“Reforming the law on the inheritance of an aristocratic title was never really going to be a popular rallying cry, but it’s in the news again. The Earldom of Northesk is one of the great titles (albeit with no huge estate or wealth) that by a curious twist of fate has passed to a male descendent of the cadet branching of the family from 1654 rather than the 14th Earl’s daughter, Lady Carnegie. What is now more interesting about this is we now have a contrasting legal position to compare it with, s 1 of the Succession to the Crown Act 2013 which removes gender from the question of who inherits the Throne. Primogeniture, the benefit of the eldest male child for centuries, has been changed and so – ask a number of Lords and Ladies – should this not be changed for them as well?”
Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 20th September 2013
Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk
