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Originally Posted by Ellie2
iI Britain we do not have a constitution, which protects our liberty, and we failed to practise democracy in the selection of our head of state (The Queen).
Prince William cannot marry a Catholic because of an outdated law which breaches the Geneva Convention on Human Rights. Prince Charles and any other heir to the throne cannot marry without the consent of the reigning monarch; this too is in violation of the Geneva Convention.
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Reduce it to its basics: the current Monarch has her right to the Throne via the Act of Settlement, ie an Act of the British Parliament. Marriage rules are based on this Act together with the Royal Marriages Act, also an Act of Parliament. The constitution is unwritten but is based on precedent and the rule of law. The Sovereign only acts on the advice of his or her Prime Minister.
Ulimately it is the Parliament of the United Kingdom which has the power over the succession and Royal marriages. And as the elected Parliament represents the ultimate will of the people through free and fair elections, one could argue that the current system is entirely democratic. Which is why it is termed a Constitutional Monarchy.
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