Charles III
171-459: Heir Apparent William, Prince of Wales First Minister ( list ) Rt Hon Eluned Morgan MS ( L ) Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies MS ( L ) Counsel General-designate – Elisabeth Jones Chief Whip and Trefnydd – Jane Hutt MS (L) Permanent Secretary Sixth Senedd Llywydd (Presiding Officer) Elin Jones MS ( PC ) Leader of
342-554: A Roman Catholic without permission was void, so that the dynast was not disqualified from succeeding on account of being married to a Roman Catholic. Thus when the future George IV attempted to marry the Roman Catholic Maria Fitzherbert in 1785 without obtaining permission from George III he did not disqualify himself from inheriting the throne in due course. A marriage voided by the 1772 act prior to its repeal remains void "for all purposes relating to
513-467: A common ancestor, King Edward I of England . During his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, Henry conducted an affair with Mary Boleyn , Catherine's lady-in-waiting . There has been speculation that Mary's two children, Henry Carey and Catherine Carey , were fathered by Henry but this has never been proven. King Henry never acknowledged them as he did in the case of Henry FitzRoy. In 1525, as Henry grew more impatient with Catherine's inability to produce
684-764: A condition of his military leadership against James. The English Bill of Rights and the Scottish Claim of Right Act , both passed in 1689, determined succession to the English, Scottish and Irish Thrones. First in the line were the descendants of Mary II. Next came Mary's sister Princess Anne and her descendants. Finally, the descendants of William by any future marriage were added to the line of succession. Only Protestants were allowed to succeed; those who married Roman Catholics were excluded. After Mary II died in 1694, her husband continued to reign alone until his own death in 1702. The line of succession provided for by
855-621: A consequence, the King was excommunicated by Pope Paul III on 17 December of the same year. In 1540, Henry sanctioned the complete destruction of shrines to saints. In 1542, England's remaining monasteries were all dissolved, and their property transferred to the Crown. Abbots and priors lost their seats in the House of Lords . Consequently, the Lords Spiritual – as members of
1026-399: A considerable part in the ceremonies surrounding his brother Arthur's marriage to Catherine , the youngest child of King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile . As duke of York, Henry used the arms of his father as king, differenced by a label of three points ermine . He was further honoured on 9 February 1506 by Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I , who made him a Knight of
1197-569: A court, he never had any intention of empowering his legate, Lorenzo Campeggio , to decide in Henry's favour. This bias was perhaps the result of pressure from Emperor Charles V, but it is not clear how far this influenced either Campeggio or the Pope. After less than two months of hearing evidence, Clement called the case back to Rome in July 1529, from which it was clear that it would never re-emerge. With
1368-629: A diplomatic coup by convincing Emperor Maximilian to join the Holy League. Remarkably, Henry had secured the promised title of " Most Christian King of France" from Julius and possibly coronation by the Pope himself in Paris, if only Louis could be defeated. On 30 June 1513, Henry invaded France, and his troops defeated a French army at the Battle of the Spurs – a relatively minor result, but one which
1539-503: A fall from grace included the King's new mistress, the 28-year-old Jane Seymour , being moved into new quarters, and Anne's brother, George Boleyn , being refused the Order of the Garter , which was instead given to Nicholas Carew . Between 30 April and 2 May, five men, including George Boleyn, were arrested on charges of treasonable adultery and accused of having sexual relationships with
1710-516: A grandson of Margaret Tudor. Mary, Queen of Scots, was deposed in June 1567 and there was civil war in Scotland until May 1573. For the rest of the 16th century England's diplomatic relations with Scotland were characterised by a so-called "amity". Elizabeth I did not publicly name Mary's son James VI as her successor, but gave him an annual cash subsidy . In 1603 Elizabeth I of England and Ireland
1881-604: A legitimated branch of the royal house of Lancaster , the House of Beaufort , assumed the English crown as Henry VII , after defeating and killing Richard III in battle. Richard had been the last king of the House of York, and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty . Henry declared himself king retroactively from 21 August 1485, the day before his victory over Richard at Bosworth Field. Sir William Blackstone called Henry's hereditary claim "the most remote and unaccountable that
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#17327660616342052-586: A period of mourning, the new sovereign is usually consecrated and crowned in Westminster Abbey . Normally, the Archbishop of Canterbury officiates, though the sovereign may designate any other bishop of the Church of England . A coronation is not necessary for a sovereign to reign; for example, Edward VIII was never crowned , yet during his short reign was the undoubted king. In the event that
2223-598: A permanent component of the UK constitution, and any abolition of such institutions would require a referendum. The act also changed the model of operation of the devolved institutions from a "conferred powers model" to a "reserved powers model". The Assembly was also given the power to decide its own name and voting system of members. In May 2020, the Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 , the National Assembly for Wales
2394-590: A reality. The attack, however, following a formal declaration of war in April 1512, was not led by Henry personally and was a considerable failure; Ferdinand used it simply to further his own ends, and it strained the Anglo-Spanish alliance. Nevertheless, the French were pushed out of Italy soon after, and the alliance survived, with both parties keen to win further victories over the French. Henry then pulled off
2565-587: A review of criminal justice matters in Wales, and the question of whether they should be devolved to Wales, proposing a Criminal and Youth Justice System within Welsh law. Currently, however, there has been no such devolution of justice to the Senedd . A commission set up in 2017 by the First Minister of Wales , known as "The Commission on Justice in Wales" and chaired by Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd , looked into
2736-522: A second wedding service in London on 25 January 1533. On 23 May 1533, Cranmer, sitting in judgment at a special court convened at Dunstable Priory to rule on the validity of the King's marriage to Catherine of Aragon, declared the marriage of Henry and Catherine null and void. Five days later, on 28 May 1533, Cranmer declared the marriage of Henry and Anne to be valid. Catherine was formally stripped of her title as queen, becoming instead "princess dowager" as
2907-533: A son, Edward , by his third wife, Jane Seymour . The Succession to the Crown Act 1533 declared Mary illegitimate; the Second Act in 1536 , did the same for Elizabeth. The Third Act in 1543 did not legitimize the daughters, but did reinsert them into the line of succession after Edward, providing further "that the King should and might give, will, limit, assign, appoint or dispose the said imperial Crown and
3078-616: A territorial possession of Charles, and the continued support of the Emperor. A small English attack in the north of France made up little ground. Charles defeated and captured Francis at Pavia and could dictate peace, but he believed he owed Henry nothing. Sensing this, Henry decided to take England out of the war before his ally, signing the Treaty of the More on 30 August 1525. King Henry VIII and all six of his wives were related through
3249-653: A time that his life was in danger. When news of this accident reached the Queen, she was sent into shock and miscarried a male child at about 15 weeks' gestation, on the day of Catherine's funeral, 29 January 1536. For most observers, this personal loss was the beginning of the end of this royal marriage. Although the Boleyn family still held important positions on the Privy Council , Anne had many enemies, including Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk . Even her own uncle,
3420-464: A treaty was signed for their marriage, and they were betrothed two days later. A papal dispensation was only needed for the "impediment of public honesty" if the marriage had not been consummated as Catherine and her duenna claimed, but Henry VII and the Spanish ambassador set out instead to obtain a dispensation for " affinity ", which took account of the possibility of consummation. Cohabitation
3591-457: A two-pronged attack. One force under Norfolk ineffectively besieged Montreuil . The other, under Suffolk, laid siege to Boulogne . Henry later took personal command, and Boulogne fell on 18 September 1544. However, Henry had refused Charles's request to march against Paris. Charles's own campaign fizzled, and he made peace with France that same day. Henry was left alone against France, unable to make peace. Francis attempted to invade England in
