What if William falls in love with a Catholic girl...
 

William falls in love with a Catholic girl.

What does everyone think will happen, clearly if he married her he would lose his succession rights which would be catastrophic for the monarchy.

I can think of only 2 options ;

1]Parliament changes the law - the most likely option. However I think the palace would be worried about putting changes to the monarchy up for discussion in the House of Commons. What if a some controversial MPs demanded a greater say on the monarchy than the palace would want to allow them to have. It could be risky

2]The lady in question would have to change her religion.

What does everyone else think. Personally I think the law should be changed but I would understand if the royal family were cautious of going through parliament.

To blindly answer this question without any historic or political knowledge of the rules governing the royal family, I would guess that that the young lady in question would have to change her religion and convert to Anglican.

For example, when then-Princess Sofia of Greece, raised Greek Orthodox, married then-Prince Juan Carlos of Spain, raised a Roman Catholic, the Queen was married in a Catholic ceremony and while I don't think she gave up her Greek Orthodox religion (please correct me if I am wrong), she agreed to raise any future children as Catholic in order for her children to succeed rights to the throne.

I also believe that similarly Princess Marie-Chantal Miller had to convert to Greek Orthodox from whatever religion she was raised to marry Pavlos. She had to take classes in the church.

I think for William to marry a Catholic she would have to completly change her religion. Because Prince Micheal of Kent's wife is a Catholic or was, I'm not sure. But they raised their kids both Anglican and he is still excluded from succession. So I think the girl would have to completely change her religion.

:flower: HB

I'm of 2 minds on this.
1. The girl won't ever be able to get to the stage of marriage. The RF will put a kibosh on the romance and make him pick a more suitable girl
2. the girl changes her religion as soon as there's a chance of them getting serious.

Im kinda of Baptist im allowed to marry to Catholic because my step-dad is catholic i wanted my children in public school full-time not Catholic school must prayed every day!

Sara Boyce

I would also say she changes her religion

but i would allowed to marry him because im kinda Baptist/Christian but god knew i still christian!

but you watch the A&E last friday? said if you catholic or not! of you not catholic you cant marry him! that ruled! and also you would ask Her Majesty the Queen for permission to marry! but I would do!

Sara Boyce

:rolleyes:

Well, if he felt in love with me and I with him. He has a huge problem. I'm Catholic, and although I don't do much with my religion, I wouldn't change it. So, it's pretty clear what then will happen.

Why? Well, it is about time that this boy grew up. He is to much a Windsor I think. I would love to turn him in a Spencer (like his uncle wanted to do, but I will do it really). If he stays a Windsor, he will make the same faults as his father. And he don't deserve that. I see the qualities of his mother in him, and they have to come more to the foreground.

But I hope he can be turned in a Spencer, without loosing his rights

Hey, isn't it unfair to ask so much of someone as to change her religion?? Prince William can marry anyone he chooses, except for a Catholic girl? what if he continues with his supposed romance with Queen Paola's niece? wouldn't that be a brilliant match. To all those of you who are not Catholics, i would just like to point out that CAtholicism is MUCH more than a religion, it is a culture, it is part of you like you CANNOT imagine, its a living, breathing part of who and what you are.

Also on the basis of the Charter for the protection of Human rights and fundamental freedom, its unlawful to discriminate against ANYONE on the basis of religion. hence the english law is disriminatory.

:flower: Let me help enlighten some members of this group as to what the laws have to say about whom Prince William can, and can not marry. There are three laws which govern who he can marry. First is the Bill of Rights of 1689, the second is the Act of Settlement of 1701, third is the Royal Marriages Act of 1772

To briefly summerize what they stipulate is as follows:
No person can succeed to the throne of the UK if they are a Roman Catholic or if they are married to a member of the Roman Catholic faith. Also, any person in the line of succession to the throne is also prohibited from being a Roman Catholic or marrying a Roman Catholic. If any such person does this, they then forfeit their right to succeed.
Having said that, Prince William CAN marry any woman he wants to as long as she is NOT a Roman Catholic. She can be of any other religion. She can be a Muslim, she can be Greek Orthodox, she can be agnostic, she can even be an atheist. The laws DO NOT require her to convert to the Anglican faith. They just simply exclude any Roman Catholics.
The third law stipulates that Prince William must ask for the permission of the Sovereign to marry anyone. If the Sovereign does not grant Royal approval, then Prince William could inform Parliament that he intends to marry. After the mandatory one year waiting period, he would be free to marry anyone. If he went ahead and married a Roman Catholic woman he would then have to give up his right to succeed to the throne.
I hope this helps. :flower:

So William can marry a girl of any faith EXCEPT a roman catholic? Could somebody please tell me why that is...it really confuses me.

