Why a farmhand from the Australian outback is the ‘UK’s real monarch’, and going to King Charles’ coronation
- British historian Michael Jones has argued King Charles is not the rightful heir to the throne, but Simon Abney-Hastings, a farmhand from the Australian outback
- The Australian said it was ‘a bit of a shock’ to find out about his family’s history, but has no plans to press a claim for the throne
As the son of a farmhand from the Australian outback, Simon Abney-Hastings might be an unlikely choice to receive an invitation to King Charles’ coronation.
But when he takes his seat in Westminster Abbey next week, he will be the one person other than those in the line of succession who could actually have a claim on the throne.
Unlikely though it might seem, the scenario is based on research by British medieval historian Michael Jones.
Two decades ago he uncovered a document in Rouen cathedral in France which he says is proof King Edward IV was illegitimate.
During the five weeks when Edward might have been conceived, according to Jones, his father Richard of York was in fact 160 kilometres (100 miles) from his wife Cecily Neville, the Duchess of York.
As a result, Jones has argued, Edward was not the rightful heir to the throne and the line of succession should instead have gone through Edward’s younger brother George, Duke of Clarence, who is a direct ancestor of Abney-Hastings.
Although the family does not possess any lands or stately homes in the UK, by virtue of their lineage they inherited the ancient Scottish title of Earl of Loudoun.