Persecution Watch: The United Kingdom

The leaders of the 17 British commonwealths voted yesterday to allow the British Monarch to marry a Catholic spouse, overturning the Act of Settlement of 1701.   Among other things, the Act forbade a member of the royal family from marrying a Catholic, though it did not forbid them marrying a Lutheran, Hindu or Muslim.

This is a welcome removal of anti-Catholic sentiment.

Even so, because the King of Queen of England is also the Supreme Head of the Church in England - thanks to King Henry VIII - a Catholic cannot reign from the throne.

Said Prime Minister David Cameron:

Let me be clear, the monarch must be in communion with the Church of England because he or she is the head of that Church. But it is simply wrong they should be denied the chance to marry a Catholic if they wish to do so. After all, they are already quite free to marry someone of any other faith.