The short answer is because it is the LAW. You want the REASON for the law.
Well, to make a very long story short, I'll try to explain it briefly. It goes way back to the 1500's when King Henry VIII broke with the Church of Rome. He set up his own church with himself as the Supreme Head of that church, which is today known as the Anglican Church[Church of England]. HM The Queen is still the Supreme Head of this church today.
After quite a few years this church became firmly established and those in power decided to exclude all Roman Catholics from ever having the possibility of becoming Sovereign. They no longer wanted to have the Pope in Rome to have any influence whatsoever in the politics or religion of England. After the rule of a few Roman Catholic Soveriegns [after Henry VIII] such as "Bloody" Mary I, and James II, those in power decided to enact several laws[the ones I posted about earlier] that would forever bar any more Roman Catholics [or ones that married Roman Catholics] from the throne. As long as the Soveriegn remains as the Supreme Head of the Anglican Church, I doubt that little will ever change.

It really all boils down to discrimination and bigotry. These laws are really out of place in todays world, in my opinion. :flower:

Well said Tommix!

I couldn't agree with you more.

Ummm, errr.... I think it's a dumb law, and as someone has pointed out, very discriminatory. Yes, there's Henry VIII and that huge history there, but doesn't change the fact that that law is discriminatory. Anyone can succeed except if married to a Catholic? puhlease!!

Of course there's the whole Northern Ireland thing. Righteo: (i) the law is discriminatory, but because of problems that will arise if it is change, (ii) the Catholic potential queen will have to change religion.

Still a stupid law.

My guess is she would change her religion.

William knows his duty, and plans to follow it, I don't think he'd get close enough to a catholic unless he absolutely knew she was willing to change her religion, if even that.

well i say, LOVE CONQUERS ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! if he will give up the throne for that girl then i think its a good choice because if in choosing a wife the family meddles in it what more when it comes to his decisions when he is the reigning king. besides england had Catholic history. :rolleyes:

about 2 years ago wills tolk to his father and gandmother and told them that the only way he would ever get married is with a lady that he'll foll in love with and he ask the queen to pass a law that it would not matter if she is catholic or not the only thing is if she was married before the ex-husband have to be died if you want more info go to meet the royals in a&e.com and if you are in the usa look at the show this friday or buy the book william and harry the biografy which was written by a close friend of diana

That's incorrect I'm afraid, both Freddie & Ella (Prince Michael's children) are actually Catholic not Anglican

No they are not. Both Freddie and Gabriella are Anglican, and are therefore in line to the throne.

"Line of succession

Sovereign
1. The Prince of Wales
2. Prince William of Wales
3. Prince Henry of Wales
4. The Duke of York
5. Princess Beatrice of York
6. Princess Eugenie of York
7. The Earl of Wessex
8. The Lady Louise Windsor
9. The Princess Royal
10. Mr. Peter Phillips
11. Miss Zara Phillips
12. Viscount Linley
13. The Hon. Charles Armstrong-Jones
14. The Hon. Margarita Armstrong-Jones
15. The Lady Sarah Chatto
16. Master Samuel Chatto
17. Master Arthur Chatto
18. The Duke of Gloucester
19. Earl of Ulster
20. The Lady Davina Windsor
21. The Lady Rose Windsor
22. The Duke of Kent
23. The Lady Marina Charlotte Windsor
24. The Lady Amelia Windsor
25. The Lady Helen Taylor
26. Master Columbus Taylor
27. Master Cassius Taylor
28. Miss Eloise Taylor
29. The Lord Frederick Windsor
30. The Lady Gabriella Windsor
31. Princess Alexandra, the Hon. Lady Ogilvy
32. Mr. James Ogilvy
33. Master Alexander Ogilvy
34. Miss Flora Ogilvy
35. Mrs. Paul Mowatt
36. Master Christian Mowatt
37. Miss Zenouska Mowatt
38. The Earl of Harewood"

https://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page389.asp

This only covers the first 38 in line.