THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Female members of the Royal Family are to be given equality with men in the rules of succession to the throne, meaning if the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's first child is a girl, she can become Queen even if subsequent children are sons.
The historic constitutional changes were agreed unanimously today by the 16 nations of which Queen Elizabeth II is monarch.
The 16 "realms", including the UK, Canada and Australia, also agreed to scrap outdated laws which ban the spouse of a Roman Catholic from taking the throne.
The changes were announced by David Cameron, the Prime Minister, at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, attended by the Queen, in Perth, Australia.
Mr Cameron said the historic rules were "at odds with the modern countries that we have become".
Announcing the proposed changes, he said: "Put simply, if the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were to have a little girl, that girl would one day be our queen." » | Andy Bloxham, and James Kirkup in Perth | Friday, October 28, 2011
