The British Royal family and, frankly, millions of people around the world are excited for the arrival of the third royal baby. Since the pregnancy announcement, all focus has been on the Kensington Palace, as they prepare for the child’s arrival. But as it turns out, the third royal baby is very likely to change the course of the British Succession history. The Duchess really surprised the public with this news! Everyone thought that Kate, like Princess Diana, would have two children. But there are actually a few ways, in which they are both quite similar.

In 2013, a Succession to the Crown Act was passed, which made it possible for a female child to maintain her position in the royal succession regardless of the gender of the child born after her.

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Before then, according to the monarchy tradition, the male offspring usually took precedence over their sisters in the chain of succession and it didn’t matter, which of them was born first.

Hence, according to the Act, which actually took effect in 2015, Princess Charlotte will hold her place, and this has no bearing on whether the third child is a boy or a girl.

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By the way, this also means that Prince Harry will be bumped down another notch on the royal succession ladder, as the new royal baby will take his/her uncle’s fifth spot on the chain of succession.