History of the British line of succession

The first ten people in the line of succession to the British throne at the time of death or abdication of each monarch are shown.

Anne

The Act of Union 1707, which united the thrones of Scotland and England, extended the Act of Settlement to Scotland. On the day of Anne's death, 1 August 1714, the line of succession to the British throne was as follows, as provided by the Act of Settlement 1701 (see Jacobite line of succession to the English and Scottish thrones in 1714 for the succession list as it would have been before the Act of Settlement):

1. Prince George Louis, Elector of Hanover (b. 1660), second cousin of the Queen
2. Prince George Augustus, Electoral Prince of Hanover, Duke of Cambridge (b. 1683), son of the Elector of Hanover
3. Prince Frederick Louis of Hanover (b. 1707), son of the Electoral Prince
4. Princess Anne of Hanover (b. 1709), first daughter of the Electoral Prince
5. Princess Amelia of Hanover (b. 1711), second daughter of the Electoral Prince
6. Princess Caroline of Hanover (b. 1713), third daughter of the Electoral Prince
7. Sophia, Queen in Prussia (b. 1687), daughter of the Elector
8. Prince Frederick, Crown Prince in Prussia (b. 1712), son of Queen Sophia
9. Princess Wilhelmine of Prussia (b. 1709), daughter of Queen Sophia
10. Maximilian William of Brunswick-Lüneburg, The Elector's younger brother (b. 1666)

The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became George I.

George I

On the day of George I's death, 11 June 1727, the line of succession to the British throne was as follows:

1. Prince George, Prince of Wales (b. 1683), son of George I
2. Prince Frederick, Duke of Edinburgh (b. 1707), eldest son of the Prince of Wales
3. Prince William, Duke of Cumberland (b. 1721), second surviving son of the Prince of Wales
4. Princess Anne (b. 1709), first daughter of the Prince of Wales
5. Princess Amelia (b. 1711), second daughter of the Prince of Wales
6. Princess Caroline (b. 1713), third daughter of the Prince of Wales
7. Princess Mary (b. 1723), fourth daughter of the Prince of Wales
8. Princess Louise (b. 1724), fifth and youngest daughter of the Prince of Wales
9. Sophia Dorothea, Queen in Prussia (b. 1687), daughter of George I
10. Frederick II, Crown Prince in Prussia (b. 1712), eldest surviving son of Queen Sophia

The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became George II.

George II

On the day of George II's death, 25 October 1760, the line of succession to the British throne was as follows:

1. Prince George, Prince of Wales (b. 1738), eldest son of the king's deceased eldest son, Prince Frederick
2. Prince Edward, Duke of York and Albany (b. 1739), Frederick's second son
3. Prince William Henry (b. 1743), Frederick's third son
4. Prince Henry (b. 1745), Frederick's fourth son
5. Prince Frederick (b. 1750), Frederick's fifth son
6. Princess Augusta (b. 1737), Frederick's first daughter
7. Princess Louisa (b. 1749), Frederick's third and second surviving daughter
8. Princess Caroline Matilda (b. 1751), Frederick's fourth daughter
9. Prince William, Duke of Cumberland (b. 1721), the King's second surviving son
10. William V, Prince of Orange (b. 1748), son of George's deceased first daughter Anne, Princess Royal

The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became George III.

George III

On the day of George III's death, 29 January 1820, the line of succession to the British throne was as follows:

1. Prince George, Prince Regent (b. 1762), the king's eldest son, and regent for nine years
2. Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany (b. 1763), the king's second son
3. Prince William, Duke of Clarence and St Andrews (b. 1765), the king's third son
4. Princess Alexandrina Victoria of Kent (b. 1819), George III's granddaughter by his deceased fourth son the Duke of Kent
5. Prince Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale (b. 1771), the king's fifth son
6. Prince George of Cumberland (b. 1819), son of the Duke of Cumberland
7. Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex (b. 1773), the king's sixth son
8. Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge (b. 1774), the king's seventh son
9. Prince George of Cambridge (b. 1819), son of the Duke of Cambridge
10. Queen Charlotte of Württemberg (Princess Royal) (b. 1766), the king's eldest daughter

The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became George IV.

George IV

On the day of George IV's death, 26 June 1830, the line of succession to the British throne was as follows:

1. Prince William, Duke of Clarence and St Andrews (b. 1765), brother of George IV
2. Princess Alexandrina Victoria of Kent (b. 1819), daughter of George IV's brother the Duke of Kent
3. Prince Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale (b. 1771), brother of William IV
4. Prince George of Cumberland (b. 1819), son of the Duke of Cumberland
5. Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex (b. 1773), brother of William IV
6. Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge (b. 1774), brother of William IV
7. Prince George of Cambridge (b. 1819), son of the Duke of Cambridge
8. Princess Augusta of Cambridge (b. 1822), daughter of the Duke of Cambridge
9. Princess Augusta Sophia (b. 1768), sister of George IV
10. Princess Elizabeth, Landgravine of Hesse-Hornburg (b. 1770), sister of George IV

The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became William IV, by the end of whose seven-year reign, the only change in the succession would be the birth of Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge.

William IV

On the day of William IV's death, 20 June 1837, the line of succession to the British throne was as follows:

1. Princess Alexandrina Victoria of Kent (b. 1819), daughter of William IV's brother the Duke of Kent
2. Prince Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale (b. 1771), brother of William IV (succeeded as King of Hanover, as the senior agnatic descendent)
3. Prince George of Cumberland (b. 1819), son of the Duke of Cumberland
4. Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex (b. 1773), brother of William IV
5. Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge (b. 1774), brother of William IV
6. Prince George of Cambridge (b. 1819), son of the Duke of Cambridge
7. Princess Augusta of Cambridge (b. 1822), daughter of the Duke of Cambridge
8. Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge (b. 1833), daughter of the Duke of Cambridge
9. Princess Augusta Sophia (b. 1768), sister of William IV
10. Princess Elizabeth, Landgravine of Hesse-Hornburg (b. 1770), sister of William IV

The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Queen Victoria.