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#17327660616343762-502: A very limited extent", whilst Alison Weir believes there were numerous other affairs. Catherine is not known to have protested. In 1518, she fell pregnant again with another girl, who was also stillborn. Blount gave birth in June 1519 to Henry's illegitimate son, Henry FitzRoy . The young boy was made Duke of Richmond in June 1525 in what some thought was one step on the path to his eventual legitimisation. FitzRoy married Mary Howard in 1533, but died childless three years later. At
3933-626: Is an autonomous part of the English law system composed of legislation made by the Senedd . Wales is part of the legal jurisdiction of England and Wales , one of the three legal jurisdictions of the United Kingdom . However, due to devolution , the law in Wales is increasingly distinct from the law in England , since the Senedd , the devolved parliament of Wales, can legislate on non-reserved matters. Welsh law has been generated by
4104-461: Is monarch of the UK. Other realms passed their own legislation. Anyone ineligible to succeed is treated as if they were dead. That person's descendants are not also disqualified, unless they are personally ineligible. The Act of Settlement 1701 provides that Protestant " heirs of the body " (that is, legitimate descendants) of Sophia, Electress of Hanover , are eligible to succeed to the throne, unless otherwise disqualified. The meaning of heir of
4275-482: Is observed throughout the sovereign's reign as Accession Day , including royal gun salutes in the United Kingdom. Formerly, a new sovereign proclaimed his or her own accession. But on the death of Elizabeth I an Accession Council met to proclaim the accession of James I to the throne of England. James was then in Scotland and reigning as King James VI of Scotland. This precedent has been followed since. Now,
4446-630: Is referred to as part of the system of English law because Wales is part of the legal jurisdiction of England and Wales. The term 'English law' is preferred by the Law Society rather than 'English and Welsh law'. The Government of Wales Act 1998 (GoWA 1998) set up the then National Assembly for Wales (Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru) as a corporate body, which was later renamed the Welsh Parliament (Senedd Cymru). Executive functions (known as powers) were transferred via Welsh devolution from
4617-554: Is traditionally believed to have had an affair with Madge Shelton in 1535, although historian Antonia Fraser argues that Henry in fact had an affair with her sister Mary Shelton . Opposition to Henry's religious policies was at first quickly suppressed in England. Some dissenting monks, including the first Carthusian Martyrs , were executed and many more pilloried . The most prominent resisters included John Fisher , Bishop of Rochester, and Thomas More, both of whom refused to take
4788-474: Is unclear exactly why, for there is little evidence of differences in domestic or foreign policy. Despite his role, he was never formally accused of being responsible for Henry's failed marriage. Cromwell was now surrounded by enemies at court, with Norfolk also able to draw on his niece Catherine's position. Cromwell was charged with treason, selling export licences, granting passports, and drawing up commissions without permission, and may also have been blamed for
4959-417: Is viewed as "naturally dead" for the purposes of succession. The Act of Settlement further provided that anyone who married a Roman Catholic was ineligible to succeed. The Act did not require that the spouse be Anglican; it only barred those who married Roman Catholics. The Succession to the Crown Act 2013 removed the ban on individuals who marry Roman Catholics, though not on Roman Catholics themselves, because
5130-574: The Act of Succession 1533 , Catherine's daughter, Mary, was declared illegitimate; Henry's marriage to Anne was declared legitimate; and Anne's issue declared to be next in the line of succession. With the Acts of Supremacy in 1534, Parliament recognised the King's status as head of the church in England and, together with the Act in Restraint of Appeals in 1532, abolished the right of appeal to Rome. It
5301-580: The Acts of Union 1800 , the separate crowns of Great Britain and Ireland were merged and became the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . Between 1811 and 1820, when George III was deemed unfit to rule, the Prince of Wales (later George IV ) acted as his regent . Some years later, the Regency Act 1830 made provision for a change in the line of succession had a child been born to William IV after his death, but this event did not come about. On
Welsh law - Misplaced Pages Continue
5472-796: The Duke of Monmouth . James was deposed when his Protestant opponents forced him to flee from England in 1688. Parliament then deemed that James had, by fleeing the realms, abdicated the thrones and offered the Crowns not to the King's infant son James but to his Protestant daughter Mary and to her husband William , who as James's nephew was the first person in the succession not descended from him. The two became joint Sovereigns (a unique circumstance in British history) as William III of England and Ireland (and II of Scotland) and Mary II of England, Scotland and Ireland. William had insisted on this unique provision as
5643-757: The Estates of Scotland retaliated by passing the Scottish Act of Security . The Act provided that, upon the death of Anne, the Estates would meet to select an heir to the throne of Scotland, who could not be the same person as the English Sovereign unless numerous political and economic conditions were met. Anne originally withheld the Royal Assent , but was forced to grant it when the estates refused to raise taxes and sought to withdraw troops from
5814-465: The Holy See by way of a deceptively worded draft papal bull. Knight was unsuccessful; the Pope could not be misled so easily, and he did not want to antagonise Catherine's nephew, Charles V, whose troops had recently sacked Rome . Other missions concentrated on arranging an ecclesiastical court to meet in England, with a representative from Clement VII. Although Clement agreed to the creation of such
5985-532: The Italian War in favour of his new ally. An invasion of France was planned for 1543. In preparation for it, Henry moved to eliminate the potential threat of Scotland under his young nephew, James V . The Scots were defeated at the Battle of Solway Moss on 24 November 1542, and James died on 15 December. Henry now hoped to unite the crowns of England and Scotland by marrying his son Edward to James's successor, Mary . The Scottish regent Lord Arran agreed to
6156-479: The King's "great matter" . These options were legitimising Henry FitzRoy, which would need the involvement of the Pope and would be open to challenge; marrying off Mary, his daughter with Catherine, as soon as possible and hoping for a grandson to inherit directly, but Mary was considered unlikely to conceive before Henry's death, or somehow rejecting Catherine and marrying someone else of child-bearing age. Probably seeing
6327-652: The Laws in Wales Act 1535 , which legally annexed Wales , uniting England and Wales into a single nation. This was followed by the Second Succession Act (the Succession to the Crown Act 1536), which declared Henry's children by Jane to be next in the line of succession and declared both Mary and Elizabeth illegitimate, thus excluding them from the throne. The King was granted the power to further determine
6498-544: The Laws in Wales Acts , enacted between 1535 and 1542 during the reign of King Henry VIII . Because Wales is not a distinct legal jurisdiction, matters of justice are reserved to Westminster . There have, however, been calls for a distinct legal jurisdiction and the devolution of justice and policing to the Senedd. For example, in 2020, an independent commission led by former Lord Chief Justice John Thomas came to
6669-675: The Oath of Supremacy to the King. Neither Henry nor Cromwell sought at that stage to have the men executed; rather, they hoped that the two might change their minds and save themselves. Fisher openly rejected Henry as the Supreme Head of the Church, but More was careful to avoid openly breaking the Treasons Act 1534 , which (unlike later acts) did not forbid mere silence. Both men were subsequently convicted of high treason, however – More on
6840-646: The Palace of Placentia in Greenwich , Kent, Henry Tudor was the third child and second son of King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York . Of the young Henry's six (or seven) siblings, only three – his brother Arthur, Prince of Wales , and sisters Margaret and Mary – survived infancy. He was baptised by Richard Foxe , the Bishop of Exeter , at a church of the Observant Franciscans close to
7011-455: The Palace of Whitehall , Whitehall , London, in Anne's closet, by Stephen Gardiner , Bishop of Winchester . With Charles V distracted by the internal politics of his many kingdoms and external threats, and Henry and Francis on relatively good terms, domestic and not foreign policy issues had been Henry's priority in the first half of the 1530s. In 1536, for example, Henry granted his assent to
Welsh law - Misplaced Pages Continue
7182-529: The Safety of the Queen, etc. Act 1584 , which provided that any individual involved in attempts to murder the sovereign would be disqualified from succeeding (the act was repealed in 1863). The House of Stewart (later Stuart) had ruled in Scotland since 1371. It followed strict rules of primogeniture. In 1503 King James IV married Margaret Tudor , a daughter of England's Henry VII, which one hundred years later resulted in his great-grandson James VI inheriting
