The line of succession to the British throne – full list explained
The royal line of succession to the British throne is one of the most talked-about family trees there is – and answers the commonly-asked question: who is in line for the throne? Of course, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles and Queen Camilla were crowned in a historic ceremony in London in 2023 – and you might be wondering how the royal line of succession currently sits.
As it stands, Prince William is the current heir to the throne, followed by his son Prince George, and so on – since the line of succession automatically changed when Charles became King following the passing of Queen Elizabeth.
In 2023, an official change was made to the royal line of succession which refers to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, by their royal titles.
The children, who fall sixth and seventh respectively in the line of succession, had previously been listed under their non-royal, layperson titles: as Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor & Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor. The new update also includes the children's middle names, alongside the Sussex title, making them: Prince Archie Harrison of Sussex and Princess Lilibet Diana of Sussex.
It followed the christening of Lilibet – whose first name is a nod to the late Queen's nickname, while Diana is after her late grandmother, Princess Diana – in Los Angeles, following which a spokesperson for the Sussexes said in a statement: “I can confirm that Princess Lilibet Diana was christened on Friday, March 3 by the Bishop of Los Angeles, the Rev John Taylor.”
The line of succession had a significant reshuffle in 2022, following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, aged 96. She was succeeded by her firstborn son, King Charles III, who reigns alongside his wife Camilla as Queen.
But Prince Harry will attend.
Her Majesty The Queen was the world's longest-reigning monarch, celebrating the historic milestone of 70 years on the throne at her Platinum Jubilee in June 2022, before passing away on the 8th September of that year. She became Queen on 6 February 1952, after the death of her father, King George VI, following the royal line of succession.
According to the Royal Family website, the royal line of succession is “regulated not only through descent, but also by Parliamentary statute,” and is officially defined as "the sequence of members of the Royal Family in the order in which they stand in line to the throne.” The Succession To The Crown Act was amended in 2013, the year the Princess of Wales was pregnant with her first child (Prince George). The Act replaced male preference primogeniture, which means that the eldest child, regardless of sex, succeeds to the throne.
King Charles III was married to Lady Diana Spencer, the Princess of Wales, from 1981 to 1996. He had two children, Prince William and Prince Harry, with Diana. Prince Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles, now Queen Camilla, on 9 April 2005. She did not take the title of Princess of Wales out of respect for the late Princess Diana, instead becoming known as the Duchess of Cornwall – though she did become Queen Camilla following the coronation.
Including the sweet significance behind Princess Beatrice's baby name.
King Charles III will be succeeded by his firstborn Prince William, the Prince of Wales, followed by Prince William's firstborn, Prince George. But where do the rest of the royals, such as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, fit into the equation? Along with The Queen's grandchildren, here's the line of succession to the British throne:
Chris JacksonPrince William, The Prince of Wales
Prince William is first-in-line to the British throne. He married Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, on 29 April 2011 and they share three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
When Prince William becomes King, Kate Middleton will be known as Queen Consort.
Pool/Samir HusseinPrince George of Wales
Prince George is second in line to the throne, after his father. He was born on 22 July 2013.
UK Press PoolPrincess Charlotte of Wales
Princess Charlotte, born on 2 May 2015, is the third in line to the throne.
WPA PoolPrince Louis of Wales
Prince Louis, born on 23 April 2018, is the fourth in line to the throne.
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Samir HusseinPrince Harry, the Duke of Sussex
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex is fifth in line to the British throne. He married US actress Meghan Markle on 19 May, 2018, at Windsor Castle. They share two children: Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, and Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.
Pool/Samir HusseinPrince Archie Harrison of Sussex
Archie, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's first child, was born on 6 May 2019. He is sixth in line to the throne.
WPA PoolPrincess Lilibet Diana of Sussex
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's second child, Lilibet, was born on 4 June 2021. The name Lilibet is a nod to the Royal Family's nickname for Queen Elizabeth II, and her middle name is Diana, after Harry's late mother, Princess Diana. Lililbet is seventh in line to the throne.
