They've said in tonight's episode that Mark and Natasha's children are illegitimate.

This is wrong.

Quoting from Wikipedia:

In both canon and civil law, the offspring of putative marriages are legitimate.

A putative marriage is an apparently valid marriage, entered into in good faith on the part of at least one of the partners, but that is legally invalid due to a technical impediment, such as a preexistent marriage on the part of one of the partners.

Do you think Natasha has got time to look things like that up on Wikipedia?

vader:

Do you think Natasha has got time to look things like that up on Wikipedia?

However, Ryan is still the eldest son from a legitimate marriage and surely has first claim.  If this isn't how it works, I think we have the wrong person on our throne.

Natasha said it in a moment of distress obviously until then she had no need to know the law - IMO it was a very realistic thing to say in the circumstances I would have found the scene totally unrealistic if she had said anything different.

vader:

Do you think Natasha has got time to look things like that up on Wikipedia?

No but she should go to a solicitor and hopefull she does soon just to protect the interests of her children.  How the mighty have fallen! 

 

Yes but we haven't got that far in the story yet - give her a chance !

Read my post it says hope she does SOON! 

daffodilly:

Yes but we haven't got that far in the story yet - give her a chance !

Some people have no patience. They want it now or never.. kind of like four years olds when it comes to Christmas 

Ahhh ganging up on me now, Pathetic!  Vader you take this all far too seriously. 

vader:

daffodilly:

Yes but we haven't got that far in the story yet - give her a chance !

Some people have no patience. They want it now or never.. kind of like four years olds when it comes to Christmas 

 

Gawd help us, READ MY POST, its says soon,  not today not tomorrow but SOON!  Look it up in the dictionary!

Er what has my floor got to do with anything?.  I find you a very strange person,, Rant on to your heart's content "sweetie".

Now, now.

buttercupgirl:

Ahhh ganging up on me now, Pathetic!  Vader you take this all far too seriously. 

 

Sorry I misread your post and missed "soon"

If Natasha and Mark have made wills, which I'm guessing they would have done, they both would have made provisions for Nathan, Masie and Will.  If Mark should die first all Faye could do is contest the will to include Ryan.  Though of course Mark's could be illegal as he is using a false name (assuming he didn't change it legally).  If I have that wrong please feel free to correct me.