7353-614: The State Opening of Parliament ) or at his or her coronation, whichever occurs first. The wording of the declaration was changed in 1910 as the previous wording was deemed to be overly anti-Catholic. Rather than denouncing Roman Catholicism, the sovereign now declares him or herself to be a Protestant and that he or she will "uphold and maintain" the Protestant succession. In addition to the Accession Declaration,
7524-564: The Third Succession Act put them back in the line of succession after Edward. The same act allowed Henry to determine further succession to the throne in his will. In 1538, the chief minister Thomas Cromwell pursued an extensive campaign against what the government termed "idolatry" practised under the old religion, culminating in September with the dismantling of the shrine of St. Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral . As
7695-609: The Treaty of Union between England and Scotland (which was given legal force by the acts of the English and Scottish parliaments), the succession to the throne is limited to "the Heirs of [Electress Sophia's] body being Protestants ." The Act of Settlement also states that "whosoever shall hereafter come to the Possession of this Crown shall join in Communion with the Church of England ". The definition of being "in Communion with
7866-559: The Union of the Crowns , although England and Scotland remained separate sovereign states until 1707. His succession was rapidly ratified by Parliament. James's eldest surviving son and successor, Charles I , was overthrown and beheaded in 1649 and the monarchy was abolished. A few years later, it was replaced by the Protectorate under Oliver Cromwell , a de facto monarch with the title of Lord Protector rather than King. Cromwell had
8037-637: The Wales Act 2014 . The Tax Collection and Management (Wales) Act 2016 was passed by the National Assembly to facilitate the financial powers of the Wales Act 2014 . The Land Transaction Tax (replacing Stamp Duty) and the Landfill Disposal Tax were the first two devolved taxes. In 2019, over £2 billion of income tax was devolved to the Senedd. The Wales Act 2017 defined the National Assembly and devolved institutions to be
8208-415: The male heir he desired, he became enamoured of Mary Boleyn's sister, Anne Boleyn , then a charismatic young woman of 25 in the Queen's entourage. Anne, however, resisted his attempts to seduce her, and refused to become his mistress as her sister had. It was in this context that Henry considered his three options for finding a dynastic successor and hence resolving what came to be described at court as
8379-598: The 1993 Welsh Language Act and gave Welsh an official status in Wales for the first time, a major landmark for the language. Welsh is the only official de jure language of any country in the UK. The Measure was also responsible for creating the post of Welsh Language Commissioner , replacing the Welsh Language Board. Following the referendum in 2011, the Official Languages Act became the first Welsh law to be created in 600 years, according to
8550-633: The Accession Council normally meets in St James's Palace . Proclamations since James I's have usually been made in the name of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal , the Privy Council , the Lord Mayor , Aldermen and citizens of the City of London and "other principal Gentlemen of quality", though there have been variations in some proclamations. The proclamation of accession of Elizabeth II
8721-436: The Acts of Union) still govern succession to the throne. They were amended in the United Kingdom by the Succession to the Crown Act 2013 , which was passed mainly "to make succession to the Crown not depend on gender" and "to make provision about Royal Marriages" (according to its long title ), thereby implementing the Perth Agreement in the UK and in those realms that, by their laws, have as their monarch automatically whoever
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#17327660616348892-548: The Bill of Rights was almost at an end; William and Mary had no children and Princess Anne's children had died. Parliament passed the Act of Settlement 1701 . The Act maintained the provision of the Bill of Rights whereby William would be succeeded by Princess Anne and her descendants, and thereafter by his own descendants from future marriages. The Act declared that they would be followed by James I & VI's granddaughter Sophia , Electress Dowager of Hanover (the daughter of James's daughter Elizabeth Stuart ), and her heirs. As under
9063-453: The Bill of Rights, non-Protestants and those who married Roman Catholics were excluded. Because Sophia was a foreign citizen, Parliament passed the Sophia Naturalization Act 1705 to make her and her descendants English and therefore eligible for the throne. Upon William's death, Anne became Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland. Because the Parliament of England settled on Sophia as Anne's heir-presumptive without consulting Scottish leaders,
9234-399: The Church of England" has been interpreted broadly; for instance, King George I was Lutheran . The Bill of Rights specifically excludes Roman Catholics from being sovereign, to the extent that they "shall be excluded and be for ever uncapeable to inherit possesse or enjoy the Crowne", thus ignoring any potential conversion from Roman Catholicism to Protestantism. As such, a Roman Catholic
9405-516: The Crown is inherited by a sovereign's children or by a childless sovereign's nearest collateral line . The Bill of Rights 1689 and the Act of Settlement 1701 restrict succession to the throne to the legitimate Protestant descendants of Sophia of Hanover who are in " communion with the Church of England ". Spouses of Catholics were disqualified from 1689 until the law was amended in 2015. Protestant descendants of those excluded for being Roman Catholics are eligible. King Charles III has been
9576-416: The Duke of Norfolk, had come to resent her attitude to her power. The Boleyns preferred France over the Emperor as a potential ally, but the King's favour had swung towards the latter (partly because of Cromwell), damaging the family's influence. Also opposed to Anne were supporters of reconciliation with Princess Mary (among them the former supporters of Catherine), who had reached maturity. A second annulment
9747-437: The English Crown as well. In 1543, Henry VIII had attempted to marry his son Edward to Mary, Queen of Scots , which would have drawn the kingdoms closer together. This marriage plan, outlined by the Treaty of Greenwich , was resisted by Scots who favoured the Auld Alliance with France. A nine year long war resulted, now known as the Rough Wooing . In July 1565, Mary, Queen of Scots, married Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley ,
9918-445: The English army, overseen by Queen Catherine, decisively defeated the Scots at the Battle of Flodden on 9 September 1513. Among the dead was the Scottish king, thus ending Scotland 's brief involvement in the war. These campaigns had given Henry a taste of the military success he so desired. However, despite initial indications, he decided not to pursue a 1514 campaign. He had been supporting Ferdinand and Maximilian financially during
10089-465: The First Minister at the time, Carwyn Jones . This law was passed by Welsh AMs only and made Welsh an official language of the National Assembly. Laws that are made in Wales, that apply to Wales, are currently a part of the law of England and Wales because England and Wales form one legal jurisdiction. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own, separate legal jurisdictions. The One Wales agreement between Labour and Plaid Cymru (2007–2011) called for
10260-407: The Golden Fleece . In 1502, Arthur died at the age of 15, just 20 weeks after his marriage to Catherine of Aragon . Arthur's death thrust all his duties upon his younger brother. The 10-year-old Henry became the new Duke of Cornwall , and the new Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester in February 1504. Henry VII gave his second son few responsibilities even after the death of Arthur. Young Henry
10431-406: The Human Rights Act). Reserved subject areas include: There are Acts of the UK Parliament that are classed as "Wales-only laws". Each Act contains provisions using which the Senedd can make secondary legislation. Sometimes such Acts can also confer power to the Senedd. An example of such a Wales-only law is the Transport (Wales) Act 2006 . The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 modernised
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#173276606163410602-422: The King. Soon after marrying Henry, Catherine conceived. She gave birth to a stillborn girl on 31 January 1510. About four months later, Catherine again became pregnant. On 1 January 1511, New Year's Day, a son Henry was born. After the grief of losing their first child, the couple were pleased to have a boy and festivities were held, including a two-day joust known as the Westminster Tournament . However,
10773-411: The National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 1999. The Government of Wales Act 2006 made the National Assembly for Wales a fully-fledged legislature and the Welsh Assembly Government (since renamed Welsh Government) as the devolved executive for Wales. The executive functions of the Welsh assembly was transferred to Welsh ministers who made up the Welsh Assembly Government. The Act allowed
10944-425: The National Assembly for Wales to pass Assembly Measures on some matters. The Act also granted further powers in matters such as economic, social and environmental well-being of Wales and culture which included the Welsh language. The Assembly were also capable of passing Acts but only after a "Yes" vote in a referendum. In March 2011, a referendum was held on whether full primary law-making powers should be given to
