London: Britain is planning to scrap a law that allows the daughter of a monarch to make way for her younger brother in the succession to the country's throne.

According to a report in The Daily Telegraph, ending the rule of primogeniture set down under the provisions of the 1701 Act of Settlement, the British government wants to give women equal rights to succeed the throne.

However, the change would not affect the current line of succession, but would mean that if Prince William have a daughter and then a son, his daughter would become the Queen.

Solicitor General Vera Baird, who is steering the new equality bill through the Commons, said the right of males to succeed ahead of their older sisters was "unfair" and "a load of rubbish".

"I have always thought that what we have to do with the Royal Family is integrate them as far as possible into the human race," she said, adding she also wanted to repeal the law that bans the heir to the throne from marrying a Catholic.

The Single Equality Bill will be drafted later this year to bring together existing laws on discrimination by sex, race, age, sexual orientation, disability or religion.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment. However, the newspaper said that during a previous attempt to change the law ten years ago, the Queen had indicated support for the move.

Source : PTI