Overview

This bill aims to modernize the rules of succession for hereditary peerages and baronetcies in the UK, ensuring equal inheritance rights for men and women.

Description

The bill makes several key changes to the current laws governing succession to hereditary titles:

• Equal Inheritance: It removes the current bias favoring male heirs, allowing women to inherit peerages and baronetcies equally with men.
• Prioritization of Male Siblings: While ensuring equality between genders overall, it maintains a priority for male siblings and their descendants over female siblings and their descendants within the same generation.
• Abeyances: Peerages and baronetcies currently in abeyance (where there are multiple potential heirs with equal claim) will be vested according to the new rules.
• Extinct Peerages: The bill addresses peerages that became extinct after February 6th, 1952, allowing potential heirs to petition the King to be recognized as the successor.
• Exceptions: The bill specifically clarifies that it does not affect the succession to the Crown, the King's titles, or the inheritance of other property. Existing successions also remain unaffected.

Government Spending

The bill is not expected to have a significant impact on government spending. The changes relate primarily to legal frameworks surrounding succession, not direct financial outlay.

Groups Affected

The bill impacts the following groups:

• Women eligible to inherit peerages and baronetcies: This group will gain equal rights of inheritance, previously denied to them.
• Heirs to peerages and baronetcies: The order of succession may change for some families, depending on existing rules of inheritance.
• Individuals whose peerages became extinct after February 6th, 1952: They have the opportunity to petition the King to revive their family title.
• The Monarchy: The bill explicitly states that it does not impact succession to the Crown.

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