11115-451: The National Assembly in the twenty subject areas where it held jurisdiction. The referendum concluded with 63.5% of voters supporting the transfer of full primary law-making powers to the Assembly. The UK Government also formed the Commission on Devolution in Wales (the Silk Commission). The commission published part 1 of its report in 2012, recommending new financial powers for Wales including borrowing and taxation, which came into force in
11286-587: The Opposition Andrew RT Davies MS ( C ) Shadow Cabinet ( current ) Prime Minister Rt Hon Keir Starmer MP ( L ) Secretary of State for Wales Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP (L) Principal councils ( leader list ) Corporate Joint Committees Local twinning see also: Regional terms and Regional economy United Kingdom Parliament elections European Parliament elections (1979–2020) Local elections Police and crime commissioner elections Referendums Welsh law ( Welsh : Cyfraith Cymru )
11457-430: The Pope had lacked the authority to grant a dispensation from this impediment. It was this argument Henry took to Pope Clement VII in 1527 in the hope of having his marriage to Catherine annulled, forgoing at least one less openly defiant line of attack. In going public, all hope of tempting Catherine to retire to a nunnery or otherwise stay quiet was lost. Henry sent his secretary, William Knight , to appeal directly to
11628-410: The Queen. Anne was arrested, accused of treasonous adultery and incest. Although the evidence against them was unconvincing, the accused were found guilty and condemned to death. On 17 May 1536, Henry and Anne's marriage was annulled by Archbishop Cranmer at Lambeth Palace and the accused men were executed. Cranmer appears to have had difficulty finding grounds for an annulment and probably based it on
11799-411: The Scottish regency under the Earl of Arran and Mary of Guise . He founded the Royal Navy , oversaw the annexation of Wales to England with the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 , and was the first English monarch to rule as King of Ireland following the Crown of Ireland Act 1542 . Henry's contemporaries considered him an attractive, educated, and accomplished king. He has been described as "one of
11970-399: The Senedd can legislate differently from English law. Some actions can be unlawful in Wales, but not in England or Scotland. For example, using an electric shock collar on a cat or dog is unlawful in Wales, but not in the rest of the UK. Succession to the British throne Succession to the British throne is determined by descent, sex, legitimacy, and religion. Under common law ,
12141-421: The Senedd since the Government of Wales Act 2006 and in effect since May 2007. Each piece of Welsh legislation is known as an Act of Senedd Cymru . The first Welsh legislation to be proposed was the NHS Redress (Wales) Measure 2008 . This was the first time in almost 500 years that Wales has had its own laws, since Cyfraith Hywel , a version of Celtic law , was abolished and replaced by English law through
12312-519: The Succession to the Crown Act 2013) further required descendants of George II to obtain the consent of the reigning monarch to marry. (The requirement did not apply to descendants of princesses who married into foreign families, as well as, from 1936, any descendants of Edward VIII, of whom there are none.) The Act provided, however, that if a dynast older than twenty-five years notified the Privy Council of his or her intention to marry without
12483-564: The UK Government to the National Assembly for Wales. These included powers for agriculture, culture, economic development, education, health, housing, local government, social services and planning in Wales. Transfer of Functions Orders were also made under GoWA 1998, transferring to the National Assembly for Wales executive functions in the same areas. These function included making regulations, rules, orders and giving financial assistance in those areas. Function orders came into effect via
12654-487: The Younger was dispatched to Cleves to paint a portrait of Anne for the King. Despite speculation that Holbein painted her in an overly flattering light, it is more likely that the portrait was accurate; Holbein remained in favour at court. After seeing Holbein's portrait, and urged on by the complimentary description of Anne given by his courtiers, the 49-year-old King agreed to wed Anne. When Henry met Anne, however, he
12825-585: The allegations, Dereham confessed. It took another meeting of the council, however, before Henry believed the accusations against Dereham and went into a rage, blaming the council before consoling himself in hunting. When questioned, the Queen could have admitted a prior contract to marry Dereham, which would have made her subsequent marriage to Henry invalid, but she instead claimed that Dereham had forced her to enter into an adulterous relationship. Dereham, meanwhile, exposed Catherine's relationship with Culpeper. Culpeper and Dereham were both executed, and Catherine too
12996-588: The body is determined by the common law rules of male preference primogeniture (the "male-preference" criterion is no longer applicable, in respect of succession to the throne, to persons born after 28 October 2011), whereby older children and their descendants inherit before younger children, and a male child takes precedence over a female sibling. Children born out of wedlock and adopted children are not eligible to succeed. Illegitimate children whose parents subsequently marry are legitimated, but remain ineligible to inherit. The Royal Marriages Act 1772 (repealed by
13167-402: The campaign but had received little in return; England's coffers were now empty. With the replacement of Julius by Pope Leo X , who was inclined to negotiate for peace with France, Henry signed his own treaty with Louis: his sister Mary would become Louis's wife, having previously been pledged to the younger Charles, and peace was secured for eight years, a remarkably long time. Charles V ,
13338-548: The ceremony, there was a grand banquet in Westminster Hall . As Catherine wrote to her father, "our time is spent in continuous festival". Two days after his coronation, Henry arrested his father's two most unpopular ministers, Richard Empson and Edmund Dudley . They were charged with high treason and were executed in 1510. Politically motivated executions would remain one of Henry's primary tactics for dealing with those who stood in his way. Henry returned some of
13509-561: The chance for an annulment lost, Cardinal Wolsey bore the blame. He was charged with praemunire in October 1529, and his fall from grace was "sudden and total". Briefly reconciled with Henry (and officially pardoned) in the first half of 1530, he was charged once more in November 1530, this time for treason, but died while awaiting trial. After a short period in which Henry took government upon his own shoulders, Thomas More took on
13680-448: The changes, on the day they came into effect on 26 March of that year, were the children of Lady Davina Windsor —her son Tane Mahuta Lewis (born 2012) and her daughter Senna Kowhai Lewis (born 2010)—who were reversed in the order of succession, becoming 29th and 28th in line respectively (now 36th and 35th as of September 2022 ). The Bill of Rights and the Act of Settlement (restated by
13851-499: The child died seven weeks later. Catherine had two stillborn sons in 1513 and 1515, but gave birth in February 1516 to a girl, Mary . Relations between Henry and Catherine had been strained, but they eased slightly after Mary's birth. Although Henry's marriage to Catherine has since been described as "unusually good", it is known that Henry took mistresses. It was revealed in 1510 that Henry had been conducting an affair with one of
14022-480: The clergy with seats in the House of Lords were known – were for the first time outnumbered by the Lords Temporal . The 1539 alliance between Francis and Charles had soured, eventually degenerating into renewed war. With Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn dead, relations between Charles and Henry improved considerably, and Henry concluded a secret alliance with the Emperor and decided to enter
14193-467: The conclusion that the existing arrangement was ‘failing the people of Wales’. Prior to the 19th century, It was custom for Welsh Judges to travel on horseback, whereas their English counterpart did not, this detail was discussed within the House of Commons in May 25, 1820. There have been multiple calls from both Welsh academics and politicians however for a Wales criminal justice system . The law of Wales
14364-558: The consent of the Sovereign, then he or she may have lawfully done so after one year, unless both houses of Parliament expressly disapproved of the marriage. A marriage that contravened the Royal Marriages Act was void, and the resulting offspring illegitimate and thus ineligible to succeed, though the succession of the dynast who failed to obtain consent was not itself affected. This also had the consequence that marriage to
14535-453: The courtier Thomas Culpeper . She also employed Francis Dereham , who had previously been informally engaged to her and had an affair with her prior to her marriage, as her secretary. The Privy Council was informed of her affair with Dereham whilst Henry was away; Thomas Cranmer was dispatched to investigate, and he brought evidence of Queen Catherine's previous affair with Dereham to the King's notice. Though Henry originally refused to believe
