Regency Act 1953

Regency Act 1953

In 1952 King George VI died and was succeeded by his elder daughter Elizabeth II. With her eldest son and heir apparent, Prince Charles, under the age of 18, the Regency Act 1937 would provide for the next person over the age of 21 in the line of succession, the Queen's sister Princess Margaret, to act as regent. However, although a regency was already provided for, Parliament made a new law creating a provision specific to the scenario of the succession to the throne of a son or daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, while still under the age of 18 years. That provision, which ceased to have any relevance in law once the children of Elizabeth and Philip reached adulthood, was to the effect that Prince Philip, if living, would act as regent in case of an underage succession to the Crown by one of the children born of his marriage to Queen Elizabeth II. Similarly, Prince Philip would become the Queen's regent if she became incapacitated and they had no children or grandchildren able to be her regent.