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

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by Biri

Autumn didn't have to convert, but maybe she wanted to?

If she had not converted, Peter would have been excluded at the time from the line of succession. As I said before, he would have been reinstated, however, in 2015 when the Succession of the Crown Act 2013 came into force.

Obviously, when he got married, Peter could not have foreseen that the law of succession would be eventually changed in the future to remove the ban on marriages to Catholics and that the change would be retroactive. I don't know the details of his engagement to Autumn, but I suspect she was told she had to convert for the engagement to go through.

Prince Michael of Kent, who was much further down in the line of succession, married a Catholic and accepted the sanction of losing his succession rights at the time. He is now back as 45th in line.

[Pranter]

Originally Posted by Denville

of course he is in the line of succession. He is the queen's grandson.. why would he not be in the line of sucession.

You saw this but you didn't see the following posts clearing that up?


LaRae

[Biri]

Originally Posted by Mbruno

If she had not converted, Peter would have been excluded at the time from the line of succession. As I said before, he would have been reinstated, however, in 2015 when the Succession of the Crown Act 2013 came into force.

Obviously, when he got married, Peter could not have foreseen that the law of succession would be eventually changed in the future to remove the ban on marriages to Catholics and that the change would be retroactive. I don't know the details of his engagement to Autumn, but I suspect she was told she had to convert for the engagement to go through.

Prince Michael of Kent, who was much further down in the line of succession, married a Catholic and accepted the sanction of losing his succession rights at the time. He is now back as 45th in line.

Peter was so far in the line of succesion he didn't have any chance to become King.
Autumn might not have been a practising Catholic, might have studied Anglican Theology and attending Anglican masses and thinking about converting before meeting Peter; she may have come to conclusion that Anglican Church suits her more.
Many converts have so.

[Gawin]

Originally Posted by Mbruno

Obviously, when he got married, Peter could not have foreseen that the law of succession would be eventually changed in the future to remove the ban on marriages to Catholics and that the change would be retroactive. I don't know the details of his engagement to Autumn, but I suspect she was told she had to convert for the engagement to go through.
.

I'm skeptical she would have been told she HAD to convert. That's not the Queen's style. Can you imagine the outcry if the public ever found out? I believe it was pointed out that Peter would lose his place in the succession if she didn't, but the choice was hers.

Originally Posted by Denville

or she may have felt that life and what happens.. is always uncertain.. and Peter had a chance of succeeding.. albeit a very remote one.

I doubt that VERY much. In order to move to the #1 spot Peter would have had to lose three healthy uncles and six equally healthy cousins. I don't think that could be chalked up to the "uncertainty" of life.

And if that's the way Autumn thought Peter would have run from her as fast as his legs could carry him.

[Denville]

True. There was no reason for her to HAVE to convert.. peter would be out of the succession, but even back years ago, it was very very unlikely that he would become King. but perhaps he wanted/ Autumn wanted to keep the possibility alive...
or perhaps she did feel it was best for them to follow one denomination.. or she felt a genuine desire to join the Anglican church...

[Osipi]

Basically, the way I see it is that on one hand you have the RC church and the Pope. On the other hand, you have the CoE church without the Pope. There really isn't a conversion to a different faith or set of beliefs. Same Christian church basically worshiping the same God.

I think many people today view Christian religions like they do cars. Some like Land Rovers, some like Aston Martins and some prefer Ford. In the end, they're still a car that'll get you to where you're going.

[Gawin]

At the time Autumn reportedly told Hello! magazine much the same thing: "In my eyes, it is, after all, the same religion."

[Denville]

Originally Posted by Osipi

Basically, the way I see it is that on one hand you have the RC church and the Pope. On the other hand, you have the CoE church without the Pope. There really isn't a conversion to a different faith or set of beliefs. Same Christian church basically worshiping the same God.

I think many people today view Christian religions like they do cars. Some like Land Rovers, some like Aston Martins and some prefer Ford. In the end, they're still a car that'll get you to where you're going.

There are different beleifs, yes it is the same religion, Christianity but there are different and often conflciting beliefs in different denominations. Some people may regard the differences as minimal.. Others may not. Some may feel that having been brought up in one church, in adulthood or later life, their views have changed and they prefer another one that chimes more with what they now feel and believe..

[Ish]

Several posts discussing the Succession to the Crown Act 2013 have been moved to the related thread.