14706-523: The crown should be, rest, remain and abide in the most royal person of the then sovereign lord, King Henry VII, and the heirs of his body lawfully coming." Henry VII was followed by his son, Henry VIII . Though his father descended from the Lancastrians, Henry VIII could also claim the throne through the Yorkist line, as his mother Elizabeth was the daughter of Edward IV. In 1542, Henry also assumed
14877-456: The death of William IV in 1837, his 18-year-old niece Victoria succeeded to the throne. After a 63-year reign, often known as the Victorian era , she was succeeded in 1901 by her eldest son Edward VII . On his death in 1910, his second son acceded to the throne as George V (Edward's first son Prince Albert Victor died during an influenza pandemic in 1892). Edward VIII became King on
15048-468: The death of a sovereign, the heir apparent or heir presumptive succeeds to the throne immediately, with no need for confirmation or further ceremony. Nevertheless, the Accession Council meets and decides upon the making of the accession proclamation, which by custom has for centuries been ceremonially proclaimed in public places, in London, York , Edinburgh and other cities. The anniversary
15219-901: The death of his father, George V, in January 1936. Edward opened Parliament in November, but abdicated in December 1936, and was never crowned . Edward had desired to marry Wallis Simpson , a divorcee, but the Church of England , of which the British Sovereign is Supreme Governor, would not authorise the marriage of divorcees. Consequently, Parliament passed His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act 1936 , by which Edward VIII ceased to be Sovereign "immediately upon" his royal assent as King being signified in Parliament on 11 December. The Act provided that he and his descendants, if any, were not to have any "right, title or interest in or to
15390-631: The dissolution of the monasteries, Henry used some of his financial reserves to build a series of coastal defences and set some aside for use in the event of a Franco-German invasion. Having considered the matter, Cromwell suggested Anne , the 25-year-old sister of William, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg , who was seen as an important ally in case of a Roman Catholic attack on England, for the Duke fell between Lutheranism and Catholicism . Other potential brides included Christina of Denmark, Anna of Lorraine , Louise of Guise and Amalia of Cleves . Hans Holbein
15561-423: The disturbances ended. On 8 January 1536, news reached the King and Queen that Catherine of Aragon had died. The following day, Henry dressed all in yellow, with a white feather in his bonnet. Queen Anne was pregnant again, and she was aware that there might be consequences if she failed to give birth to a son. Later that month, the King was thrown from his horse in a tournament and was badly injured; it seemed for
15732-643: The evidence of a single conversation with Richard Rich , the Solicitor General – and both were executed in the summer of 1535. These suppressions, as well as the Suppression of Religious Houses Act 1535 , in turn, contributed to a more general resistance to Henry's reforms, most notably in the Pilgrimage of Grace , a large uprising in northern England in October 1536. Some 20,000 to 40,000 rebels were led by Robert Aske , together with parts of
15903-635: The extent that his 1521 publication Assertio Septem Sacramentorum ("Defence of the Seven Sacraments") earned him the title of Fidei Defensor (Defender of the Faith) from Pope Leo X. The work represented a staunch defence of papal supremacy, albeit one couched in somewhat contingent terms. It is not clear exactly when Henry changed his mind on the issue as he grew more intent on a second marriage. Certainly, by 1527, he had convinced himself that Catherine had produced no male heir because their union
16074-532: The extent that his doctors found it difficult to treat. The chronic wound festered for the remainder of his life and became ulcerated , preventing him from maintaining the level of physical activity he had previously enjoyed. The jousting accident is also believed to have caused Henry's mood swings , which may have had a dramatic effect on his personality and temperament. The theory that Henry had syphilis has been dismissed by most historians. Historian Susan Maclean Kybett ascribes his demise to scurvy , which
16245-456: The failure of the foreign policy that accompanied the attempted marriage to Anne. He was subsequently attainted and beheaded. On 28 July 1540 (the same day Cromwell was executed), Henry married the young Catherine Howard, a first cousin and lady-in-waiting of Anne Boleyn. He was delighted with his new queen and awarded her the lands of Cromwell and a vast array of jewellery. Soon after the marriage, however, Queen Catherine had an affair with
16416-471: The first six in line of succession require the sovereign's consent before they marry; without such consent, they and their children would be disqualified from succession. The United Kingdom is one of the Commonwealth realms , which are sovereign states that share the same person as monarch and the same order of succession. In 2011, the prime ministers of the then-16 realms agreed unanimously to amend
16587-490: The first six persons in line to the throne must obtain the sovereign's approval before marrying. Marriage without the Sovereign's consent disqualifies the person and the person's descendants from the marriage from succeeding to the Crown, but the marriage is still legally valid. Rules relating to eligibility established by the Bill of Rights are retained under the Act of Settlement and the Acts of Union 1707 . Under Article II of
16758-588: The friars' church in Greenwich on 11 June 1509. Henry claimed descent from Constantine the Great and King Arthur and saw himself as their successor. On 23 June 1509, Henry led the now 23-year-old Catherine from the Tower of London to Westminster Abbey for their coronation, which took place the following day. It was a grand affair: the King's passage was lined with tapestries and laid with fine cloth. Following
16929-471: The ideas of the Protestant Reformers, but the extent to which she herself was a committed Protestant is much debated. When Archbishop of Canterbury William Warham died, Anne's influence and the need to find a trustworthy supporter of the annulment had Thomas Cranmer appointed to the vacant position. This was approved by the Pope, unaware of the King's nascent plans for the Church. Henry
17100-415: The infant Edward would marry one of Charles's daughters. It was suggested the widowed Henry might marry Christina, Dowager Duchess of Milan . However, when Charles and Francis made peace in January 1539, Henry became increasingly paranoid, perhaps as a result of receiving a constant list of threats to the kingdom (real or imaginary, minor or serious) supplied by Cromwell in his role as spymaster. Enriched by
17271-590: The kingdoms of western Europe in the wake of a new Ottoman threat, and it seemed that peace might be secured. Henry met King Francis on 7 June 1520 at the Field of the Cloth of Gold near Calais for a fortnight of lavish entertainment. Both hoped for friendly relations in place of the wars of the previous decade. The strong air of competition laid to rest any hopes of a renewal of the Treaty of London, however, and conflict
17442-404: The largely ceremonial role of a royal wife and it made her many enemies. For his part, Henry disliked Anne's constant irritability and violent temper. After a false pregnancy or miscarriage in 1534, he saw her failure to give him a son as a betrayal. As early as Christmas 1534, Henry was discussing with Cranmer and Cromwell the chances of leaving Anne without having to return to Catherine. Henry
17613-492: The line of succession in his will, should he have no further issue. On 12 October 1537, Jane gave birth to a son, Prince Edward, the future Edward VI . The birth was difficult, and Queen Jane died on 24 October 1537 from an infection and was buried in Windsor. The euphoria that had accompanied Edward's birth became sorrow, but it was only over time that Henry came to long for his wife. At the time, Henry recovered quickly from
17784-449: The line of succession is maintained. The exact number, in more remote collateral lines, of the people who would be eligible is uncertain. In 2001, American genealogist William Addams Reitwiesner compiled a list of 4,973 living descendants of Electress Sophia of Hanover , in order of succession without omitting Roman Catholics . When updated in January 2011, the list included 5,753. The final person in both lists, number 4,973 and 5,753,
17955-580: The marriage in the Treaty of Greenwich on 1 July 1543, but it was rejected by the Parliament of Scotland on 11 December. The result was eight years of war between England and Scotland, a campaign later dubbed "the Rough Wooing ". Despite several peace treaties, unrest continued in Scotland until Henry's death. Despite the early success with Scotland, Henry hesitated to invade France, annoying Charles. Henry finally went to France in June 1544 with
18126-648: The monarch is Supreme Governor of the Church of England. Under the Treason Act 1702 and the Treason (Ireland) Act 1703 , it is treason to "endeavour to deprive or hinder any person who shall be the next in succession to the crown ... from succeeding ... to the imperial crown of this realm". Since the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 , the maximum penalty has been life imprisonment. In the Commonwealth realms, upon
