Question: With the royal wedding fever gripping England not long ago, a question struck me, in terms of gay rights. Britain is very progressive. If let’s say Prince Harry turned out to be gay and wanted to marry his partner, would the monarch endorse/recognize such a union? – James, Ore.
Answer: It’s a fascinating question.
The fact is, England has had many (allegedly) gay kings: Richard II, Edward II, Richard the Lionheart, and William Rufus – and even more gay royals. Rumors have swirled for years that Elizabeth’s son Edward (now married to Sophie Countess of Wessex) is gay and closeted.
Civil partnerships (but not actual same-sex marriage) are now legal in the UK, and in the English monarchy, a hereditary title, has only two restrictions: the king or queen must be Protestant and can’t be married to a Catholic.
But since the monarchy is as much about tradition as it is about actual legal law, I suspect a royal gay partnership being recognized would depend entirely on the royal involved, the reaction of the British public, and, since most kings and queens these days marry before being crowned, the reigning monarch at the time of the marriage, who would necessarily be the parent of the royal in question.
And keep in mind that one of the “jobs” of the king or queen is to produce an heir, which might be complicated with a gay monarch.
My guess? A same-sex partnership for Prince Harry would go over far better with the British public than one for Prince William, the future king, though I suspect it would be extremely controversial regardless. As with America’s first black president, while the novelty might wear off fast, I suspect dead-enders would make subtle appeals to bigotry for years to come.
Would Queen Elizabeth endorse such a partnership in one of her sons? She’s known for being a stickler to tradition, and there’s a fair amount of evidence that she’s personally socially conservative.
Still, as she proved with the death of Princess Diana, she’s capable of changing with the times, especially if the British public demands it.
Bret Hartinger is a writer for AfterElton and a young adult novelist. His website is http://www.brethartinger.com.
