PM proposes change in law to allow Catholics to marry Royals

Prime Minister David Cameron has proposed changes to the Act of Settlement, which currently forbid any member of the Royal Family from ascending to the throne if they marry a Catholic.

Speaking ahead of the Commonwealth leaders’ summit in Australia later this month, Mr Cameron said the ban was an "historical anomaly" and could not "continue to be justified."

But he did not propose changing the ban on Roman Catholic monarchs, because the British monarch is also supreme governor of the Church of England.

Any changes will require the agreement of all 16 Commonwealth nations who have the Queen as their monarch. These are: the UK; Canada; Australia; New Zealand; Jamaica; Antigua and Barbuda; the Bahamas; Barbados; Grenada; Belize; St Christopher and Nevis; St Lucia; the Solomon Islands; Tuvalu; St Vincent and the Grenadines and Papua New Guinea.

Commonwealth minister Lord David Howell said he said he expected the reforms would be approved by all the members.