18297-509: The monarch of the United Kingdom no longer reigned in the greater part of Ireland (which had become a republic in 1949), but was the monarch of a number of independent sovereign states (Commonwealth realms). She was then succeeded in 2022 by her eldest son, Charles III . By the terms of the Statute of Westminster 1931 , each of the Commonwealth realms has the same person as monarch and, to maintain that arrangement, they have agreed to continue
18468-466: The monarch would be in communion with the Church of England . The changes came into effect across the Commonwealth realms on 26 March 2015, after legislation was made according to each realm's constitution. Following the changes coming into effect, the positions of the first 27 in line remained unchanged, including Princess Anne and her children and grandchildren, until the birth of Princess Charlotte of Cambridge on 2 May 2015. The first to be affected by
18639-466: The money supposedly extorted by the two ministers. By contrast, Henry's view of the House of York – potential rival claimants for the throne – was more moderate than his father's had been. Several who had been imprisoned by his father, including Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset , were pardoned. Others went unreconciled; Edmund de la Pole, 3rd Duke of Suffolk was eventually beheaded in 1513, an execution prompted by his brother Richard siding against
18810-404: The most charismatic rulers to sit on the English throne" and his reign described as the "most important" in English history. He was an author and composer. As he aged, he became severely overweight and his health suffered. He is frequently characterised in his later life as a lustful, egotistical, paranoid, and tyrannical monarch. He was succeeded by his son Edward VI . Born on 28 June 1491 at
18981-535: The nephew of Henry's wife Catherine, inherited a large empire in Europe, becoming king of Spain in 1516 and Holy Roman Emperor in 1519. When Louis XII of France died in 1515, he was succeeded by his cousin Francis I . These accessions left three relatively young rulers and an opportunity for a clean slate. The careful diplomacy of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey had resulted in the Treaty of London (1518) , aimed at uniting
19152-447: The new reforms from challenge, convincing the public of their legitimacy, and exposing and dealing with opponents. Although the canon law was dealt with at length by Cranmer and others, these acts were advanced by Thomas Cromwell , Thomas Audley and Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk and indeed by Henry himself. With this process complete, in May 1532 More resigned as Lord Chancellor, leaving Cromwell as Henry's chief minister. With
19323-487: The new sovereign is required by the Acts of Union 1707 to make an oath to "maintain and preserve" the Church of Scotland. This oath is normally made at the sovereign's first meeting of the Privy Council following his or her accession. According to the Regency Act 1937 , should the sovereign be under the age of 18, such oaths and declarations required to be taken by the sovereign shall be made upon attainment of that age. After
19494-517: The northern nobility. Henry VIII promised the rebels he would pardon them and thanked them for raising the issues. Aske told the rebels they had been successful and they could disperse and go home. Henry saw the rebels as traitors and did not feel obliged to keep his promises to them, so when further violence occurred after Henry's offer of a pardon he was quick to break his promise of clemency. The leaders, including Aske, were arrested and executed for treason. In total, about 200 rebels were executed, and
19665-463: The operation of justice in the country. It aimed to further clarify the legal and political identity of Wales within the UK constitution. The commission's report was released in October 2019 and recommended the devolution of the justice system. English law still applies in Wales, but some laws in England, about matters that are devolved in Wales, may not apply in Wales. Once the Senedd has legislative competency in an area through an Act of Senedd Cymru ,
19836-426: The other premises … by letters patent or last will in writing." Mary and Elizabeth, under Henry VIII's will , were to be followed by the granddaughters of the King's deceased sister Mary . Still excluded were Mary's still-living daughters, Frances Grey, Duchess of Suffolk and Eleanor Clifford, Countess of Cumberland . This will also excluded from the succession the descendants of Henry's sister Margaret , who were
20007-593: The palace. In 1493, at the age of two, Henry was appointed Constable of Dover Castle and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports . He was subsequently appointed Earl Marshal of England and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland at age three and was made a Knight of the Bath soon after. The day after the ceremony, he was created Duke of York and a month or so later made Warden of the Scottish Marches . In May 1495, he
20178-406: The papal dispensation and a missing part of the marriage portion . The new king maintained that it had been his father's dying wish that he marry Catherine. Whether or not this was true, it was convenient. Emperor Maximilian I had been attempting to marry his granddaughter Eleanor , Catherine's niece, to Henry; she had now been jilted. Henry's wedding to Catherine was kept low-key and was held at
20349-414: The possibility of marrying Anne, the third was ultimately the most attractive possibility to the 34-year-old Henry, and it soon became the King's absorbing desire to annul his marriage to the now 40-year-old Catherine. Henry's precise motivations and intentions over the coming years are not widely agreed on. Henry himself, at least in the early part of his reign, was a devout and well-informed Catholic to
20520-437: The prior liaison between Henry and Anne's sister Mary, which in canon law meant that Henry's marriage to Anne was, like his first marriage, within a forbidden degree of affinity and therefore void. At 8 am on 19 May 1536, Anne was executed on Tower Green . The day after Anne's execution the 45-year-old Henry became engaged to Seymour, who had been one of the Queen's ladies-in-waiting . They were married ten days later at
20691-575: The queen's army. England's Parliament responded by passing the Alien Act 1705 , which threatened to cripple Scotland's economy by cutting off trade with them. Thus, Scotland had little choice but to unite with England to form the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707; the crown of the new nation (along with the crown of Ireland) was subject to the rules laid down by the English Act of Settlement. Anne
20862-438: The rest. I can have none appetite for displeasant airs. I have left her as good a maid and I found her. Henry wished to annul the marriage as soon as possible so he could marry another. Anne did not argue, and confirmed that the marriage had never been consummated. Anne's previous betrothal to Francis of Lorraine provided further grounds for the annulment. The marriage was subsequently dissolved in July 1540, and Anne received
21033-434: The right to name his successor, which he exercised on his deathbed by choosing his son, Richard Cromwell . Richard was ineffective and was quickly forced from office. Shortly afterwards, the monarchy was restored, with Charles I's son Charles II as King. James II and VII , a Roman Catholic, followed his brother Charles II, despite efforts in the late 1670s to exclude him in favour of Charles's illegitimate Protestant son,
21204-413: The role of Lord Chancellor and chief minister. Intelligent and able, but a devout Catholic and opponent of the annulment, More initially cooperated with the King's new policy, denouncing Wolsey in Parliament. A year later, Catherine was banished from court, and her rooms were given to Anne Boleyn. Anne was an unusually educated and intellectual woman for her time and was keenly absorbed and engaged with
21375-404: The royal succession laws that would see the order of succession for people born after 28 October 2011 governed by absolute primogeniture—wherein succession passes to an individual's children according to birth order, regardless of sex—instead of male-preference primogeniture. They also agreed to lift a ban on those who marry Roman Catholics. The ban on Catholics themselves was retained to ensure that
21546-462: The rulers of Scotland. Edward VI succeeded Henry VIII in 1547. Edward VI attempted to divert the course of succession in his will to prevent his Catholic half-sister, Mary, from inheriting the throne. He excluded both Mary and Elizabeth, settling on the Duchess of Suffolk's daughter, Lady Jane Grey . Jane was also originally excluded on the premise that no woman could reign over England. Nonetheless,
21717-474: The rules of succession. Male-preference (cognatic) primogeniture was abandoned, meaning that males born after 28 October 2011 no longer precede females (elder sisters) in line, and the ban on marriages to Catholics was lifted. The monarch still needs to be in communion with the Church of England . After the necessary legislation had been enacted in accordance with each realm's constitution, the changes took effect on 26 March 2015. No official, complete version of
21888-495: The same line of succession; some realms do so through domestic succession laws, while others stipulate whoever is monarch of the United Kingdom will also be monarch of that realm. In February 1952, on her accession, Elizabeth II was proclaimed as sovereign separately throughout her realms. In October 2011, the heads of government of all 16 realms agreed unanimously at a meeting held in Perth , Western Australia, to proposed changes to
