Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince George pose for a photo to mark the Queen’s 90th birthday, in the White Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace, London. (Ranald Mackechnie/Buckingham Palace via AP)
England’s royal house has seen its share of controversy during its reign. From the abdication of Edward VIII in 1936 to the death of Princess Diana in 1997 and the current issues surrounding Prince Andrew, the royal family has dominated newspaper headlines for more than a century since Queen Elizabeth’s grandfather changed the name of the family to Windsor.
UPDATE: Following the death of Queen Elizabeth on September, 8th, we’ve released a newly updated version of this list: British line of succession to the throne: Who follows Charles?
While the queen has shown no signs of stepping down, the recent moves by Prince Harry and Meghan have some wondering what the order of succession to the crown looks like today.
Note: According to a law passed in 2013, any royal born after October 28, 2011 maintains their place in the order of succession regardless of their gender. However, any children born before that date are still bound by the old rules favoring male heirs.
Here’s the top royals in line to the throne as of June 11, 2021:
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Current monarch: Queen Elizabeth II
The elder of King George VI's two children (both girls), Elizabeth became queen in 1952.
Had her uncle not abdicated the throne, Elizabeth still would have become queen as Edward VIII had no children. However, she would not have reigned until 1972 when her uncle passed away.
Associated Press
1. Charles, Prince of Wales
Born in 1948, Prince Charles is the eldest child of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip. He has been the heir apparent to the throne longer than anyone in British history.
Associated Press
2. Prince William, Duke of Cambridge
Born in 1982, William is the elder son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
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3. Prince George of Cambridge
Born in 2013, George is the eldest child of Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.
He is the first child affected by the new rules of succession which were changed so that William's oldest child would be next in line, regardless of the child's gender.
Should he have children when he grows up, they will supersede George's younger siblings in the order of succession.
Associated Press
4. Princess Charlotte of Cambridge
William and Catherine's second-born child, Charlotte would be one spot lower under the previous rules
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5. Prince Louis of Cambridge
Currently William and Catherine's youngest child, Louis was born in 2018.
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6. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
The younger of Prince Charles two sons was born in 1984. He was once third in line until his nephews and niece were born.
With Harry and Meghan looking to take a step back as 'Senior Royals,' one alternative that has been suggested would remove Harry and his son from the line of succession completely.
Associated Press
7. Archie Mountbatten-Windsor
The only son of Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Archie was born in 2019..
8. Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor
The first daughter for the Sussexes was born in early June, 2021.
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9. Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Born in 1960, Andrew was the third child and second son of Queen Elizabeth. As such, he moved ahead of his sister in line due to the former rules of succession.
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10. Princess Beatrice of York
Born in 1988, Beatrice is the elder child (both girls) of Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York
11. Princess Beatrice’s daughter
Sienna Mapelli Mozzi was born September 18, 2021.
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12. Princess Eugenie of York
Princess Beatrice's younger sister, born in 1990.
13. August Philip Hawke Brooksbank
Eugenie gave birth to a son in February, 2021, her first. August Philip Hawke Brooksbank now follows his mother in the line.
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14. Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
Queen Elizabeth's youngest child, born in 1964; he also jumps over his older sister in the line of succession as do his children.
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15. James Mountbatten-Windsor, Viscount Severn
One of the last instances where a younger male child took precedence over an older female sibling; James is the younger child of Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex and also their only son.
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16. Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor
Prince Edward's oldest child, born in 2003. As the change in criteria for the rules of succession only changed for children born in 2011 or later, she remains after her younger brother in the line.
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17. Anne, Princess Royal
Born in 1950, Anne is Queen Elizabeth's only daughter and second-oldest child. She was once as high as second in line behind her brother Charles.
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18. Peter Phillips
Anne's oldest child and the eldest grandchild of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip, Peter was born in 1977.
19. Savannah Phillips
Peter's elder daughter, born in 2010
20. Isla Phillips
Peter's younger daughter, born in 2012; since she was born after the cutoff date in 2011, she would not get bumped down the line by a younger brother, but her older sister would
Associated Press
21. Zara Tindall
Princess' Anne's daughter and Queen Elizabeth's oldest granddaughter; She was born in 1981.
22. Mia Tindall
Older daughter of Zara Tindall, born in 2014
23. Lena Tindall
Born in 2018, Zara’s younger daughter
24. Lucas Phillip Tindall
Born in March of 2021, Lucas is currently the last in Queen Elizabeth’s direct line for the throne.
Who comes next?
Next in line would be any younger children of Queen Elizabeth's father. In this case, the children and grandchildren of Elizabeth's younger sister, Princess Margaret.
Beyond that, the line of succession would jump back another generation to the descendants of Queen Elizabeth's father's younger siblings.
This list has been updated to reflect the birth of Prince Harry’s daughter.
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