With Meghan and Harry, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announcing the birth of their first child, a boy on May 6, the whole world now wants to know where in the royal queue, Baby Sussex stands. So this is how the odds are stacked for Baby Sussex to take the ‘The Crown’.
First in line for the throne, after the reigning monarch Queen Elizabeth II, is Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales. With British Royalty having a direct line of succession, next after him, is his first son Prince William called the Duke of Cambridge. Harry, William’s younger brother was third in line until William and Kate, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, welcomed their own children.
With the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s first born George, Harry was pushed to number four. Then a very interesting thing happened which went on to make the Crown even more distant for Harry, but in a good way.
According to Time, a new law was passed in the UK Parliament in 2013, which meant that succession would be granted by order of age rather than gender. So an older sister would no longer have to step aside for her brother to take the throne.
This meant that Princess Charlotte born after Prince George came next in line at number 4, and would hold that place even if another boy came after her, bumping her uncle Prince Harry down to number 5. And then when along came her little brother Prince Louis, Harry become number 6. So with the birth of Harry’s son, a next spare was born, 7th in place for ’The Crown’.
Regardless of where he stands in line to the throne, for Harry and Meghan this was their first child. Speaking to the media after the birth of his son which the Prince called his ‘first birth’ that he seems to perhaps have even witnessed, he said “ How any woman does what they do is beyond comprehension.’’
The Lucky number 7, who is yet to be named will enjoy all the perks of a direct line of lineage without much of the heavy responsibility that comes with actually having to wear the crown. For fans of Harry and Meghan in England, America and the world over, the birth of their first son is a much awaited moment of celebration for this transatlantic glamour Royal couple who have always done things their way.
with inputs from Time
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