22059-500: The shock. Measures were immediately put in place to find another wife for Henry, which, at the insistence of Cromwell and the Privy Council, were focused on the European continent. In 1538, as part of the negotiation of a secret treaty by Cromwell with Charles V, a series of dynastic marriages were proposed: Mary would marry a son of King John III of Portugal , Elizabeth would marry one of the sons of King Ferdinand I of Hungary and
22230-425: The sisters of Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham , either Elizabeth or Anne Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon . The most significant mistress for about three years, starting in 1516, was Elizabeth Blount . Blount is one of only two completely undisputed mistresses, considered by some to be few for a virile young king. Exactly how many Henry had is disputed: David Loades believes Henry had mistresses "only to
22401-466: The sovereign is under 18, or is incapacitated, the first person in the line of succession who is over the age of 21 (or 18 in the case of the heir apparent) and is domiciled in the United Kingdom becomes regent, and exercises the powers of the sovereign. The first four individuals in the line of succession who are over 21 (or 18 in the case of the heir), and the sovereign's consort, may be appointed counsellors of state . Counsellors of state perform some of
22572-463: The sovereign since 2022, and his heir apparent is his elder son, William, Prince of Wales . William's three children are next, in order of birth: Prince George , Princess Charlotte , and Prince Louis . Fifth in line is Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex , the younger son of the King; sixth is Harry's elder child, Prince Archie . Under the Perth Agreement , which came into effect in 2015, only
22743-459: The sovereign's duties in the United Kingdom while the sovereign is out of the country or temporarily incapacitated. Otherwise, individuals in the line of succession need not have specific legal or official roles. Princess Anne and Prince Edward were added as extra counsellors of state in 2022 by an act of Parliament, following the death of Elizabeth II. Henry VIII of England Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547)
22914-470: The succession to the Crown" under the 2013 act. The constitutional crisis arising from Edward VIII's decision to marry a divorcee in 1936 led to His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act 1936 , which provided that Edward VIII and his descendants would have no claim to the throne. The Act is no longer applicable, because Edward died in 1972 without issue. Under the Succession to the Crown Act 2013 ,
23085-517: The succession to the Throne". Edward died childless in 1972. Edward's abdication was "a demise of the Crown " (in the words of the Act), and the Duke of York , his brother who was then next in the line, immediately succeeded to the throne and to its "rights, privileges, and dignities", taking the regnal name George VI . He in turn was succeeded in 1952 by his elder daughter, Elizabeth II . By that time,
23256-503: The succession. The line of succession was governed by the common law rule of primogeniture until the fourteenth century, when Parliament first began to legislate on the subject. However, this was not invariably followed. The sons of William the Conqueror contested each other for the throne, and his granddaughter Matilda was passed over for his grandson King Stephen , even though Matilda's father had been king, and Stephen's claim
23427-502: The summer of 1545 but his forces reached only the Isle of Wight before being repulsed in the Battle of the Solent . Financially exhausted, France and England signed the Treaty of Camp on 7 June 1546. Henry secured Boulogne for eight years. The city was then to be returned to France for 2 million crowns (£750,000). Henry needed the money; the 1544 campaign had cost £650,000, and England
23598-410: The throne by having his nephew secretly killed. When Richard II was deposed in 1399 by Henry IV , Henry also usurped another relative with a better claim, Edmund, Earl of March . Richard and Henry were the grandsons of Edward III by, respectively, Edward's first and fourth sons; Edmund was descended from Edward's third son, and so was placed ahead of Henry in the line of succession. But as Edmund
23769-539: The time of his death in July 1536, parliament was considering the Second Succession Act , which could have allowed him to become king. In 1510, France , with a fragile alliance with the Holy Roman Empire in the League of Cambrai , was winning a war against Venice . Henry renewed his father's friendship with Louis XII of France , an issue that divided his council. Certainly, war with the combined might of
23940-419: The title King of Ireland ; this would pass down with the monarchs of England, and later Great Britain, until the separate crowns merged in 1800 . Henry VIII's multiple marriages led to several complications over succession. Henry VIII was first married to Catherine of Aragon , by whom he had a daughter named Mary . His second marriage, to Anne Boleyn , resulted in a daughter named Elizabeth . Henry VIII had
24111-447: The title of "The King's Sister", two houses, and a generous allowance. It was soon clear that Henry had fallen for the 17-year-old Catherine Howard , the Duke of Norfolk's niece. This worried Cromwell, for Norfolk was his political opponent. Shortly after, the religious reformers (and protégés of Cromwell) Robert Barnes , William Jerome and Thomas Garret were burned as heretics. Cromwell, meanwhile, fell out of favour although it
24282-443: The two powers would have been exceedingly difficult. Shortly thereafter, however, Henry also signed a pact with Ferdinand II of Aragon. After Pope Julius II created the anti-French Holy League in October 1511, Henry followed Ferdinand's lead and brought England into the new League. An initial joint Anglo-Spanish attack was planned for the spring to recover Aquitaine for England, the start of making Henry's dreams of ruling France
24453-450: The vision of the legal system in Wales. The commission was chaired by Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd , former Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales. The council also supports economic development and sustainability of law in Wales. The inaugural meeting was planned for November 2021. The Senedd is able to pass laws in any area which is not explicitly reserved by Westminster, subject to a number of general restrictions (such as compatibility with
24624-529: The widow of Arthur. In her place, Anne was crowned queen consort on 1 June 1533. The Queen gave birth to a daughter slightly prematurely on 7 September 1533. The child was christened Elizabeth , in honour of Henry's mother, Elizabeth of York. Following the marriage, there was a period of consolidation, taking the form of a series of statutes of the Reformation Parliament aimed at finding solutions to any remaining issues, whilst protecting
24795-428: The will, which originally referred to Jane's heirs-male, was amended to refer to Jane and her heirs-male. Upon Edward VI's death in 1553, Jane was proclaimed Queen of England and Ireland. She was not universally recognised and after nine days she was overthrown by the popular Mary. As Henry VIII's will had been approved by the Succession to the Crown Act 1543 , Edward's contravening will was ignored as unlawful. Mary I
24966-543: Was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon ) annulled . His disagreement with Pope Clement VII about such an annulment led Henry to initiate the English Reformation , separating the Church of England from papal authority. He appointed himself Supreme Head of the Church of England and dissolved convents and monasteries , for which he
25137-699: Was excommunicated by the pope. Henry brought radical changes to the Constitution of England , expanding royal power and ushering in the theory of the divine right of kings in opposition to papal supremacy . He frequently used charges of treason and heresy to quell dissent, and those accused were often executed without a formal trial using bills of attainder . He achieved many of his political aims through his chief ministers, some of whom were banished or executed when they fell out of his favour. Thomas Wolsey , Thomas More , Thomas Cromwell , and Thomas Cranmer all figured prominently in his administration. Henry
25308-543: Was "blighted in the eyes of God". Indeed, in marrying Catherine, his brother's wife, he had acted contrary to Leviticus 20:21, a justification Thomas Cranmer used to declare the marriage null. Martin Luther , on the other hand, had initially argued against the annulment, stating that Henry VIII could take a second wife in accordance with his teaching that the Bible allowed for polygamy but not divorce . Henry now believed
25479-662: Was Karin Vogel (born 1973), a therapist from Rostock , Germany. The annotated list below covers the first part of this line of succession, being limited to descendants of the sons of King George V , King Charles III's great-grandfather. The order of the first twenty-four numbered in the list, all descendants of Queen Elizabeth II , is given on the official website of the British monarchy; other list numbers and exclusions are explained by annotations and footnotes below . People named in italics are unnumbered either because they are deceased or because sources report them to be excluded from
