Mia and Lena Tindall will benefit from new royal rule after the birth of little brother Lucas

From Cosmopolitan

This week we've been treated to some frankly lovely royal baby news, not just adorable new pictures of Princess Eugenie's newborn son, August, but the word that Zara Tindall has given birth to a baby boy, too.

The Queen's granddaughter welcomed her third child with her husband, retired rugby player Mike Tindall. The couple have named their son Lucas Philip, in honour of his great grandfather, Prince Philip.

Mike has already spoken about how big sisters Mia, six, and Lena, two, are "over the moon" to have a baby brother, revealing that Lena is being a protective sibling already.

"The problem is Lena’s like: ‘MY baby!’ And we’re like: ‘No Lena, not your baby’ as she tries to pick him up," Mike said.

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So the sibs are getting on swimmingly, and if we're going to get all technical about it, actually, Mia and Lena are benefiting from a new royal rule now their brother is in the world.

Although their mum Zara has given birth to a son, Mia and Lena will retain their places in the line of succession. Mia is currently 20th in line to the throne, while her younger sister is 21st and now little bro is 22nd.

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This is because of The Succession to the Crown Act (2013), which states that girls will not be overtaken by younger brothers. The change came into force in March 2015, just two months before the birth of Princess Charlotte.

"The Succession to the Crown Act (2013) amended the provisions of the Bill of Rights and the Act of Settlement to end the system of male primogeniture, under which a younger son can displace an elder daughter in the line of succession," the Royal Family's website explains.

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So basically, Lucas isn't leapfrogging over his sisters in the line of succession. Of course, this is only really a benefit in theory but the modernisation of the Act was clearly an important step in bringing royal protocol into the 21st century.

Let's not forget, the Tindall siblings will move further down the line of succession when the Duchess of Sussex gives birth to her second child, a baby girl, this summer. The royal babies just keep on coming, and we're very much here for it.

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