1 H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh to be Regent in certain circumstances.U.K.

(1)If a Regency becomes necessary under the M1Regency Act 1937, on the succession to the Crown of a child of Her Majesty and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh while under the age of eighteen years, His Royal Highness, if living, shall be the Regent.

(2)If a Regency becomes necessary under the M2Regency Act 1937, during the reign of Her present Majesty, His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, if living, shall be the Regent unless, or (as the case may be) until, there is a child or grandchild of Her Majesty and His Royal Highness who can under the provisions of the said Act be the Regent.

(3)The preceding provisions of this section shall have effect subject to—

(a)subsection (2) of section three of the M3Regency Act 1937 (which enumerates the disqualifications for becoming of being Regent), and

(b)subsection (5) of that section (which provides for the case where the Regent is incapacitated by infirmity for performing the royal functions or is not available for the performance of those functions),

but, save as aforesaid, that section shall have effect subject to the preceding provisions of this section.

X1(4)Where His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh is Regent by virtue of this section, section six of the Regency Act, 1937 (which relates to the appointment of Counsellors of State) shall have effect as if the following provision were substituted for subsection (4) thereof :—

“(4)The provisions of this section shall apply in relation to a Regent with the substitution for references to the Sovereign of references to the Regent and the omission, in subsection (2) thereof, of the reference to the wife or husband of the Sovereign.”

2 Amendment of meaning of “full age.”U.K.

The heir apparent or heir presumptive to the Throne shall be deemed for all the purposes of the M4Regency Act 1937, to be of full age if he or she has attained the age of eighteen years.

3 Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother to be of Counsellors of State.U.K.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother shall be added to the persons whom subsection (2) of section six of the M5Regency Act 1937) (as set out in section one of the M6Regency Act 1943) requires, subject as therein mentioned, to be the Counsellors of State for the purposes of any delegation of royal functions under that section, and accordingly during her life that section shall have effect as if a reference to her were inserted in subsection (2) thereof next after the reference to the wife or husband of the Sovereign.

4 Short title, construction, citation and repeal.U.K.

(1)This Act may be cited as the Regency Act 1953, and shall be construed as one with the M7Regency Acts 1937 and M81943, and those Acts and this Act may be cited together as the Regency Acts 1937 to 1953.

X2(2)In subsection (2A) of section six of the Regency Act, 1937 (set out in section one of the Regency Act, 1943) the words “The heir apparent or heir presumptive to the Throne if not under the age of eighteen years shall not be disqualified from being a Counsellor of State by reason only of his not being of full age, but save as aforesaid” (being words rendered unnecessary by section two of this Act) are hereby repealed.