Succession to the New Anglian throne

**Succession to the New Anglian throne** is determined by descent and legitimacy. By law, the crown is inherited by a sovereign's children or by a childless sovereign's nearest collateral line. New Anglian law limits succession to legitimate descendants of Henry I.

Charles II is the current sovereign, and his heir apparent is his elder daughter Victoria, Princess of Georgetown. Next-in-line is his granddaughter Princess Eloise, followed by her younger sisters Princess Alexandria and Princess Charlotte. Fifth-in-line is the sovereign's younger daughter Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Massachusetts.

Any rule changes to the line of succession must be passed by the House of Commons. The most senior member of the line of succession whom has reached the age of majority, typically the heir apparent, receives a seat on the Privy Council as one of the three members *ex officio*. This council acts as the chief decision-making body for the Kingdom, and the heir apparent presides over the meetings in which the sovereign is not present.

## Current line of succession

The official line of succession is updated by the House of Huntington, the ruling house of New Anglia. This list contains all members who are descendants of Charles I.

* *Charles I* (1880–1950)
	+ *Henry II* (1909–1989)
		- Charles II (born 1937)
			* *The Prince of Columbia* (1967–1993)
			* **(1)** The Princess of Georgetown (born 1969)
				+ **(2)** Princess Eloise (born 1998)
				+ **(3)** Princess Alexandria (born 2000)
				+ **(4)** Princess Charlotte (born 2001)
			* **(5)** The Duchess of Massachusetts (born 1972)
				+ **(6)** Prince Charles of Massachusetts (born 2000)
				+ **(7)** Princess Theresa of Massachusetts (born 2003)
		- **(8)** The Duke of New York (born 1939)
			* **(9)** Princess Christina of New York (born 1968)
				+ **(10)** *Lady* Jennifer Thompson (born 1997)
				+ **(11)** *Lord* Eric Thompson (born 2000)
			* **(12)** The Earl of Suffolk (born 1970)
				+ **(13)** Kenneth Huntington, Lord of Weston (born 2004)
				+ **(14)** *Lord* Alexander Huntington (born 2006)
				+ **(15)** *Lady* Samantha Huntington (born 2008)
	+ *Rose, Princess Royal* (1906–2007)
		- *Prince Charles, Duke of Maryland* (1928–2004)
			* **(16)** The Duke of Maryland (born 1954)
				+ **(17)** The Earl of Southampton (born 1984)
					- **(18)** Jane Huntington, Lady of Weare (born 2016)
					- **(19)** *Lord* Henry Huntington (born 2019)
				+ **(20)** Princess Caroline of Maryland (born 1990)
					- **(21)** *Lord* Charles Colby (born 2019)

## Current rules

### Marriages

Prior to 1985, individuals who had divorced or married a divorcé were unable to inherit the crown. This was undone with the Succession Act of 1985. However, there are still grounds for disqualification in regards to marriage that exist. The first five-in-line for the throne must always seek the ruling monarch's permission to marry; if they marry without the permission of the monarch, then they and their children from the marriage will be disqualified from the line of succession. It is unknown whether this is a strict rule within the royal family or merely a formality.

Children born outside of wedlock remain ineligible to accede to the throne, and are not included in the official line of succession. It is possible that these children can be legitimized and thus added to the line of succession after their birth should their parents eventually marry; however, if there is no eventual marriage, then they are not included.

### Gender

For most of New Anglian history, the monarchy practiced male-preference primogeniture. This meant that a male would always displace a female sibling in the line of succession, even if the female sibling was older. Thus, a female could only inherit the throne if she had no male siblings.

In 2015, the House of Commons passed the Succession Act of 2015, which overturned male-preference primogeniture in favor of absolute primogeniture. This meant that the eldest child would remain the first-in-line regardless of gender or the birth of younger male siblings. The law was additionally applied retroactively, altering the line of succession to place elder female siblings ahead of their younger brothers.

### Religion

Prior to 1985, marriage to a non-Christian was grounds for disqualification to the throne. However, although restrictions were loosened on spouses, individuals themselves must not convert to a religion other than Christianity in order to maintain their position in the line of succession.

Inn 2015, this religious qualification was removed, allowing individuals of any religion to succeed to the throne. A Church of New Anglia had never been established, so supporters of the secularization of the monarchy alleged that there was no need as the Monarch was not the head of church, like they are in other European monarchies.