revamping the crown.

my favorite headline of 12.4.2012: kate expectations.

yea, verily, the duke & duchess of cambridge are with child.
& it has been confirmed it is only one child & it is due in july.
it has not been confirmed what sex said child is believed to be.

but, regardless of blue-ocity or pink-ishness,
prince william + kate middleton's firstborn will be great britain's future monarch,
thanks to primogeniture recently becoming history.

primogeniture is the ancient rule of royal hierarchy,
which provided male heirs priority over their older female siblings,
permitting them to cut to the front of line of succession.

not only is the british government in the process of
modernizing the laws of succession to ensure trh w+c's
eldest child will become monarch, but queen elizabeth ii
has bestowed the title of "prince" or "princess" to all of the couple's kids.

prior to qe2's decree, if will+kate's firstborn were a girl,
she would receive the underling title of "lady."
now, she will officially be called "princess," & will be third in line
to the british throne, regardless of the arrival of any annoying little brothers.

my fingers are crossed for a xx-er!


image source: queen elizabeth ii & her firstborn, prince charles, ca. 1948, via vanity fair.