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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

 

[Lady Bluffton]

Maybe this has something to do with the talk of switching the succession rules to a non-primogeniture system...if so, then Anne's children would be up after Charles'? Peter would be # 5 (Princess Bea's # if I'm not mistaken) if that came to pass. (Of course, the law would have to be retroactive to the direct issue of QEII.)

 

[sirhon11234]

I'm dissapointed that she made this decision; no one should give up their faith to marry the person they love.
IMO that Act should be done away with.

 

[lallyvee]

Hasn't she been living with him for some time? The Catholic Church frowns on that. I doubt if she was very religious to begin with so converting was no big deal.

 

[branchg]

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.

I was wondering the same thing. The fact Autumn converted certainly makes it easier for The Queen to create Peter an Earl on his wedding day. Perhaps Earl of Sussex?

 

[Al_bina]

So far neither him nor Zara wanted to have any titles. Well... perhaps, Ms. Kelly has been successful in her attempts to persuade him into accepting a title ... It remains to be seen whether or not Peter Philips will accept a title as a wedding gift from his grandmother.

 

[Jo of Palatine]

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.

1. noone ever was ostracized from the family's side because of their faith. It was a political decision to begin with andit has been one ever since. There are laws even the Rf has to obey and this is one of them, forced on them by "the people" aka parliament.

2. It was not this family, but a member of the Habsburg-family called emperor Charles V. who through his father inherited the Germanic empire and through his mother Spain including all Spanish colonies around the world who could have prided himself of this but never did. The British empire, while far-fetched, never really span the whole world, as this only worked because the pope had once devided the unknown world between Spain and Portugal, so they in fact "ruled" round the world. Britain's empire had quite some "spare" areas where the sun could have set.

 

[Lemon Lyman]

I was wondering the same thing. The fact Autumn converted certainly makes it easier for The Queen to create Peter an Earl on his wedding day. Perhaps Earl of Sussex?

I agree too.

Although from what I gather she isn't a practising Catholic - it was confirmed that she was christened, but no mention of First Holy Communion and Confirmation. So it might be that she was only catholic because that's where her parents chose to have her baptised. So this may not be a big decision.

I am Catholic and went to the village COE school and had no problems. I'm being godmother in a few weeks time in a COE church is that you have to be christened COE, COS, Catholic, Methodist or Baptist (ie Christian Faith).

My father is not catholic (and my mum's brother in law) and my parents got married in a catholic church in 1976. My father didn't convert - they just had to agree to raise us catholic.

Someone said something about Princess Anne not liking COE and preferring COS (as she had her second marriage in COS). When she was married for the second time COE frowned appon marriages of divorcees where as the COS didn't. So to have a religious service - which was expected due to the Queen being Head of COE - the only choice was Scotland.

 

[Skydragon]

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.

I didn't know he had declined a title, I do know his mother declined titles for her children when they were born.

 

[Lemon Lyman]

I didn't know he had declined a title, I do know his mother declined titles for her children when they were born.

That was my understanding.

Just a thought do you think in years to come when William is on the throne he will carry out some engagements (thinking her could be 50-60 by then) on behalf of William. William and Harry are going to need support in there future roles.

 

[pamk]

That was my understanding.

Just a thought do you think in years to come when William is on the throne he will carry out some engagements (thinking her could be 50-60 by then) on behalf of William. William and Harry are going to need support in there future roles.

I totally agree. When Princess Anne married Mark Philips a title was offered to Mark and he declined it at Anne's urging. I bet Mark Philips is sorry that he didn't have a title when he and Anne divorced. I think that the decision for the children - Peter and Zara - was made by Anne when they were very young.

Now that Zara and Peter are all grown up, I think that they have realized that in the real world a title can smoothe a lot of the hardships of everyday life. Peter is in business - banking, I think - and a title would certainly add a lot of cache to his working life.