How the British Line of Succession Works

Summary

The British line of succession determines the order in which members of the royal family succeed to the throne. Succession is hereditary and is based on descent from Sophia of Hanover (1630–1714), subject to rules about legitimacy, religion, and birth order. The rules have changed over time, most recently with the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, which introduced absolute primogeniture for those born after 28 October 2011. This means that the eldest child of the monarch (regardless of gender) now takes precedence over younger siblings.

In simple terms, the throne passes to the monarch’s eldest child, then to that child’s children, before moving to the monarch’s second child and their descendants, and so on through the family tree.

The Basic Rules

To be in the British line of succession, a person must:

  • Be a legitimate descendant of Sophia of Hanover
  • Be in communion with the Church of England (that is, not Roman Catholic)
  • Not be disqualified by law (for example, historically by marriage rules)

The line of succession is therefore a hereditary system based on a specific royal bloodline, but governed by Acts of Parliament.

Primogeniture

Male-Preference Primogeniture (Before 2013)

Before the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, the UK used male-preference primogeniture. Under this system, sons took precedence over daughters, regardless of birth order. For example, a younger son would come before an older daughter in the line of succession.

This is why Princess Anne, the daughter of Elizabeth II, is behind her younger brothers, Andrew Mounbatten-Windsor and Prince Edward, in the line of succession.

Absolute Primogeniture (After 2013)

The Succession to the Crown Act 2013 changed the rules to absolute primogeniture for people born after 28 October 2011. Under this system, the eldest child takes precedence regardless of gender.

This can be seen in the family of William, Prince of Wales. His daughter, Princess Charlotte, remains ahead of her younger brother, Prince Louis, in the line of succession.

Religion

The monarch must be in communion with the Church of England because the monarch is also the Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

Historically, anyone who became a Roman Catholic or married a Roman Catholic was removed from the line of succession. The 2013 Act changed this so that marriage to a Roman Catholic no longer disqualifies a person, but the monarch themselves still cannot be Roman Catholic.

When the Line of Succession Changes

The line of succession changes over time. The most common reasons are:

  • The birth of a new royal child
  • The death of someone in the line
  • Changes in the law
  • Marriage (historically this could affect eligibility)
  • Abdication

When a new child is born into the royal family, they are inserted into the line based on the rules of primogeniture, and other people may move down a place.

Heir Apparent and Heir Presumptive

The next person in line to the throne is known as the heir. There are two types of heir:

  • Heir apparent: someone who cannot be displaced by the birth of another heir (for example, the monarch’s eldest son under the old rules, or eldest child under the new rules)
  • Heir presumptive: someone who is next in line but could be displaced if a more eligible heir is born

A historical example helps explain the difference. When Elizabeth II became queen in 1952, her eldest child, Prince Charles, immediately became heir apparent, because no future birth could displace him from that position.

In contrast, Elizabeth herself was only ever heir presumptive during her father George VI’s reign. This was because, under the rules at the time, if George VI had had a son, that son would have taken precedence over Elizabeth, even if he had been younger than her. No such son was born, so Elizabeth eventually succeeded to the throne, but she was technically heir presumptive rather than heir apparent.

Parliament and the Line of Succession

The rules of succession are determined by Parliament. The main laws governing the line of succession include:

  • The Bill of Rights (1689)
  • The Act of Settlement (1701)
  • The Royal Marriages Act (1772)
  • The Succession to the Crown Act (2013)

This means that, in theory, Parliament can change the rules of succession.

Summary

The British line of succession is a hereditary system based on descent from Sophia of Hanover, governed by Acts of Parliament, and determined primarily by birth order. Since 2013, the system has used absolute primogeniture for younger generations, meaning that the eldest child inherits the place in the line of succession regardless of gender. The line changes over time as members of the royal family are born or die, and as Parliament changes the law.

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