The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Baby is third in line to throne and a future king
THE NEW royal baby is third in line to the throne and a future king.
A great-grandchild to the Queen, her third, the newborn will also one day be crowned sovereign.
If Kate and William’s baby follows after the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge as king, he will be the 43rd monarch since William the Conqueror obtained the crown of England.
The baby’s uncle, Prince Harry, now moves to fourth in line to the throne, while the Duke of York shifts down to fifth and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie to sixth and seventh place.
The last time a stillserving monarch got to meet a great-grandchild born in direct succession to the crown was nearly 120 years ago.
Queen Victoria, who reigned until 1901, was still sovereign when her greatgrandchild Edward VIII, who later abdicated, was born third in line in 1894.
His brother George VI was also born in Queen Victoria’s lifetime, arriving fourth in line in 1895.
The last great-granddaughter of a still-serving sovereign born in direct succession on the male line was their sister Princess Mary in 1897.
William and Kate’s baby is the great-great-greatgreat-great-grandchild of Queen Victoria.
The Queen has already welcomed her first great grandchild, Savannah Phillips — daughter of Peter and Autumn Phillips.
However, Miss Phillips was born only 12th in line down the female line as a granddaughter to the Princess Royal and is now in 13th place.
Her second great-grandchild, Savannah’s sister Isla, was born in March last year.
Her fourth great-grandchild — Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall’s baby — is due in the new year.
William and Kate’s baby will one day be head of the armed forces and the Church of England, and possibly head of the Commonwealth, if the role is maintained in the future.
The baby is also a first grandchild for heir to the throne Charles and a first grandchild for Kate’s parents Michael and Carole Middleton.