It is a wise man (or woman) who knows his (or her) father

Now, with a name like Eikonoklastes, you might be able to work out dialectically that I am a dyed in the wool Republican. Too right! Think I can say that without the beefeaters knocking on the door and whisking me off to the Tower of London, and a portrait of Oliver Cromwell can adorn my Republican Household there being no pic of Lilibet Windsor.

Parenthesis, Republican is a word that has diametrically opposed meanings on each side of the Atlantic Ocean. Or everywhere in the world apart from Amerika it means opposition to hereditary succession as a system of Government.

It would appear that Throne Out and Republic have called for all members of the Royal family to undergo DNA testing. Cheeky buggers! Well, if membership of the Royal Family is according to parentage, then if there are any doubts, about said parentage, then no doubt they will jump to the chance to prove that they are “entitled” to said places in the order of succession. I presume, that if it where ever to be proved that a member of said royal family was not actually descended from said royals then they would be removed from order of succession. Though I suspect if, say, someone succeeded to the throne, then it would be more or less a fiat accompli, but would make the continuation of the line a bit dubious, hmmmmm more ammo to the Republicans.

Now, I hear that that may just have happened with one branch of the greater german/european royal family (they are all ridiculously interrelated) that did indeed happen.

Credit where it is due, I suspect that there is no doubt about the heirs (Charles and Wills), though the spares could be a bit in doubt.

Alternatively though, perhaps we could just switch to matrilineal succession (starting with the present incumbent with or without favour of females), and then there would be no cheating. No need for any dna tests. Would mean that Lilibet Windsor would be ultimately succeeded by a commonor, like the rest of us, viz Peter or Zara Philips.

Might get the feminist vote, but then as King Arthur put it in Python and the Grail, you don’t vote for Kings. Or indeed Queens. Strange women lying in ponds dishing out swords is indeed no basis for a system of government, but it is what we have I suppose.