Who Is Next in Line to the British Throne?
Summary
Prince William, Prince of Wales, is currently first in line to the British throne. He is the heir apparent to his father, Charles III. After Prince William, the line of succession passes to his three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. The line then continues with Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and his children, before moving to Charles III’s siblings and their descendants.
The First Ten in Line to the Throne
As of the present day, the first ten people in the line of succession are:
- William, Prince of Wales
- Prince George of Wales
- Princess Charlotte of Wales
- Prince Louis of Wales
- Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
- Prince Archie of Sussex
- Princess Lilibet of Sussex
- Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (formerly Prince Andrew, Duke of York)
- Princess Beatrice
- Sienna Mapelli Mozzi
This order is determined by descent from Elizabeth II and the rules of primogeniture.
Why Prince William Is Next
Prince William is next in line because he is the eldest son of King Charles III. Under the rules of hereditary succession, the throne normally passes to the monarch’s eldest child and then to that child’s descendants before moving to the monarch’s younger children and their descendants.
This means that William’s children come before Prince Harry, even though Harry is older than William’s children, because they are in the direct line of descent from the heir apparent.
What Happens After Prince William?
When Prince William becomes king, his eldest child, Prince George, will become heir apparent. The line of succession will then continue through George’s descendants before moving to Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis and their descendants.
Heir Apparent and Heir Presumptive
Prince William is the heir apparent, which means his position cannot be displaced by the birth of another heir. Prince George is also an heir apparent, because as the eldest child of the heir apparent, his position is secure under the current rules of absolute primogeniture.
How Often the Line Changes
The line of succession changes whenever:
- A child is born into the royal family
- Someone in the line dies
- Parliament changes the law relating to succession
These changes can cause people to move up or down in the line of succession over time.
Full Line of Succession
The full line of succession extends far beyond the first ten or twenty people and includes several thousand individuals who are descended from Sophia of Hanover and who meet the legal requirements for succession. There is no official complete public list maintained by the government, and the exact length of the line is not fixed, as it changes over time with births and deaths.
Most public sources, including this website, typically display only the first few dozen people in the line of succession, as these are the individuals most likely to inherit the throne. However, the wider line is much larger and extends through many branches of the extended royal family.
Welcome to the site.
Choose a date from the date-picker above or from the "interesting dates" menu to see the line of succession to the British throne on that date.