Law change gives women equal opportunity as NZ head of state

A new law came into force Thursday to allow an elder daughter to succeed as New Zealand's sovereign over any younger brothers.

The law, which has been coordinated among all 16 realms that share the monarch of the United Kingdom as their head of state, changes centuries of precedent under which the first-born male became first in line to the throne.

Justice Minister Amy Adams said the Royal Succession Act also allowed a person married to a Roman Catholic to accede to the throne, and restricted the necessity of seeking the monarch's permission to marry to just the first six in line to the throne, as opposed to the entire royal family.

"These changes help improve the rules of succession and reflect modern values such as gender equality, which is positive for New Zealand's system of government," Adams said in a statement.

The act was passed in 2013 to put in place changes that were agreed in 2011 by the 16 realms.

"It's important that the legislation came into force in a co- ordinated way with the other realms. All realms, including New Zealand, must have the same succession laws," said Adams.

The pro-monarchy Monarchy New Zealand group welcomed the changes, saying they would keep the monarchy relevant far into the future.

"It is fitting that the nation which led the charge for women's suffrage is now ensuring that men do not receive any special preference in the succession order," chairman of Monarchy New Zealand Sean Palmer said in a statement.

"This means that, from now on, there will always be a 50/50 chance that our head of state will be a woman. That kind of parity is hard to find in any other nation." Endi