British line of succession: who will inherit the throne?

The line of succession to the British throne determines who is eligible to succeed the sovereign of the United Kingdom. Since King Charles III's accession in 2022, his eldest son, Prince William, has been first in line, followed by his children George, Charlotte and Louis.

The succession also applies to the Crown in the 14 other Commonwealth realms that recognise the British sovereign as their head of state, making 15 realms in total.

What is the line of succession to the British throne?

Since the accession of King Charles III to the throne on 8 September 2022, the line of succession begins with his descendants before continuing through the other branches of the British Royal Family.

Here are the first 26 people in the line of succession to the British throne:

1. Prince William, Prince of Wales, the eldest son of King Charles III and Diana, Princess of Wales. Born on 21 June 1982, he is currently 44 years old.
2. Prince George of Wales, the eldest son of Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales. Born on 22 July 2013, he is currently 13 years old.
3. Princess Charlotte of Wales, the daughter of Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales. Born on 2 May 2015, she is currently 11 years old.
4. Prince Louis of Wales, the youngest son of Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales. Born on 23 April 2018, he is currently 8 years old.
5. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, the younger son of King Charles III and Diana, Princess of Wales. Born on 15 September 1984, he is currently 42 years old.
6. Prince Archie of Sussex, the son of Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. Born on 6 May 2019, he is currently 7 years old.
7. Princess Lilibet of Sussex, the daughter of Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. Born on 4 June 2021, she is currently 5 years old.
8. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the younger brother of King Charles III and the second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
9. Princess Beatrice, the elder daughter of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
10. Sienna Mapelli Mozzi, the elder daughter of Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.
11. Athena Mapelli Mozzi, the second daughter of Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.
12. Princess Eugenie, the younger daughter of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
13. August Brooksbank, the eldest son of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank.
14. Ernest Brooksbank, the second son of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank.
15. Adelaide Brooksbank, the daughter of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank. Born on 3 August 2026, she is currently 1 month old.
16. Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, the younger brother of King Charles III and the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
17. James, Earl of Wessex, the son of Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.
18. Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, the daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.
19. Princess Anne, The Princess Royal, the sister of King Charles III and daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
20. Peter Phillips, the son of Princess Anne.
21. Savannah Phillips, the elder daughter of Peter Phillips.
22. Isla Phillips, the younger daughter of Peter Phillips.
23. Zara Tindall, the daughter of Princess Anne.
24. Mia Tindall, the eldest daughter of Zara and Mike Tindall.
25. Lena Tindall, the second daughter of Zara and Mike Tindall.
26. Lucas Tindall, the son of Zara and Mike Tindall.

Who is the heir to the British throne?

The current heir to the British throne is Prince William, Prince of Wales. He has been first in line to the throne since 8 September 2022, when his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, died and his father Charles III became King.

William is the eldest son of Charles III and Diana, Princess of Wales. He was born in London on 21 June 1982.

On 9 September 2022, King Charles III conferred upon him the title of Prince of Wales, traditionally associated with the heir to the British sovereign.

Who will be King after Charles III?

In the normal course of succession, Prince William will succeed King Charles III.

After William, the succession passes to his descendants. His eldest son, Prince George, is currently second in line to the throne. He would therefore become heir to the throne if his father became King.

George is followed by his sister, Princess Charlotte, and then their younger brother, Prince Louis.

Why is Princess Charlotte ahead of Prince Louis?

Princess Charlotte is third in line to the throne, while her younger brother Louis is fourth.

This is the result of an important reform of the succession rules. Historically, sons took precedence over their sisters, even when the sisters were older.

The Succession to the Crown Act 2013 ended this male preference for people born after 28 October 2011. For these descendants, birth order now determines their place in the succession regardless of sex.

Charlotte, born in 2015, therefore kept her place ahead of Louis when he was born in 2018. She became the first female member of the British Royal Family to retain her place in the line of succession ahead of a younger brother under the new rules.

Why is Prince Harry still in the line of succession?

Prince Harry is currently fifth in the line of succession to the British throne, behind William and William's three children.

The fact that Harry and his wife Meghan Markle ceased to be working members of the Royal Family in 2020 did not remove Harry from the line of succession.

Harry's position in the line of succession derives from his birth and the constitutional rules governing the Crown. Whether or not someone is a working member of the Royal Family is a separate matter.

Are Archie and Lilibet in the line of succession?

Yes. Both children of Prince Harry and Meghan are in the line of succession.

Prince Archie of Sussex, born on 6 May 2019, is currently sixth in line. His sister, Princess Lilibet of Sussex, born on 4 June 2021, is seventh.

They come immediately after their father Harry and before Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

Their titles of prince and princess have been used since the accession of their grandfather Charles III to the throne in 2022.

