Autumn Kelly Converts: Peter Phillips Keeps Place in Succession May 2008

[NotAPretender]

Yes, I realize it's the Daily Mail.

Peter Phillips's fiancee renounces her Catholic faith so he can keep his place in the Royal succession | the Daily Mail

Peter Phillips's fiancee renounces her Catholic faith so he can keep his place in the Royal succession.

Peter Phillips's fiancee has renounced her Catholic faith and converted to Anglicanism in a move that means he keeps his place in the Royal succession.


Canadian Autumn Kelly, 29, will marry the Queen's eldest grandson on May 17.
But due to the fact that she was baptised a Catholic, their marriage would have meant Mr Phillips, who is 11th in line to the throne, surrendering his place. In the 1701 Act of Settlement, which enshrined the Protestant ascendancy, British monarchs and their heirs are forbidden to become or even marry Catholics. (continued via link.)

[LadyCat]

I wonder why she bothered, unless it was to please her future husband's family. As 11th in line, barring a catastrophic accident, it is hardly likely he would ever ascend the throne.

Cat

[scooter]

Well, that was very nice of her. Perhaps 'Granny' will reward her with a tiara? And perhaps a title for them? Yes, they are far down the list, but she cared enough about his place in line to do this.

[LadyCat]

If I remember correctly (and that is questionable!) a title was offered and refused by either Peter or his mother.

Cat

[Amelia]

Some not so nice comments on the DM article! I'm really surprised that she did this, neither Peter or Zara have ever struck me as concerned for the Royal business. Perhaps I was mistaken and it means a lot to him or perhaps she is genuinely interested in the CoE and wanted to convert.

[LadyCat]

It may well be that she didn't want to attend different church than her husband and his family. By converting she solved the problem rather nicely. And it bypasses the pesky problem of being married twice - once in the CoE and once in a Catholic church. Or are they having a civil ceremony? I can't keep track!

Cat

[princess leonor]

well, this is interesting! I wonder why she did this though, if he is 11th in line to the thrown. It's not like he will ever come very close to being the heir, so maybe there's some other reason?

[Amelia]

Originally Posted by LadyCat

Or are they having a civil ceremony? I can't keep track!

St. George's Chapel Windsor I believe!

The DM article says that she converted some time ago so maybe her choice was on based purely on her own believes and had nothing to do with Peter and keeping his place in the line of succession.

[Jo of Palatine]

Originally Posted by NotAPretender

Yes, I realize it's the Daily Mail.

Peter Phillips's fiancee renounces her Catholic faith so he can keep his place in the Royal succession | the Daily Mail

They claim that the information was confirmed by BP.

[jcbcode99]

Here is what I think--and I may well be completely wrong--but Peter had declined the offer of a title from his grandmother, but now he's getting married, going to have some children, etc...and his grandmother is getting up in years. Perhaps he's a bit nostalgic, perhaps he wants to pass something down to her children, so he's opted for a title--maybe Earl of something like that. I think it is a possiblity that he has changed his mind.

[kimebear]

She may not be all that religious in the first place. It might not have been hard for her to convert from one Christian church to another under the circumstances.

[tommy1716]

Having read some of the comments on the Daily Mail website i have to ask - what is everyone on there complaining about? Yes the law is wrong in this respect, and i think were it easier to change it defienetly would be.

From what we've seen and know i can;t imagine that Autumn was under any pressure form anyone in the royal family to convert, therfore i think i was entirely her own descision, in which case no-one can argue against it.
I mean can you imagine that Peter, Zara pr Princess Ann arebothered whether Peter is in the line of succession or not? Zara and Peter have always been brought up to be 'normal' and i really can not imagine them being bothered by this.

I think Autumn simply thought it was a good thing to do, maybe as a present to her future husband - the right to stay in the line of succesion, beats anyhting else you find on normal wedding lists.

[Nad25]

Originally Posted by kimebear

She may not be all that religious in the first place. It might not have been hard for her to convert from one Christian church to another under the circumstances.

Excatly because if she was i dont think she would have done it in the first place!

[Jo of Palatine]

Originally Posted by tommy1716

I think Autumn simply thought it was a good thing to do, maybe as a present to her future husband - the right to stay in the line of succesion, beats anyhting else you find on normal wedding lists.

For me it shows a wonderful understanding of the background of her future husband. She must have known she could have stayed a Catholic (as Lady Nicholas Windsor and Princess Michael did) and not be ostracised within the family, she probably knew that her future mother-in-law isn't such a staunch supporter of the CoE herself (having married in the CoS for the second time) so she surely didn't feel pressured. So IMHO she simply wanted to respect her
husband's heritage and did what she could do to protect it.

[Lady Bluffton]

I think her decision is shameful. It strikes me that she's not terribly religious to begin with, or she would not have so (seemingly) casually thrown aside her religious heritage.

Again, the ugly Act of Settlement rears its head again. If she were Presbyterian, Zoroasterian, Buddhist, etc., it wouldn't have mattered at all.

And for those who are "ostracized" within the Royal Family because of their different faith -- what a disgrace. I expect more out of a family that once prided itself on ruling an empire on which the sun never sat, and which was populated by a majority of non-Anglicans.

No doubt others will disagree, but that's my two cents.

[sesa]

Originally Posted by LadyCat

It may well be that she didn't want to attend different church than her husband and his family

This was my first thought. I don't think it has anything to do with keeping her almost husbands place in line to the throne.
I presume she did it just to make things easier. And like someone else mentioned, she may not have been very religious to begin with, so switching just made sense.

[msleiman]

Why now? He is so far down on the list and does not even want a title, so why make Autumn change?

[msleiman]

Originally Posted by sesa

This was my first thought. I don't think it has anything to do with keeping her almost husbands place in line to the throne.
I presume she did it just to make things easier. And like someone else mentioned, she may not have been very religious to begin with, so switching just made sense.

I know alot of people who attend Mass with their husband/wife that are not catholic. I don't think that the COE would not let her come church just because she was a catholic.

[Martha]

It`s so far the probability that Peter Phillips could be King Of England.

[Al_bina]

Faith is a very personal matter. No one has a right to question anybody's decisions about this personal matter. I assume that Ms. Kelly has got her serious reasons for converting to another faith. I for one think that she shows respect to her husband's family traditions. I do not understand what the outrage is about.