The English crown is hereditary. Over the centuries, the succession has been largely determined by both blood and the accidents of birth. This has given rise to some glorious reigns, such as that of the war-like Henry V, hero of the Battle of Agincourt, and some not so glorious, like Henry V’s hapless son and heir, Henry VI, whose reign saw the outbreak of the civil war known as the Wars of the Roses. Over time, rules of succession have developed to ensure a smooth succession and to prevent the turbulence that uncertainty brings, namely political upheaval and civil war. The heir was groomed with the expectation that he or she would one day take the throne but the vagaries
