Interestingly, the last time the male preference made a difference was when Queen Victoria died in 1901, with the crown passing to her eldest son Edward VII. Victoria's eldest child was Princess Victoria who married the German Emperor - the whole of 20th century European history could have been very different! [[User:Ferret|Ferret]] 08:35, 6 July 2007 (EDT)
== Role within the Church of England ==
Since Queen Elizabeth has taken the throne she has taken the role of "Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England". This position gives her the responsibility of selecting and appointing Archbishops and Bishops of the Church of England from a selection given to her by the Prime Minister of Parliament. Due to this fact, any new bishops must swear an oath to Her Majesty and may not resign without Royal permission.
In parliament the Queen's position in the Church of England is represented by a selection of Priests, known as the Lords Spiritual, taking positions in the House of Lords. In recent times, however, it has been discussed in the house of Commons that the Lords Spiritual have their positions removed.
