THE CROWN LAW AND PROCEDURE OF ACCESSION

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26652, 11 February 1952, Page 6

THE CROWN LAW AND PROCEDURE OF ACCESSION

{Bp • Special Con dependent, United Kingdom Information Service}

London, February. The title to the Crown derives from an act of 1701 which prescribed that The Crown . . . shall remain and continue to the said Most Excellent Princess Sophia and the lieirs of her body being Protestants" (Sophia Electrow of Hanover and granddaughter of James I). Subsequent Succession to the Crown Acta We confirmed this declaration and although the succession is not bound to continue in its present line the preamble to .the Statute of Westminster, IWLprovides that it cannot now be altered except by common consent of the member nations of the Commonwealth which owe allegiance to the Crown. The inheritance nf the Crown is governed by rules of descent which provide that tons of a sovereign are in order of succession to the Throne ana. after tne youngest son or if there are no sons in the direct line, daughters in order of their own seniority. When a daughter succeeds she becomes Queen-Regnant and all powers of the Crown are vested in her as fully and effectively as if she were a King.

The Accession Coancil • In accordance with the Constitution, Princess Elizabeth became Queen immediately upon the death of King George VI. The succession is affirmed at a meeting known as-the Accession Council which is held for approving the proclamation of the new Monarch. This Accession Council consists of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, the late King's Privy Council with numbers of other “principal gentlemen of quality,* the Lord Mayor, Aidermen and citisons of the <Jity of London, and the High Commissioners in Landon of the other Commonwealth countries. After the order for proclamation of the new Monarch has been given by the Accession Council it is read in London and in many provincial cities. Prince Charles is now heir to the Throne. Under a Charter of 1337, be becomes Duke of Cornwall in the Peerage Of England as the first-born ■on of the Sovereign, but will not become Prince of Wales until his mother decides to invest him with that title.

(The last Prince of Wsle» r um. Edward VIII and now Duke sor, was given the title on hiTaT teenth birthday.) Five other title* volve on Prince Charles by ------ his mother’s accession. He * Duke of Rothsay, Earl of CarTS! Baron of Renfrew in the Scotland, and Lord of the hie Great Stewart of Scotland. PtinrL. Anne 1s second in succession tot? Throne, and Princess Mars*™ younger daughter of King Geornw is third in succession. • ’*• PtMlifton of Consort It is accepted doctrine that whih. woman can receive an honour her husband, marriage with a w o ms confers no honour or rank upon a Thus a consort of a King takes rant and style of her husband; but the e&u verse does not apply, in with this doctrine the Constitution hZ never attached any special rank privileges to the husband of a Regnant. Thera have been onlyffii constitutional issues of this ki n English history, of which tha ia»t t found in the marriage of QueenVr toria with Prince Albert of oJL? Coburg-Gotha, who was accordedtte style of Prince Consort by LtttgZ Patent 17 years after the marriaat* Formerly the death of the Sovsrtiui involved the dissolution of Parlian3S and the termination of all office* under the Crown, since Parliament meets » the personal summons of the Mpues* and all offices sre in theory at his or her will and pleasure. nin«e 1867, however, when the Represretatian at the People Act of that year made the duration of Parlianamt ind*. pendent on the demise of the CKM both Houses stand adjourueq aag until their members have takar® Oath of Allegiance to the new reign, which occurs immediatahMK ; the Accession Council has Order of Proclamation. In ‘WwEiH Demise of the Crown Act that the holding of any cfikSHKl not be affected by Jjbff■ (fr midßlßE t Crown and' that J should be n'Toss ’