Reform of the “Act of Settlement “ in England

(October 29, 2011) The nations of the British Commonwealth have agreed to alter the rules of royal succession, allowing for a monarch to marry a Roman Catholic. The new rules provide that the oldest child of the reigning monarch will inherit the throne, abolishing the longstanding rule that a son takes precedence over older daughters. The ban on Catholics in the royal family will be lifted partially. British Prime Minister David Cameron explained: "Let me be clear, the monarch must be in communion with the Church of England because he or she is the head of that Church. But it is simply wrong they should be denied the chance to marry a Catholic if they wish to do so. After all, they are already quite free to marry someone of any other faith." Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster welcomed the change, and suggested that the remaining ban on a Catholic monarch was understandable; he said that he could "fully recognize the importance of the position of the established church in protecting and fostering the role of faith in our society today." Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond was less understanding, saying that it was "deeply disappointing" that a Catholic would still be ineligible for the throne.