How does the line of succession to the British throne work?

The line of succession is determined by a combination of constitutional rules and laws adopted throughout British history.

Succession is based primarily on descent from the sovereign, birth order and the rules established by British law.

When a person in the line of succession has children, their descendants are generally placed immediately after them before the succession moves to their siblings or other branches of the family.

This is why William's three children are ahead of Harry: as William is the eldest son of Charles III, his branch of the family comes before that of his younger brother.

What did the Succession to the Crown Act 2013 change?

The Succession to the Crown Act 2013 modernised several historic rules governing succession to the Crown.

Its best-known change was the removal of male preference. For people born after 28 October 2011, a boy no longer moves ahead of an older sister simply because of his sex.

The reform also removed the rule that excluded a person from the succession for marrying a Roman Catholic.

However, the rules concerning the sovereign's own religion were not abolished: the British monarch cannot be a Roman Catholic and must be in communion with the Church of England.

Why is Princess Anne behind her brothers?

The position of Princess Anne illustrates the former rules of succession.

Anne is the second child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip and was born before her brothers Andrew and Edward. Nevertheless, their branches of the family appear ahead of hers in the line of succession.

This is because the reform abolishing male preference was not applied retrospectively to every generation. Anne was born in 1950, so the former rules continue to determine her position relative to her younger brothers.

Can a Roman Catholic become King or Queen of the United Kingdom?

No. British constitutional rules still prevent a Roman Catholic from becoming sovereign.

However, since the 2013 reform, marrying a Roman Catholic no longer automatically results in exclusion from the line of succession.

The sovereign has a particular constitutional relationship with the Church of England and must be in communion with it.

Can someone renounce their place in the line of succession?

Succession to the Crown is not comparable to an ordinary position from which a member of the Royal Family can simply resign at will.

A change affecting succession rights may require legislation and, because the same sovereign reigns over several Commonwealth realms, may have constitutional implications in several countries.

The best-known historical example is King Edward VIII, whose abdication in 1936 required a specific constitutional process. His brother Albert then became King George VI, father of the future Queen Elizabeth II.

Does the same line of succession apply in the Commonwealth realms?

King Charles III is not only King of the United Kingdom. He is also sovereign of 14 other independent countries, known as the Commonwealth realms.

These countries share the same sovereign and have coordinated succession rules so that the Crown passes to the same person.

The Commonwealth realms should not be confused with the Commonwealth as a whole, a much larger organisation whose members mostly do not recognise the British monarch as their head of state.

FAQ about the line of succession to the British throne

Who is first in line to the British throne?

Prince William, Prince of Wales, is currently first in line to the throne. He is the heir to King Charles III.

Who will be King after Charles III?

In the normal course of succession, Prince William will succeed Charles III.

Who comes after Prince William?

William is followed by his three children: Prince George in second place, Princess Charlotte in third and Prince Louis in fourth.

Where is Prince Harry in the line of succession?

Prince Harry is currently fifth in line, behind his brother William and William's three children.

Is Meghan Markle in the line of succession?

No. Meghan Markle is not in the line of succession to the British throne. Her marriage to Prince Harry does not give her a place in the succession.

Is Archie in the line of succession?

Yes. Prince Archie of Sussex is currently sixth in the line of succession, immediately after his father Harry.

Is Lilibet in the line of succession?

Yes. Princess Lilibet of Sussex is currently seventh in the line of succession, after her brother Archie.

Why is Charlotte ahead of Louis?

Charlotte remains ahead of Louis because the modern succession rules no longer give a boy priority over an older sister for people born after 28 October 2011.

Why is Princess Anne so far down the line of succession?

Princess Anne was born at a time when sons took precedence over their sisters in the succession. Her brothers Andrew and Edward, as well as their descendants, therefore come before her even though she is older.

Did Prince Harry lose his place when he stepped back from royal duties?

No. Prince Harry's withdrawal from his role as a working member of the Royal Family did not remove his place in the line of succession.

Can a Roman Catholic inherit the British throne?

A Roman Catholic cannot become the British sovereign. However, marriage to a Roman Catholic no longer automatically excludes a person from the line of succession.

How many people are in the line of succession?

The line of succession extends beyond the best-known members of the Royal Family and includes many descendants of the dynasty. The highest positions are currently occupied by the direct descendants of King Charles III, followed by other branches of the family.

Summary

The line of succession to the British throne determines who can succeed the sovereign of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms.

Prince William is currently the heir to King Charles III. He is followed by his three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Prince Harry is fifth in line, followed by his children Archie and Lilibet.

The rules of succession have evolved throughout history. Since the 2013 reform, boys no longer take precedence over their older sisters for those covered by the new rules, which explains why Charlotte remains ahead of her younger brother Louis today.