England is an exceptional country. So, for example, the royal dynasty still rules here, as was characteristic of the European Middle Ages. But at the same time, the queen, a female person, is in power, which even for medieval Europe would be a very strange and rare moment.
How did it happen? And is Elizabeth II’s current rule an exception? To answer all such questions, you should turn to the features of the English succession and history.
Can a woman inherit the British throne?
The very name of Elizabeth II clearly states that she is not the first English queen. Women can indeed inherit the English throne - in the Act of succession from 1701, the right is granted to the fair sex. But initially it was not there. The mother of the first English Queen Elizabeth, Anna Boleyn, personally sought to grant this right so that her daughter could sit on the throne. Soon Anna was executed for treason, but the right of inheritance for women remained unchanged.
Initially, it was so that a woman could sit on the English throne in only one case - if there were no other male heirs. So, if the princess had brothers, even younger ones, they were the first contenders in any case. If there were no brothers, or if they renounced the succession to the throne, a woman could become a full-fledged queen.
In 2011, the rules of succession in Britain were revised, and certain changes were made to this effect, making the system more modern and appropriate to existing moral principles.
Today, all heirs, regardless of gender, are regarded as equal applicants, and preference is given to the oldest in age. A necessary requirement is a commitment to the Protestant faith, but marriages with Catholics are not prohibited at all. In the past, this was prohibited.
How did Elizabeth II come to the throne?
Initially, Elizabeth was only the third applicant, but Edward the Eighth denied, and the country was headed by the father of the future queen, George Six. The monarch did not have sons, otherwise the eldest of them would have ascended the throne. In this situation, after the death of her father, it was Elizabeth II who became the queen. At that time, the empress was 26 years old.
An interesting fact: Elizabeth married the Duke of Edinburgh, but he remained under the title of Prince Consort, which did not give any rights to the throne. Even if he had lived longer than Elizabeth, after her death he would have become just a prince.
The official heirs of the English throne today
However, how will things continue in the future? Should we expect the appearance of a new queen after Elizabeth, or will the king replace her? Most likely, further the male person will rule England. After all, the first of the heirs is Prince Charles, followed by William, the eldest son of Charles, and in third place is George, son of William.None of them are going to retract at the moment, and therefore, most likely, inheritance will take its course.
Thus, Queen Elizabeth II rules Britain according to the existing Law on the Succession to the Throne, which allows the presence of female persons on the throne. Just the circumstances at the time of her accession to the throne were in her favor. And in the future, a situation may well arise that another queen will sit on the throne. However, this will not happen soon, because the current heirs are men.
