Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »

Thu 01 Jan 2007Primate says end royal ban against CatholicsThe new primate-elect of the Church of Ireland has called for the removal of the ban on Catholics, or those married to Catholics, from becoming British monarch.English-born Bishop Alan Harper said that in his personal view, the Act of Settlement (1701) "belongs to its time and we should move on". It bans Catholics and those married to Catholics from ascending the British throne "forever" and applies also to Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand and all other Commonwealth countries where Queen Elizabeth is recognised as monarch.