List of heirs to the British throne


This is a list of the individuals who were, at any given time, considered the next in line to succeed the British monarch to inherit the throne of the Kingdom of Great Britain, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, should the incumbent monarch die or abdicate. Those who actually succeeded are shown in bold.
The list commences in 1707 following the Acts of Union, which joined the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into a single Kingdom of Great Britain. Anne became Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702 and Queen of Great Britain from 1707. The 1701 Act of Settlement established Electress Sophia of Hanover as successor to the English throne, and this was extended to Scotland through the Treaty of Union and the Acts of Union.
Since the establishment of the British throne, there have been four heirs who did not become monarch but would have done so if they had only lived long enough:
Sophia, Dowager Electress of Hanover, Frederick, Prince of Wales, Frederick, Duke of York, and Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence. There have been two heirs who were heir presumptives for a short period until the monarch had a child: Prince Edward, Duke of York and Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland. There has been one female heir presumptive who was displaced as heir by her younger brother: Victoria, Princess Royal.
MonarchHeirStatusRelationship to MonarchBecame heir; reasonCeased to be heir; reasonNext in succession, relation to heir
AnneElectress Sophia of HanoverHeir presumptiveFirst cousin, once removed1 May 1707;
formation of Kingdom of Great Britain		8 June 1714;
died		George Louis, Elector of Hanover
1707–1714, son
AnneGeorge Louis, Elector of HanoverHeir presumptiveSecond cousin8 June 1714;
mother died		1 August 1714;
succeeded		George Augustus of Hanover 1714, son
George IThe Prince George, Prince of WalesHeir apparentEldest son1 August 1714;
father succeeded		11 June 1727;
succeeded		Prince Frederick, Duke of Edinburgh
1714–1727, son
George IIThe Prince Frederick, Prince of WalesHeir apparentEldest son11 June 1727;
father succeeded		31 March 1751;
died		The Prince William, Duke of Cumberland
1727–1737, younger brother
George IIThe Prince Frederick, Prince of WalesHeir apparentEldest son11 June 1727;
father succeeded		31 March 1751;
died		Princess Augusta
1737–1738, daughter
George IIThe Prince Frederick, Prince of WalesHeir apparentEldest son11 June 1727;
father succeeded		31 March 1751;
died		Prince George
1738–1751, son
George IIPrince George, Prince of WalesHeir apparentGrandson31 March 1751;
father died		25 October 1760;
succeeded		Prince Edward, Duke of York
1751–1760, younger brother
George IIIPrince Edward, Duke of YorkHeir presumptiveYounger brother25 October 1760;
brother succeeded		12 August 1762;
son born to king		Prince William Henry
1760–1762, younger brother
George IIIThe Prince George, Prince of WalesHeir apparentEldest son12 August 1762;
born		29 January 1820;
succeeded		Prince Edward, Duke of York
1762–1763, uncle
George IIIThe Prince George, Prince of WalesHeir apparentEldest son12 August 1762;
born		29 January 1820;
succeeded		The Prince Frederick, Duke of York
1763–1796, younger brother
George IIIThe Prince George, Prince of WalesHeir apparentEldest son12 August 1762;
born		29 January 1820;
succeeded		Princess Charlotte of Wales
1796–1817, daughter
George IIIThe Prince George, Prince of WalesHeir apparentEldest son12 August 1762;
born		29 January 1820;
succeeded		The Prince Frederick, Duke of York
1817–1820, younger brother
George IVThe Prince Frederick, Duke of YorkHeir presumptiveYounger brother29 January 1820;
brother succeeded		5 January 1827;
died		The Prince William, Duke of Clarence
1820–1827, younger brother
George IVThe Prince William, Duke of ClarenceHeir presumptiveYounger brother5 January 1827;
older brother died		26 June 1830;
succeeded		Princess Alexandrina Victoria of Kent
1827–1830, niece
William IVPrincess Alexandrina Victoria of KentHeir presumptiveNiece26 June 1830;
uncle succeeded		20 June 1837;
succeeded		The Prince Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland
1830–1837, uncle
VictoriaErnest Augustus, King of HanoverHeir presumptiveUncle20 June 1837;
niece succeeded		21 November 1840;
daughter born to queen		George, Crown Prince of Hanover
1837–1840, son
VictoriaThe Princess Victoria later The Princess RoyalHeir presumptiveEldest daughter21 November 1840;
born		9 November 1841;
brother born		Ernest Augustus, King of Hanover
1840–1841, great-uncle
VictoriaThe Prince Albert Edward, Prince of WalesHeir apparentEldest son9 November 1841;
born		22 January 1901;
succeeded		The Princess Victoria, Princess Royal
1841–1844, elder sister
VictoriaThe Prince Albert Edward, Prince of WalesHeir apparentEldest son9 November 1841;
born		22 January 1901;
succeeded		The Prince Alfred
1844–1864, younger brother
VictoriaThe Prince Albert Edward, Prince of WalesHeir apparentEldest son9 November 1841;
born		22 January 1901;
succeeded		Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence
1864–1892, son
VictoriaThe Prince Albert Edward, Prince of WalesHeir apparentEldest son9 November 1841;
born		22 January 1901;
succeeded		Prince George, Duke of York
1892–1901, son
Edward VIIThe Prince George, Prince of WalesHeir apparentSecond son22 January 1901;
father succeeded		6 May 1910;
succeeded		Prince Edward of Wales
1901–1910, son
George VThe Prince Edward, Prince of WalesHeir apparentEldest son6 May 1910;
father succeeded		20 January 1936;
succeeded		The Prince Albert, Duke of York
1910–1936, younger brother
Edward VIIIThe Prince Albert, Duke of YorkHeir presumptiveYounger brother20 January 1936;
brother succeeded		11 December 1936;
brother abdicated; succeeded		Princess Elizabeth of York
1936, daughter
George VIThe Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of EdinburghHeir presumptiveElder daughter11 December 1936;
father succeeded		6 February 1952;
succeeded		The Princess Margaret
1936–1948, younger sister
George VIThe Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of EdinburghHeir presumptiveElder daughter11 December 1936;
father succeeded		6 February 1952;
succeeded		Prince Charles of Edinburgh
1948–1952, son
Elizabeth IIThe Prince Charles, Prince of WalesHeir apparentEldest son6 February 1952;
mother succeeded		IncumbentThe Princess Anne
1952–1960, younger sister
Elizabeth IIThe Prince Charles, Prince of WalesHeir apparentEldest son6 February 1952;
mother succeeded		IncumbentThe Prince Andrew
1960–1982, younger brother
Elizabeth IIThe Prince Charles, Prince of WalesHeir apparentEldest son6 February 1952;
mother succeeded		IncumbentPrince William, Duke of Cambridge
1982–present, son