'Gay marriage law may affect British royal family'

Mar 18, 2012 |

IANS

London

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If gay marriage is allowed by law in Britain, the royal family in future may even have a lesbian consort for the queen or a gay male spouse for the king, an MP has warned.

Tory lawmaker Peter Bone said the new legislation would throw the monarchy into crisis, The Sun reported.

Bone demanded an emergency summit of Commonwealth leaders to discuss the planned changes.

"They seem to be rushing this through without thinking of the broader implications," he said.

Bone has sent a letter to Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone, warning of possible upheaval in the monarchy.

He wanted to know if the government planned to change the Royal Marriages Act of 1772 to allow a same-sex union.

If the law was changed, Bone said it would become impossible for the monarch to continue as supreme governor of the Church of England.

And if a gay monarch conceived a child either by sperm donor or surrogate mother, it would mean the donor would have a right to a peerage and could gain regal rights, he said.

Gay and lesbian campaign group Stonewall has termed his letter 'mischievous'.

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