Question on DNA, human remains, and human cloning

[kaylarudbek]

How long until somebody starts cloning the dead (e.g. kings, queens, saints, etc.)?

Comments

[legionseagle]

There'd be a major constitutional crisis if they cloned Richard III, pleased though I'd be about it. I mean, legally we're looking at the senior male line of the Royal family - the current lot claim through a sister of Henry VIII and a clone of Richard III would be Henry VIII's great-uncle. And you can't attaint DNA.

[kaylarudbek]

Would parliament rule that only body-births in a marriage valid under the royal marriages laws/acts would be legitimate heirs in order to get around that? That is, a clone born of a surrogate would be legally considered to be the child of the surrogate mother? or would that contradict existing law? I suppose it would make a good threat to keep the current royals in line, though...behave, or else we'll dig up a better candidate to take over...

[kaylarudbek]

And p.s. I realized from looking at some of the Wikipedia articles about Richard III that he and Isabella of Castile were contemporaries and a marriage between them was floated at one point. How's that for a scary AU?

[legionseagle]

Perhaps he'd have been a moderating influence on her.

[windtear]

I doubt it shall happen, for a few reasons:
1) There were some court cases and now legally each human owns outright his/her genetic code. Therefore cloning a dead person can be deemed 'theft', as they (being dead) can't themselves commission the clone. The clone him/herself may not need to bring the charges - here in Australia, at least, if a crime is brought to the police's attention (an anonymous tipoff will do) and investigation brings up evidence of criminal activity (such as, say, a living infant with a dead person's genecode) it gets prosecuted.
2) Motivation, beyond the return of lost loved ones, is absent. Persons of wealth and standing have heirs who would be loathe to return their money and control.

So I doubt it will happen.

[kaylarudbek]

Hmm, I would think that there could be motivation both inside a family (e.g. Grandpa/grandma deciding that they didn't like any of the current heirs and trying again) and outside a family to have clones made. I suppose that ordering a clone made should put the person ordering the cloning on the hook for paying child support, though, as well as the theft charges.