Max Mumby/IndigoPrince Andrew, the Duke of York
Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, is currently eighth in line to the throne. He is the Queen's third child and married Sarah Ferguson, who became Duchess of York, in 1986. Although they divorced in 1996, they share two daughters: Princess Beatrice (born in 1988) and Princess Eugenie (born in 1990).
Following allegations that Prince Andrew sexually abused Virginia Giuffre during his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein – accusations that he has denied – the Queen stripped him of his military titles and patronages in January 2022. The statement read: "With The Queen's approval and agreement, The Duke of York’s military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to The Queen.
“The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen.”
In February 2022, Prince Andrew settled the sexual assault case filed against him by Virginia Giuffre for an undisclosed sum.
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Mark CuthbertPrincess Beatrice, Mrs. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi
Princess Beatrice (full title: Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice of York) is ninth in line to the throne. She married property tycoon Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in July 2020, and welcomed a daughter, Sienna Elizabeth, with him in September 2021. She's also stepmother to Edoardo's son Christopher Woolf, known as Wolfie, from his previous relationship with Dara Huang.
Karwai TangMiss Sienna Mapelli Mozzi
Princess Beatrice's daughter Sienna, born on 18 September 2021, is 10th in line to the throne.
Max Mumby/IndigoPrincess Eugenie, Mrs. Jack Brooksbank
Princess Eugenie, full title: Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie of York, is 11th in line to the throne. She married her boyfriend Jack Brooksbank 12 October 2018. Their son, August, was born on 9 February 2021. She is currently expecting her second child, due in the summer of 2023.
@princesseugenie / InstagramMaster August Brooksbank
Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's son August is 12th in line to the throne.
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@princesseugenie / InstagramMaster Earnest Brooksbank
Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's second son, Earnest, is 13th in line to the throne.
Dan MullanPrince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, married Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999. He is currently 14th in line to the throne. He has two children with Sophie: Lady Louise, born in 2003 and James, Earl of Wessex, born in 2007.
Pool/Samir HusseinJames, Earl of Wessex
James, Earl of Wessex, is 15th in line to the throne.
YUI MOKThe Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor
Lady Louise is 16th in line to the throne. Although she is older than her brother James, she still falls behind him in the royal line of succession. This is because she and James were born before the Succession to the Crown Act of 2013 – which determined that “the gender of a person born after 28 October 2011 does not give that person, or that person’s descendants, precedence over any other person (whenever born).”
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Max Mumby/IndigoPrincess Anne, The Princess Royal
Anne, Princess Royal is the Queen’s second child and only daughter. She is 17th in line to the throne. She has married twice: first to Captain Mark Phillips, with whom she had her two children, Peter and Zara, while she is now married to Vice-Admiral Timothy Laurence.
Max Mumby/IndigoMr. Peter Phillips
The eldest of the Queen’s grandchildren, Peter Phillips is 18th in line to the throne. He does not have a royal title because, as the Princess Royal’s son, he’s descended from the female line. He and his sister Zara Tindall don’t have courtesy titles as their father, Mark Phillips, turned down an earldom when he married Princess Anne.
He married Autumn Kelly in 2008 and together they share two daughters, Savannah, born in 2010, and Isla, born in 2012. They announced their divorce in February 2020.
Mark CuthbertMiss Savannah Phillips
Born in 2010, Savannah Phillips is 19th in line to the throne.
Max Mumby/IndigoMiss Isla Phillips
Born in 2012, Isla Phillips is 20th in line to the throne.
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Max Mumby/IndigoZara Tindall
Zara Tindall, Princess Anne’s daughter, is 21st in line to the throne. She married English rugby player Mike Tindall in 2011 and they had their first child, Mia Grace, in 2014, their second, Lena Elizabeth in 2018, and their third, Lucas, in 2021.
Max Mumby/IndigoMiss Mia Tindall
Born in 2014, Mia Grace Tindall is 22nd in line to the throne.
Max Mumby/IndigoMiss Lena Tindall
Born in 2018, Lena Elizabeth Tindall is 23rd in line to the throne.
Alan CrowhurstMaster Lucas Tindall
Born in 2021, Lucas Tindall is 24th in line to the throne.
