From Britain today we hear the joyous news that the Queen is now a great-grandmother to a baby girl born on Wednesday, December 29, 2010 to grandson Peter Philips and his Canadian wife, Autumn (Kelly) Philips.
Peter is the son of Princess Ann, the Queen's only daughter. He married Canadian Autumn Kelly in 2008. The baby, who is 12th in line to the throne, was born in Hong Kong where Peter works for the Royal Bank of Scotland.
Canadian royal watchers who are curious about the baby's citizenship will be happy to know that because she was born to a Canadian mother, she is now a 1st-generation born abroad Canadian child: hence the newest royal is a Canadian citizen.
But in 20-plus years or so when this little girl grows up and has a baby of her own, if that baby is not born in Canada, he or she will not be a Canadian citizen. That's because of Canada's 2nd-generation born abroad rule which prohibits the passing on of citizenship to Canadian citizens who themselves were born abroad.
So here we have a classic case of why the current citizenship legislation must be amended to include second generation born abroad Canadians. A direct descendant of the English crown - someone who could potentially be the King or Queen of England and the head of Canada's Parliamentary democracy - and Stephen Harper and Jason Kenney believe this baby would have an insufficient "connection" to our country to warrant being a Canadian citizen.
Rules are rules - no exceptions.
Maybe it's time to rethink current citizenship law.
For more on this story, read the Globe and Mail article Queen becomes great-grandmother: Canadian wife of Peter Phillips gives birth
According to CNN Peter and his younger sister Zara have no royal titles and perform no royal duties. They are the cousins of Princes William and Harry, the second and third in line to the throne, respectively. The new baby is 12th in line to the throne. For more information go to CNN "It's a girl: Queen Elizabeth announces first great-grandchild"
