[HPFGU-OTChatter] New Question: Brit Royalty ...?

[Shaun Hately]

On 31 Oct 2003 at 20:59, Steve wrote:

> Wow, and I mean WOW! You guys really have some impressive knowledge of
> the royal family; at least, I'm very impressed by it.
> 
> A couple of new questions-
> 
> When Charles becomes king, I am led to believe he is likely to take
> the name George; King George the ###?. How likely is that, and what
> number will he be; King George the 7th? I was under the impression
> that previous King Charles's were not well liked by the people; hence
> the reason for becoming King George instead

It's possible - quite a few Kings have taken a different name on accession from 
the one they were christened with - that's quite routine. Of the last four kings, two 
have done so (both were named Albert, and I have heard, though I cannot confirm 
from my books, that they changed their names partly out of respect to Queen 
Victoria's wish that no King would ever have the name of her husband. He should 
be 'first among Alberts'.

As for the previous King Charles being unpopular - well, Parliament chopped off 
Charles I head. Charles II wasn't quite as unpopular as his father (-8
 
> Can Charles step down as king before his death, and let William take over?

Legally, yes. But it's probably fairly unlikely. Abdication is anathema to the British 
Royal family. It's happened once, and that's still in recent enough memory for 
there to be a fair amount of ill feeling about the idea.

*Maybe* if Charles was very old and unable to be King for health reasons - but 
frankly, I don't think Charles would do that to William. While it's now more or less 
accepted that William will do his duty and take the throne, it's also more or less 
understood that he wants to have as much of a private life as possible first. I think 
Charles will take the throne until death, if for no other reason than to give his son 
that chance.

> When Charles becomes king, do some of his titles automatically
> transfer over to William? For example, when Charles becomes king, is
> he still the Prince of Wales, or does William then become Prince of Wales?

William will virtually certainly become Prince of Wales when Charles becomes 
King - it's the traditional title held by the Heir Apparent. However, it isn't quite 
automatic - he will have to be created Prince of Wales and invested with the title. 
The current Prince of Wales became Heir Apparent with his mother's accession to 
the throne in 1952, but was not created Prince of Wales until 1958 and not 
invested until 1969.

Prince Charles is also Duke of Cornwall, and that title will pass to William 
automatically when Charles becomes King - that title is automatically held by the 
Heir Apparent provided they are the son of the reigning Monarch.
 
> How old was the recent Queen Mother who died? I was vaguely under the
> impression that she was close to or possible over 100? 

101. (August 4, 1900 - March 30, 2002)
 
> How old is the remaining Queen Mother, if there is one?

There isn't.


Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
Shaun Hately | www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html
(ISTJ)       | drednort at alphalink.com.au | ICQ: 6898200 
"You know the very powerful and the very stupid have one
thing in common. They don't alter their views to fit the 
facts. They alter the facts to fit the views. Which can be 
uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that 
need altering." The Doctor - Doctor Who: The Face of Evil
Where am I: Frankston, Victoria, Australia