Why Princess Beatrice's baby Sienna will benefit from royal rule change
PRINCESS BEATRICE welcomed her first royal baby earlier this year. Here is how little Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi will benefit from a recent royal rule change.
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The Queen's granddaughter, Princess Beatrice, married Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi last year, and the happy couple welcomed their first child in September 2021. Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi was given her middle name in tribute to the Queen, as she is the Queen's 12th great-grandchild to date. Because of her royal mum, baby Sienna is currently 11th in line to the throne, and in the future, she could benefit from a recent change in the royal rules.
Baby Sienna Mapelli Mozzi stands behind Princess Beatrice in the line of succession as she currently has no siblings.
But if Beatrice and Edoardo have another baby, Sienna is guaranteed to keep her place behind her mother in the line of succession.
Under the previous royal rules, Sienna may have been displaced in the order if her parents had a son.
However, due to the Succession to the Crown Act, Sienna will always take precedence over any future siblings she may have, regardless of their gender.
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What is the Succession to the Crown Act 2013?
Under the Queen's reign, the Succession to the Crown Act (2013) saw the system of male primogeniture come to an end for future royal generations.
Before the Act was passed, a younger son could displace an elder daughter in the line of succession.
But now the Act has been passed, a person's place in the line of succession is determined by order of birth, regardless of gender.
The Act also abolished the stipulation that royals who marry Roman Catholics lose their place in the line of succession.
The rules came into place across all of the Queen's realms from March 2015, but the rules do not apply to royals born before the changes were implemented.
For example, Lady Louise Windsor is still below her brother James, Viscount Severn in the line of succession, despite being born first.
And despite being the Queen's second child, Princess Anne is lower in the line of succession than her two younger brothers, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.
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Several royal babies born in recent years hold a different place in the line of succession than they would have previously.
Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge welcomed their daughter Princess Charlotte in 2015 and their second son Prince Louis in 2018.
Under the previous rules, Prince Louis would have taken precedence over his sister in the line of succession.
But because of the Succession to the Crown Act, Princess Charlotte is currently fourth in line to the throne while Prince Louis is fifth.
The Queen's granddaughter Zara Tindall has three children, and her youngest Lucas does not displace his older sisters Mia and Lena in the line of succession either.
Who is in the line of succession?
The line of succession to the throne, as of December 2021, is as follows:
Sovereign: Queen Elizabeth II
The Prince of Wales
The Duke of Cambridge
Prince George of Cambridge
Princess Charlotte of Cambridge
Prince Louis of Cambridge
The Duke of Sussex
Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor
Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor
The Duke of York
Princess Beatrice, Mrs. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi
Miss Sienna Mapelli Mozzi
Princess Eugenie, Mrs. Jack Brooksbank
Master August Brooksbank
The Earl of Wessex
Viscount Severn
The Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor
The Princess Royal
Mr Peter Phillips
Miss Savannah Phillips
Miss Isla Phillips
Mrs Michael Tindall
Miss Mia Tindall
Miss Lena Tindall
Master Lucas Tindall