather Prince Charles. But in the future, Charlotte is likely to retain her high position in the line of succession due to a major legal change which was approved by the Queen.
Before Prince George was born in 2013, the Succession to the Crown Act was brought in by Parliament to ensure that male-preference primogeniture ended in the British monarchy.
Instead, a system of absolute primogeniture was brought in, and now female royals cannot be displaced by their younger brothers in the line of succession.
For this reason, when Prince Louis was born in 2018, Charlotte retained her fourth place position while Louis currently sits in fifth.
The final approval of the Succession to the Crown Act came from the Queen when she gave her Royal Assent in April 2013.
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The Royal Family website explained: “The Act applies to those born after October 28, 2011.
“The Act also ended the provisions by which those who marry Roman Catholics are disqualified from the line of succession.
“The changes came into force in all sixteen Realms in March 2015.”
Unfortunately for the Queen’s only daughter Princess Anne, these changes have not affected her position in the line of succession.
As Anne is not near the top of the line of succession, she cannot act as a Counsellor of State on behalf of the Queen.
These duties are reserved for the monarch’s spouse and the next four people in the line of succession over the age of 21.
At the moment this means Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince Harry and Prince Andrew may be required to assist the Queen with duties in the case of absence or illness.
But when Prince William is King, Charlotte will likely be high enough in the line of succession to assist her father if required.
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