Gordon Brown and Buckingham Palace have discussed plans to change the rules of succession to the throne, including giving royal women equal rights. Downing Street said the scrapping of the ban on heirs to the throne marrying Roman Catholics was also discussed.

The discussion was aimed at removing discrimination and ending the practice of people being excluded from the right to succession on such grounds. Mr Brown said that the Queen indicated she would be happy for any of her grandchildren to marry a Roman Catholic “as long as they were clean” and that this ought not to stop them from taking the throne.

However Her Majesty suggested that the present ban on heirs to the throne marrying redheads would remain in place. The Queen denied that this was as a reaction to the unseemly and vulgar behaviour of Sarah Ferguson, saying that she had just never liked gingers. She added she was relieved that none of her real grandchildren had red hair.

The Queen was also said to be keen to see a change in the law that would allow the monarch’s youngest child, whether male or female, to succeed to the throne. A source close to the Royal household said that if the law is passed soon then Her Majesty is keen for Prince Philip to “give it one more go” in the hope that they can produce someone who might be better at the job.

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