Can a king or Queen regnant adopt an unfortunate child?

Question

or can any member of the Royal family adopt a child at all?

Answer 1

Yes, the Monarch and/or any member of the Royal Family can adopt a child.

However, the child (unless otherwise stipulated by the country's succession laws) will not be in Line of the Succession, nor will he/she be entitled to any titles.



There have been examples for this; the late King Hussein of Jordan (father of the present King Abdullah) and Queen Alia adopted Abir Muhaisen, a little girl whose mother was killed in a plane crash in 1976.





The example of Marius - the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit from a previous relationship, is not quite correct; although Marius has certainly been accepted into the Royal Family and Crown Prince Haakon treats him as a son, he has never been actually adopted. His biological father is alie and well, and has an active part in Marius' life, so there was no reason or need for Crown Prince Haakon to adopt him

Answer 2

The prospective adopters would have to apply to be assessed as adoptive parents like anyone else, and it might obviously be embarrassing if they were refused. And there is every chance that they *would* be refused; the sole question at issue in an adoption assessment is whether it would be in the best interests of a child to be adopted by the applicants, and royal children generally have a very hard time of it, what with all the public scrutiny and the intrusive media attention, and the fact that - in the UK at any rate - the royals have traditionally been distant and uninvolved parents.



If a child were adopted, it would not - in the UK, at any rate - be in the line of succession to the throne. Inheritance of titles is one of the few areas in British law where adoptive children are *not* treated identically with natural children.

Answer 3

Of Course, in fact it would be wonderful for their image ( THIS SHOULD NOT BE THE REASON FOR THE ADOPTION ) Knowing Prince Harry and Prince William, this is not unlikely to happen, especially if they cannot have any offspring of their own. They have a natural love for others, especially children that they got from Diana.



But still, the adopted child could not ever be king or queen , at least not with the current set of laws. None the less, the royal family is a family in its own right. And every family has the right to adopt.

Answer 4

I've never heard of it happening. There is the case in Norway, where The Crown Prince married a lady with a son from another relationship. While Marius has been warmly welcomed into Crown Prince Haakon's family, he is not in the Norwegian line of succession.



The same could be said of any child adopted by a Royal. The child would not be in the line of succession.

Answer 5

I don't see why not.....they have been doing it since Moses drifted up to the river bank in a basket.



Bernadotte....one of Napoleon's Marshalls....was adopted by the King of Sweden and made heir to the throne. Not exactly "an unfortunate child"....but an adopted one, nevertheless.



I think the royal family of Sweden still call themselves the House of Bernadotte.

Answer 6

Yes, in the sense of taking responsibility for that child and bringing him/her up. However, the laws of most monarchies dictate that the crown, or a claim to the crown, can only be inherited by legitimate, natural children. So an adopted one would not be in line for the throne.

Answer 7

I don't think that they would as I have never heard of it happening, an adopted child couldn't become king or Queen it simply wouldn't happen, its all down to lineage.

Answer 8

Yes they can but they will have no royal entitlements.

Answer 9

Yes, but they don't get into the line of succession.



I'm not sure it has ever been done, though. But theoretically, that's how it would work.



I've heard that William and Kate have discussed it, but I'm not sure how true that was.

Answer 10

Sure, where do you think they got Eddie,

Answer 11

I don't think that there is a rule that bans it, but it would probably be frowned upon.