Sophia Naturalization Act 1705
Act of Parliament | |
Repealed | 1 January 1949 |
---|---|
Other legislation | |
Repealed by | British Nationality Act 1948 |
Relates to | |
Status: Repealed |
The Act for the Naturalization of the Most Excellent Princess Sophia, Electress and Duchess Dowager of Hanover, and the Issue of her Body was an
Sophia, a granddaughter of
In 1947, Prince Frederick of Prussia succeeded in a claim under the Act, having renounced his German citizenship.
The Act was repealed by the British Nationality Act 1948.[1] However, any non-Catholic descendant of the Electress born before the repealing statute was enacted had already automatically acquired the status of a British subject, so there are still people alive who can claim British nationality under the Sophia Naturalization Act.
This was first tested between 1955 and 1957 when
In the present time, however, most people likely to successfully claim citizenship in this manner would obtain the status of British Overseas citizen.[3]
See also
References
- ^ British Nationality Act 1948, 11 & 12 Geo. 6, c. 56, ss. 34 (3).
- Attorney-General v HRH Prince Ernest Augustus of Hanover[1957] 1 All ER 49
- ^ a b Hanover (Electress Sophia of) (.pdf file) at gov.uk: Nationality instructions: volume 2
- ^ See the thorough discussion by A. Lyon at Statute Law Review 20:2 (1999) 174–84.
- ^ BBC News 18/07/2016