Why are Roman Catholics excluded from the Line of Succession to the British throne?
In 1534 Henry VIII broke with the Church of Rome over his divorce from Catherine of Aragon and made himself Head of the Church of England. Every King or Queen since Elizabeth 1 has held the title ‘Supreme Governor of the Church of England’ and ‘Defender of the Faith’. As it is a Protestant Church all those in the Royal line of succession and their spouses have to be Protestants. The Act of Settlement (1701) lays down that only Protestant heirs of Princess Sophia, granddaughter of James I, may succeed to the British throne. Neither Catholics, nor those who marry a Catholic, nor those born out of wedlock, may remain in the line of succession. Prince Charles has let it me known that when he becomes King he will take the title ‘Defender of Faith’ instead of’ ‘Defender of the Faith’ to include faiths other than the established Church of England..
In 1534 Henry VIII broke with the Church of Rome over his divorce from Catherine of Aragon and made himself Head of the Church of England. Every King or Queen since Elizabeth 1 has held the title ‘Supreme Governor of the Church of England’ and ‘Defender of the Faith’. As it is a Protestant Church all those in the Royal line of succession and their spouses have to be Protestants. The Act of Settlement (1701) lays down that only Protestant heirs of Princess Sophia, granddaughter of James I, may succeed to the British throne. Neither Catholics, nor those who marry a Catholic, nor those born out of wedlock, may remain in the line of succession. Prince Charles has let it be known that when he becomes King he will take the title ‘Defender of Faith’ instead of’ ‘Defender of the Faith’ to include faiths other than the established Church of England.
