The Queen ‘privately opposed’ equal marriage but signed it into law anyway, newspaper claims
If you have a royal name you’re in luck (Getty)
A newspaper has claimed that the Queen was privately opposed to same-sex marriage – but declined to step in on the issue.
The Queen gave Royal Assent to the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act in 2013, allowing it to become law.
As Head of State, the Queen tries to maintain neutrality on many political issues, and has long refused to make her views known on issues.
However, the Mail broke with the royal protocol by publishing comments from a source close to the royal family – who claims the Queen was actually opposed to equality on the grounds of her faith.
According to the newspaper, the Queen expressed her “frustration” to the friend when asked about the issue, but opted to maintain her politically-neutral role.
The source recalled: “It was the marriage thing that she thought was wrong, because marriage ought to be sacrosanct between a man and a woman.
“I said to her, couldn’t she do something about it, and she replied: “I can’t. I can only advise and warn’.”
Actor and comedian Stephen Fry has previously recounted a story about the Queen, in which he claimed she was in favour of equality.
He said: “I don’t know whether this is true, but … if it’s not true, it’s well founded.
“When the Queen signed the Royal Assent for the equal marriages act, allowing gay people to marry for the first time, she put it down and said ‘Well, who’d have thought 62 years ago when I came to the throne, I’d be signing something like this? Isn’t it wonderful?’”
“I am so proud to live in the country where [acceptance] seems to be the absolute majority view.”
However, many poked holes in the theory – as laws gaining royal assent are not routinely physically signed by the Monarch as Fry suggests.
The Royal Family has maintained a long-held silence on LGBT rights in general – with Prince William becoming the first future Monarch to explicitly condemn homophobia last year.
The Duke of Cambridge took part in an LGBT anti-bullying session for the Diana Award, in honour of his mother – in which he spoke out against homophobia and posed infront of pride flags.
