Every time a new royal baby is in the works, people start wondering how it will affect the line of succession.

There are two ways that a royal can take the throne – the line of ancestry, alongside the laws put in place by the British government.

According to Business Insider, Parliamentary statutes dictate that succession to the British throne is influenced by the following factors: descent, legitimacy, religion, and sex for anyone born after October 28, 2011.

This change to the rules of succession means that Princess Charlotte may now be considered for the throne in the future.

As Queen Elizabeth’s oldest son, Charles is first in line for the throne. If she steps down (unlikely) or dies (honestly, this seems unlikely too), then Charles will automatically become king – unless he abdicates.

“When the Queen dies, Prince Charles will automatically become King,” Robert Hazell, Professor of Government and the Constitution at the University College London, told INSIDER.

“So, during William’s lifetime, he will almost certainly see his father become King. Only if Charles dies before the Queen, would William become King when the Queen dies.

“This means that, if or when Prince William becomes the King of England, that Kate, too, will become the Queen of England. The royal couple was married on April 29, 2011, in an elaborate ceremony in front of 1,900 peopleat Westminister Abbey.

I suspect Liz might outlive us all. She has that look about her.

A lot of speculation has gone into whether or not Charles might consider abdication. He’s getting on in years and isn’t exactly popular with the people.

The Diana wounds are still raw for many.

After Will, the next in line is Prince George, followed by Princess Charlotte and then Prince Louis. Prince Harry follows on from Prince Louis.

There you have it. While William could see his father become king, he may jump ahead of his father, depending on Charles’ decision.

Then again, they may yet wait a while, because Liz seems to be taking the whole “long live the Queen” thing really seriously.

[source:businessinsider]