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British RoyalsFeatures

Who’s who in the British line of succession?

Queen Elizabeth II

The line of succession to the throne of the longest reigning Monarch in British history has seen as few changes in the past months and will undergo at least one more shake up before 2021 is out.

The arrival of the Queen’s twelfth great grandchild later this year will see the order move around for the fourth time in less than a year. As she approaches her Platinum Jubilee in 2022, Elizabeth II’s direct descendants make up the first 23 people in the succession to her throne with Princess Beatrice’s first baby, due this autumn, taking that to 24 before the big party begins.

Here, Royal Central outlines the British line of succession as of the summer of 2021.

  1. Prince Charles Philip Arthur George, The Prince of Wales (born 1948)
  2. Prince William Arthur Philip Louis, The Duke of Cambridge (born 1982)
  3. Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge (born 2013)
  4. Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Cambridge (born 2015)
  5. Prince Louis Arthur Charles of Cambridge (born 2018)
  6. Prince Henry Charles Albert David, The Duke of Sussex (born 1984)
  7. Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor (born 2019)
  8. Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor (born 2021)
  9. Prince Andrew Albert Christian Edward, The Duke of York (born 1960)
  10. Princess Beatrice Elizabeth Mary, Mrs Mapelli Mozzi (born 1988)
  11. Princess Eugenie Victoria Helena, Mrs Brooksbank (born 1990)
  12. August Philip Hawke Brooksbank (born 2021)
  13. Prince Edward Antony Richard Louis, The Earl of Wessex (born 1964)
  14. James Alexander Philip Theo, Viscount Severn (born 2007)
  15. Lady Louise Elizabeth Alice Mary Mountbatten-Windsor (born 2004)
  16. Princess Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise, The Princess Royal (born 1950)
  17. Peter Mark Andrew Phillips (born 1977)
  18. Savannah Anne Kathleen Phillips (born 2010)
  19. Isla Elizabeth Phillips (born 2012)
  20. Zara Anne Elizabeth Tindall (born 1981)
  21. Mia Grace Tindall (born 2014)
  22. Lena Elizabeth Tindall (born 2018)
  23. Lucas Philip Tindall (born 2021)

The succession then passes to the descendants of King George VI with the Queen’s nephew, the Earl of Snowdon, next followed by his two children, Charles and Margarita. His sister, Lady Sarah Chatto, and her two sons, Samuel and Arthur, follow. The line then moves to the descendants of King George V. By this time next year, the Queen’s cousin, the Duke of Gloucester, will be 31st in line to the throne – at the time of his birth, in 1944, he was fifth. Following the recent run of new arrivals, the first 60 people in line to the throne are now all descended from George V who renamed his royal dynasty the House of Windsor in 1917.

About author

Lydia Starbuck is Jubilee and Associate Editor at Royal Central and the main producer and presenter of the Royal Central Podcast and Royal Central Extra. Lydia is also a pen name of June Woolerton who is a journalist and writer with over twenty years experience in TV, radio, print and online. Her latest book, A History of British Royal Jubilees, is out now. Her new book, The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr, will be published in March 2024. June is an award winning reporter, producer and editor. She's appeared on outlets including BBC 5 Live, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Local Radio and has also helped set up a commercial radio station. June is also an accomplished writer with a wide range of material published online and in print. She is the author of two novels, published as e-books. She is also a marriage registrar and ceremony celebrant.