What Is The Order Of Succession To The British Throne? Who Is Next In Line After Queen Elizabeth II

By Jason Pham

With Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding and the recent birth of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s son, we can’t help but wonder what the current order for succession to the British royal throne is now. And though we know that William and Harry’s wives will likely never be sovereign, we aren’t too sure about the other members of the British royal family who might not make as many headlines but still play a powerful part in the family’s history.

According to common law, the Crown is inherited by the monarch’s children in order of age, and in the case of a monarch who has no children, the Crown will go to the near collateral line, such as a niece or nephew. Though the law used to prioritize male offspring over their sisters (meaning that a younger brother would take the throne before his older sister), the rule was changed in 2013 after the passage of the Succession of the Crown Act, banning discrimination based on gender. (As noted by Town and Country, the act only applies to those born after October 28, 2011, meaning that royals born before it will still have to follow the sexist rule.)

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With these laws and the recent birth of Kate and William’s baby boy, the succession to the British throne has had a serious overhaul in the past decade. Find out who’s next in line after Queen Elizabeth II.

1. Charles, Prince of Wales

Age: 69

Relation: eldest child of Queen Elizabeth II

2. Prince William, Duke of Wales

Age: 35

Relation: eldest child of Prince Charles; grandson of Queen Elizabeth II

3. Prince George of Cambridge

Age: 4

Relation: eldest child of Prince William; great-grandson of Queen Elizabeth II

4. Princess Charlotte of Cambridge

Age: 3

Relation: second-eldest child of Prince William; great-granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II

5. Prince Louis of Cambridge

Age: 1 month

Relation: youngest child of Prince William; great-grandson of Queen Elizabeth II

6. Prince Henry of Wales (Prince Harry)

Age: 33

Relation: youngest child of Prince Charles; grandson of Queen Elizabeth II

7. Prince Andrew, Duke of York

Age: 58

Relation: third-eldest child and second-eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II

8. Princess Beatrice of York

Age: 29

Relation: eldest child of Prince Andrew; granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II

9. Princess Eugenie of York

Age: 28

Relation: youngest daughter of Prince Andrew; granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II

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10. Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex

Age: 54

Relation: youngest child and third-eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II

11. James, Viscount Severn

Age: 10

Relation: youngest child and only son of Prince Edward; grandson of Queen Elizabeth II

12. Lady Louise Windsor

Age: 14

Relation: eldest child and only daughter of Prince Edward; granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II

13. Anne, Princess Royal

Age: 67

Relation: second-eldest child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II

14. Peter Phillips

Age: 40

Relation: eldest child of Princess Anne; grandson of Queen Elizabeth II

15. Savannah Phillips; 16. Isla Phillips

Savannah

Age: 7

Relation: eldest child of Peter Phillips; great-granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II

Isla

Age: 6

Relation: youngest child of Peter Phillips; great-granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II

17. Zara Tindall

Age: 37

Relation: youngest child of Princess Anne; granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II

18. Mia Tindall

Age: 4

Relation: only child of Zara Tindall; great-granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth

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