Victoria

On the day of Victoria's death, 22 January 1901, the line of succession to the British throne was as follows:

1. Prince Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (b. 1841), eldest son of Queen Victoria
2. Prince George, Duke of York (b. 1865), eldest surviving son of the Prince of Wales
3. Prince Edward of York (b. 1894), eldest son of the Duke of York
4. Prince Albert of York (b. 1895), second son of the Duke of York
5. Prince Henry of York (b. 1900), third son of the Duke of York
6. Princess Mary of York (b. 1897), daughter of the Duke of York
7. Princess Louise, Duchess of Fife (b. 1867), eldest daughter of the Prince of Wales
8. Lady Alexandra Duff (b. 1891), elder daughter of Princess Louise
9. Lady Maud Duff (b. 1893), younger daughter of Princess Louise
10. Princess Victoria of Wales (b. 1868), second daughter of the Prince of Wales

The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Edward VII.

Edward VII

On the day of Edward VII's death, 6 May 1910, the line of succession to the British throne was as follows:

1. Prince George, Prince of Wales (b. 1865), son of Edward VII
2. Prince Edward of Wales (b. 1894), eldest son of the Prince of Wales
3. Prince Albert of Wales (b. 1895), second son of the Prince of Wales
4. Prince Henry of Wales (b. 1900), third son of the Prince of Wales
5. Prince George of Wales (b. 1902), fourth son of the Prince of Wales
6. Prince John of Wales (b. 1905), fifth son of the Prince of Wales
7. Princess Mary of Wales (b. 1897), daughter of the Prince of Wales
8. Princess Louise, Princess Royal (b. 1867), eldest daughter of Edward VII
9. Princess Alexandra of Fife (b. 1891), elder daughter of Princess Louise
10. Princess Maud of Fife (b. 1893), younger daughter of Princess Louise

The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became George V.

George V

On the day of George V's death, 20 January 1936, the line of succession to the British throne was as follows:

1. Prince Edward, Prince of Wales (b. 1894), eldest son of George V
2. Prince Albert, Duke of York (b. 1895), second son of George V
3. Princess Elizabeth of York (b. 1926), elder daughter of the Duke of York
4. Princess Margaret of York (b. 1930), younger daughter of the Duke of York
5. Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (b. 1900), third son of George V
6. Prince George, Duke of Kent (b. 1902), fourth son of George V
7. Prince Edward of Kent (b. 1935), son of the Duke of Kent
8. Princess Mary, Princess Royal (b. 1897), daughter of George V
9. George Lascelles, Viscount Lascelles (b. 1923), elder son of the Princess Royal
10. Gerald Lascelles (b. 1924), younger son of the Princess Royal

The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Edward VIII.

Edward VIII

On the day of Edward VIII's abdication, 11 December 1936, the line of succession to the British throne was as follows:

1. Prince Albert, Duke of York (b. 1895), brother of Edward VIII
2. Princess Elizabeth of York (b. 1926), elder daughter of the Duke of York
3. Princess Margaret of York (b. 1930), younger daughter of the Duke of York
4. Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (b. 1900), brother of Edward VIII
5. Prince George, Duke of Kent (b. 1902), brother of Edward VIII
6. Prince Edward of Kent (b. 1935), son of the Duke of Kent
7. The Duchess of Kent was eight and a half months pregnant, her unborn daughter Princess Alexandra of Kent, who was born two weeks after the abdication, was next-in-line followed by:
8. Princess Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood (b. 1897), sister of Edward VIII
9. Viscount Lascelles (b. 1923), elder son of the Princess Royal
10. Gerald Lascelles (b. 1924), younger son of the Princess Royal

The throne passed to the first person in line, who became George VI.

George VI

On the day of George VI's death, 6 February 1952, the line of succession to the British throne was as follows:

1. Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh (b. 1926), elder daughter of George VI
2. Prince Charles of Edinburgh (b. 1948), son of Princess Elizabeth
3. Princess Anne of Edinburgh (b. 1950), daughter of Princess Elizabeth
4. Princess Margaret (b. 1930), younger daughter of George VI
5. Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (b. 1900), brother of George VI
6. Prince William of Gloucester (b. 1941), elder son of the Duke of Gloucester
7. Prince Richard of Gloucester (b. 1944), younger son of the Duke of Gloucester
8. Prince Edward, Duke of Kent (b. 1935), elder son of George VI's brother, the 1st Duke of Kent
9. Prince Michael of Kent (b. 1942), younger son of the 1st Duke of Kent
10. Princess Alexandra of Kent (b. 1936), daughter of the 1st Duke of Kent
11. Princess Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood (b. 1897), sister of George VI
12. The Rt Hon The Earl of Harewood (b. 1923), elder son of the Princess Royal
13. Viscount Lascelles (b. 1950), son of the Earl of Harewood
14. Gerald Lascelles (b. 1924), younger son of the Princess Royal

This list is extended beyond 10 people to include all the then living legitimate descendants of the House of Windsor who were in the line of succession. The list had changed from the 1936 list by the birth of 6 children, and the death of the Duke of Kent in war at age 39.

The throne passed to the first person in line, who became Elizabeth II.

See also

• List of heirs to the English throne
• List of heirs to the Scottish throne