The death of Queen Elizabeth II on 8 October 2022 changed the line of succession to the British throne. Her eldest son and heir, Charles, who was the Prince of Wales, immediately succeeded her as the sovereign. Other members of the British royal family also moved up the order.
The numbers of those related to the royal family reportedly runs into thousands and includes nobility from across Europe. But the immediate line of succession is for descendants of Queen Elizabeth II and, therefore, includes 23 names.
Coronation of King Charles III and the line of succession
The coronation of King Charles III and his wife, Camilla, Queen Consort, is set to be held on 6 May and would mark one of the most historic moments of the 21st century.
Around 2,000 dignitaries, including from foreign leaders and royalty, are expected to be present inside Westminster Abbey to witness the coronation.
Among those present on the occasion will be the heir to the throne, Prince William, and his brother Prince Harry. The princes are King Charles III’s sons from his marriage to Princess Diana.
Among the King’s four pages is Prince George, the nine-year-old son of Prince William and second in line to the throne.
How is the line of succession determined?
The 1689 Bill of Rights and the 1701 Act of Settlement determine who can inherit the throne. The laws established that the Sovereign rules through Parliament and the Parliament has the power to regulate the succession.
As per the Act of Settlement, only those who are descendants of Sophia of Hanover (1630-1714) can sit on the throne. The Act and all subsequent acts established that only those who are Protestant descendants can be in the line of succession.
Though Roman Catholics cannot be in the line of succession, changes to succession laws that came into effect in 2015 ensured that those married to Roman Catholics are not removed from the line. It also established that males born after 28 October 2011 no longer take precedence over their older sisters.
Queen Elizabeth’s descendants are followed by the six who descend from her late sister and her only sibling, Princess Margaret. The descendants of their father King George VI’s siblings then follow. There are more than 70 living people descended from his father, King George V, who died in 1936. None of them are part of the line of succession.
Here’s taking a look at the British royal family list:
1. Prince William, Prince of Wales
— Born June 21, 1982. Charles’ eldest son
2. Prince George of Wales
— Born July 22, 2013. William’s eldest son
3. Princess Charlotte of Wales
— Born May 2, 2015. William’s daughter
4. Prince Louis of Wales
— Born April 23, 2018. William’s second son
5. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
— Born September 15, 1984. Charles’ second son
6. Prince Archie of Sussex
— Born May 6, 2019. Harry’s eldest son
7. Princess Lilibet of Sussex
— Born June 4, 2021. Harry’s daughter
8. Prince Andrew, Duke of York
— Born February 19, 1960. Queen Elizabeth’s second son
9. Princess Beatrice, Mrs. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi
— Born August 8, 1988. Andrew’s eldest daughter
10. Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi
— Born September 18, 2021. Beatrice’s daughter
11. Princess Eugenie, Mrs. Jack Brooksbank
— Born March 23, 1990. Andrew’s second daughter
12. August Brooksbank
— Born February 9, 2021. Eugenie’s son
13. Prince Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh
— Born March 10, 1964. Queen Elizabeth’s third son
14. James, Earl of Wessex
— Born December 17, 2007. Edward’s son
15. The Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor
— Born November 8, 2003. Edward’s daughter
16. Princess Anne, Prince Royal
— Born August 15, 1950. Queen Elizabeth’s daughter
17. Peter Phillips
— Born November 15, 1977. Anne’s son
18. Savannah Phillips
— Born December 29, 2010. Phillips’ eldest daughter
19. Isla Phillips
— Born March 29, 2012. Phillips’ second daughter
20. Zara Tindall
— Born May 15, 1981. Anne’s daughter
21. Mia Tindall
— Born January 17, 2014. Tindall’s eldest daughter
22. Lena Tindall
— Born June 18, 2018. Tindall’s second daughter
23. Lucas Tindall
— Born March 21, 2021. Tindall’s son
With inputs from AFP News.
(Hero image: The Prince and Princess of Wales/@KensingtonRoyal/Twitter; Featured image: The Royal Family/@RoyalFamily/Twitter)
