Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's daughter to take throne......

The Queen is expected to approve a historic change in law within days that will allow a first-born daughter of Prince William and his wife Kate to ascend to the throne.
The Succession to the Crown Bill passed its final stage in Parliament last night when it was approved by the House of Lords, and will receive Royal Assent as early as next week.
The Government agreed with the 15 other countries where the Queen is head of state that ancient rules giving supremacy to male heirs must be changed to allow the Duke and Duchess of  Cambridge’s first child to reign, whatever its gender.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who introduced the Bill in the Commons, said: ‘This is a truly historic moment.

‘I am proud the British Parliament has taken this step to end centuries of religious and gender discrimination.’

Some Commonwealth countries where the Queen is head of state have already changed the law, including Canada.

The Cabinet Office has struck an agreement that the change to succession law will apply from October 28, 2011, the date of a summit in Australia where countries first agreed to go ahead.

David Cameron told other Commonwealth leaders that in an age of ‘gender equality’ the 1701 Act of Settlement, which also bars members of the Royal Family from marrying Roman Catholics, is out of date and discriminatory.

'I am proud the British Parliament has taken this step to end centuries of religious and gender discrimination'

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg

Buckingham Palace agreed that the time for change had come.

It means that for all heirs of the Prince of Wales, a younger son will no longer take precedence over an elder daughter.

Members of the Royal Family who marry a Roman Catholic will also now be able to succeed to the Crown.