25650-458: Was an extravagant spender, using proceeds from the dissolution of the monasteries and acts of the Reformation Parliament . He converted money that was formerly paid to Rome into royal revenue. Despite the money from these sources, he was often on the verge of financial ruin due to personal extravagance and costly and largely unproductive wars, particularly with King Francis I of France , Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor , King James V of Scotland , and
25821-576: Was appointed to the Order of the Garter . The reason for giving such appointments to a small child was to enable his father to retain personal control of lucrative positions and not share them with established families. Not much is known about Henry's early life – save for his appointments – because he was not expected to become king, but it is known that he received a first-rate education from leading tutors. He became fluent in Latin and French and learned at least some Italian. In November 1501, Henry played
25992-476: Was beheaded on 13 February 1542. Henry married his last wife, the wealthy widow Catherine Parr , in July 1543. A reformer at heart, she argued with Henry over religion. Henry remained committed to an idiosyncratic mixture of Catholicism and Protestantism; the reactionary mood that had gained ground after Cromwell's fall had neither eliminated his Protestant streak nor been overcome by it. Parr helped reconcile Henry with his daughters, Mary and Elizabeth. In 1543,
26163-517: Was ever set up," and said that his subsequent marriage to Richard's niece Elizabeth of York , the daughter of Edward IV , was "his best title to the crown." Henry caused Richard's Titulus Regius (Parliament's recognition of his own claim) to be repealed and expunged from the Rolls of Parliament . After Henry's coronation in London in October that year, his first parliament, summoned to meet at Westminster in November, enacted that "the inheritance of
26334-523: Was inevitable. Henry had more in common with Charles, whom he met once before and once after Francis. Charles brought his realms into war with France in 1521; Henry offered to mediate, but little was achieved and by the end of the year Henry had aligned England with Charles. He still clung to his previous aim of restoring English lands in France but sought to secure an alliance with the Netherlands , then
26505-399: Was married to Catherine for 24 years. Their divorce has been described as a "deeply wounding and isolating" experience for Henry. In the winter of 1532, Henry met with Francis I at Calais and enlisted Francis's support for his new marriage. Immediately upon returning to Dover in England, Henry, now 41, and Anne went through a secret wedding service. She soon became pregnant, and there was
26676-424: Was much displeased with her appearance. The King was reportedly taken aback and told his courtiers "I promise you, I see no such thing as hath been shown me of her, by pictures and report. I am ashamed that men have praised her as they have done, and I love her not!" Despite his protests, Henry knew that the situation was too far gone and he would have to wed his bride. The marriage took place in January 1540, but it
26847-439: Was never consummated. The morning after their wedding night, Henry complained about his new wife to Cromwell, stating: Surely, my lord, I liked her before not well, but now I like her much worse! She is nothing fair, and have very evil smells about her. I took her to be no maid by reason of the closeness of her breasts and other tokens, which, when I felt them, strake me so to the heart, that I had neither will nor courage to prove
27018-543: Was not possible because Henry was too young. Isabella's death in 1504, and the ensuing problems of succession in Castile , complicated matters. Ferdinand II preferred Catherine to stay in England, but Henry VII's relations with Ferdinand had deteriorated. Catherine was therefore left in limbo for some time, culminating in Prince Henry's rejection of the marriage as soon he was able, at the age of 14. Ferdinand's solution
27189-402: Was now a real possibility, although it is commonly believed that it was Cromwell's anti-Boleyn influence that led opponents to look for a way of having her executed. Anne's downfall came shortly after she had recovered from her final miscarriage. Whether it was primarily the result of allegations of conspiracy, adultery, or witchcraft remains a matter of debate among historians. Early signs of
27360-478: Was once again facing bankruptcy. Late in life, Henry became obese , with a waist measurement of 54 inches (140 cm), and had to be moved about with the help of mechanical devices. He was covered with painful, pus -filled boils and possibly had gout . His obesity and other medical problems can be traced to the jousting accident on 24 January 1536 in which he suffered a leg wound. The accident reopened and aggravated an injury he had sustained years earlier, to
27531-510: Was only seven at the time, and Henry's position would not have been secure with any lesser title than king, Henry took the throne for himself, with the endorsement of Parliament. Decades later, the rival House of York , which was descended from Edmund's sister Anne de Mortimer , seized the throne from Henry's grandson during the Wars of the Roses . In 1485, Henry Tudor, a female-line descendant of
27702-437: Was only that his mother had been William's daughter. After the death of Richard I in 1199, the throne should have gone to his nephew Arthur , the son of his next brother Geoffrey , but as Arthur was still only a child, Richard's youngest brother John was able to take the throne for himself, under the pretext that he was a closer relative to the late king than Arthur, who was one generation removed. John bolstered his claim to
27873-462: Was only then that Pope Clement VII took the step of excommunicating the King and Cranmer, although the excommunication was not made official until some time later. The King and Queen were not pleased with married life. The royal couple enjoyed periods of calm and affection, but Anne refused to play the submissive role expected of her. The vivacity and opinionated intellect that had made her so attractive as an illicit lover made her too independent for
28044-488: Was predeceased by Sophia, Electress Dowager of Hanover, and was therefore succeeded by the latter's son, who became George I in 1714. Attempts were made in the risings of 1715 and 1745 to restore Stuart claimants to the Throne, supported by those who recognised the Jacobite succession . The House of Hanover nonetheless remained undeposed, and the Crown descended in accordance with the appointed rules. In 1801, following
28215-493: Was renamed " Senedd Cymru " or "the Welsh Parliament ", commonly known as the " Senedd " in both English and Welsh, to reflect increased legislative powers. The Act, for the first time in Wales, allowed 16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote, beginning with the 2021 Senedd election . The Law Council of Wales was established following recommendations by the independent Commission of Justice in Wales in 2019 which set out
28386-402: Was seized on by the English for propaganda purposes. Soon after, the English took Thérouanne and handed it over to Maximilian; Tournai , a more significant settlement, followed. Henry had led the army personally, complete with a large entourage. His absence from the country, however, had prompted his brother-in-law James IV of Scotland to invade England at the behest of Louis. Nevertheless,
28557-415: Was strictly supervised and did not appear in public. As a result, he ascended the throne "untrained in the exacting art of kingship". Henry VII renewed his efforts to seal a marital alliance between England and Spain, by offering his son Henry in marriage to the widowed Catherine. Henry VII and Queen Isabella were both keen on the idea, which had arisen very shortly after Arthur's death. On 23 June 1503,
28728-433: Was succeeded by King James VI of Scotland , her first cousin twice removed, even though his succession violated Henry VIII's will, under which Lady Anne Stanley , heiress of Mary Tudor, Duchess of Suffolk, was supposed to succeed. James asserted that hereditary right was superior to statutory provision and, as King of Scotland, was powerful enough to deter any rival. He reigned as James I of England and Ireland, thus effecting
28899-475: Was succeeded by her half-sister, Elizabeth I, who broke with the precedents of many of her predecessors, and refused to name an heir. Whilst previous monarchs (including Henry VIII) had specifically been granted authority to settle uncertain successions in their wills, the Treasons Act 1571 asserted that Parliament had the right to settle disputes, and made it treason to deny parliamentary authority. Wary of threats from other possible heirs, Parliament further passed
29070-600: Was the first to make mention of representatives of members of the Commonwealth . Upon his or her accession, a new sovereign is required by law to make and subscribe several oaths. The Bill of Rights of 1689 first required the sovereign to make a public declaration of non-belief in Roman Catholicism. This declaration, known as the Accession Declaration , is required to be taken either at the first meeting of parliament of his or her reign (i.e. during
29241-416: Was to make his daughter ambassador, allowing her to stay in England indefinitely. Devout, she began to believe that it was God's will that she marry the Prince despite his opposition. Henry VII died in April 1509, and the 17-year-old Henry succeeded him as king. Soon after his father's burial on 10 May, Henry suddenly declared that he would indeed marry Catherine, leaving unresolved several issues concerning
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