List of living former sovereign monarchs
This is a list of former monarchs of sovereign states who are living to date. While most monarchs retain their position for their lifetime, some choose to abdicate in favour of a younger heir, while other monarchs are deposed when their monarchies are abolished or when another ruler seizes power by force. By international courtesy, these individuals are usually still addressed by their monarchical titles.
Living former monarchs of sovereign states
| Name | Title | Reign | Born | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albert II | King of the Belgians | 1993–2013 | 6 June 1934 | Abdicated |
| Jigme Singye Wangchuck | King of Bhutan | 1972–2006 | 11 November 1955 | Abdicated |
| Simeon II | Tsar of the Bulgarians | 1943–1946[1] | 16 June 1937 | Monarchy abolished |
| Fuad II | King of Egypt and the Sudan | 1952–1953 | 16 January 1952 | Monarchy abolished |
| Constantine II | King of the Hellenes | 1964–1973 | 2 June 1940 | Monarchy abolished |
| Akihito | Emperor of Japan | 1989–2019 | 23 December 1933 | Abdicated |
| Gyanendra | King of Nepal | 1950–1951 and 2001–2008 | 7 July 1947 | Monarchy abolished |
| Beatrix | Queen of the Netherlands | 1980–2013 | 31 January 1938 | Abdicated |
| Juan Carlos I | King of Spain | 1975–2014 | 5 January 1938 | Abdicated |
| Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani | Emir of Qatar | 1995–2013 | 1 January 1952 | Abdicated |
| Benedict XVI | Sovereign of the Vatican City State | 2005–2013 | 16 April 1927 | Resigned |
| Jamshid bin Abdullah | Sultan of Zanzibar | 1963–1964 | 16 September 1929 | Monarchy abolished |
Besides these, there are three living former holders of the title Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Sirajuddin of Perlis, Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu and Muhammad V of Kelantan) in Malaysia (who are not listed because they remain leaders of one of the nine subnational Malay states), as well as three living former Presidents of France (Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande) who served as Co-Princes of Andorra.
Other territorial ex-monarchs
| Name | Title | Reign | Born | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ghalib II al-Qu'aiti | Sultan of Qu'aiti | 1966–1967 | 7 January 1948 | Monarchy abolished |
Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II was Sovereign of the following 16 independent states until they later became republics. Years shown are from her accession in 1952 or independence chronologically up to the abolition of the monarchy.
| State | Reign |
|---|---|
| Pakistan | 1952–1956 |
| Ghana | 1957–1960 |
| South Africa | 1952–1961 |
| Tanganyika | 1961–1962 |
| Nigeria | 1960–1963 |
| Uganda | 1962–1963 |
| Kenya | 1963–1964 |
| Malawi | 1964–1966 |
| The Gambia | 1965–1970 |
| Guyana | 1966–1970 |
| Sierra Leone | 1961–1971 |
| Ceylon | 1952–1972 |
| Malta | 1964–1974 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 1962–1976 |
| Fiji | 1970–1987[2] |
| Mauritius | 1968–1992 |
Notes
- ^ Simeon returned to Bulgaria in 1996 after a half-century in exile and was elected Prime Minister under the name Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (Simeon Sakskoburggotski) in 2001, serving until 2005.
- ^ Elizabeth was recognized as Paramount Chief of Fiji by the former Great Council of Chiefs after 1987.