The British Royal Family tree and line of succession

The British Royal Family tree has branched out in major ways in recent years, as a Royal ‘baby boom’ has rapidly reorganized the line of succession, leaving a bevy of children displacing aunts, uncles and cousins in the queue to inherit the Crown.

As Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her Platinum Jubilee this year – marking 70 years on the throne – and plans are finalized for the day when the Crown is handed over to heir apparent Prince Charles, it’s the perfect time for a refresher on the current UK line of succession. 

Barring the sudden births of any new members of the Royal Family, the officially-recognized line of succession begins with Prince Charles in the number one position and winds its way down to the Queen’s great-grandson, nearly one-year-old Master Lucas Tindall, in 24th place.

QUEEN ELIZABETH II 

THE CURRENT MONARCH: Queen Elizabeth II is the longest-reigning monarch in British history. She is celebrating her Platinum Jubilee this year, which marks the 70 years she has been Queen since her ascension to the throne on February 6, 1952, the day of her father King George VI’s death. She was just 25 years old when she became Queen and is now, at 95, is the oldest current monarch in the world.

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born on April 21, 1926. Her birth put her third in line to the British crown, but there was little expectation of her ever sitting on the throne at the time – until her uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicated to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson. Princess Elizabeth’s father was then crowned the ‘reluctant king’ and she became the heir apparent.

Elizabeth II married Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in November 1947, four months after their engagement was announced by Buckingham Palace. The couple went on to have four children, Princes Charles, Andrew and Edward, and Princess Anne. The Queen and Prince Philip were married for 73 years before Prince Philip, 99, died in April 2021.

The Queen has engaged in more goodwill visits around the world than any other monarch in British history and, despite her advancing years, continues to carry out various in-person engagements. Her official Platinum Jubilee Central Weekend will take place from June 2 to June 5, 2022.

CHARLES, PRINCE OF WALES 

FIRST IN LINE TO THE THRONE:  As the eldest of Queen Elizabeth II’s four children, Charles, Prince of Wales, is the heir apparent to the British throne. Due to the general hale and heartiness of his mother, 73-year-old Prince Charles is both the longest-serving and oldest heir apparent in British history.

Charles Philip Arthur George was born on November 14, 1948, when then-Princess Elizabeth was just 22 years old. He received his ‘Prince of Wales’ title when he was nine years old, but his investiture ceremony didn’t take place until he was 20, in 1969. He also holds the titles of Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay and Duke of Edinburgh – a title he inherited after his father, Prince Philip, died. 

Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer in July 1981, a union that produced two sons, Princes William and Harry. Following years of scandal involving claims of extramarital affairs on both sides, the couple officially divorced in 1996. Princess Diana was killed in a car crash while attempting to escape paparazzi in Paris in 1997. Prince Charles went on to marry long-time love, Camilla Parker Bowles, in April 2005. Queen Elizabeth II recently announced that Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, will become Queen Consort when Prince Charles eventually ascends to the throne.

Prince Charles spent six years in the military, serving in the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force, before taking on the rigorous duties of being a working Royal, officially representing the Crown while attending events, traveling abroad and meeting with world leaders several hundred times a year. He is also a noted environmentalist who shakes hands with every tree he’s planted and raises hens. He also created the popular organic foods company, Duchy Originals – now called Waitrose Duchy Organic – with proceeds benefitting The Prince’s Trust, the youth charity he founded in 1976.

WILLIAM, THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE  

SECOND IN LINE TO THE THRONE: William Arthur Philip Louis was born in June 1982. As Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s first child, he attended Eton College as a teenager, spent his gap year in Belize, then attended the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, where he met his future wife, Kate Middleton. 

After college, Prince William followed in his forefather’s steps, serving in the British Armed Forces and training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst before serving with the Blues and Royals. He also did a stint in the RAF Search and Rescue Force and worked as a full-time pilot with the East Anglian Air Ambulance for two years, from 2015 to 2017.

Prince William married Kate Middleton – now known as Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge – at Westminster Abbey in April 2011, in a ceremony watched by 300 million people worldwide. They went on to have three children, Princes George and Louis, and Princess Charlotte.

Like his father, 39-year-old Prince William is a working Royal who spends his time representing the British monarchy through various charitable activities – including the Cambridges’ wide-ranging Royal Foundation – and traveling around the world on behalf of his grandmother.

PRINCE GEORGE OF CAMBRIDGE

THIRD IN LINE TO THE THRONE: Prince William’s eldest child, George Alexander Louis was born in July 2013. Two of his names reference his great-great-grandfather, King George IV and great-great-grand uncle, Louis Mountbatten. Alexander, however, is said to have been the name that the boy’s mother, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, had her heart set on. 

The eight year old is said to be enamored of helicopters – no surprise given Prince William’s expertise at piloting them – and all things related to the police. He is a fan of the Aston Villa football club, also like his father, and has recently revealed that he is learning to play rugby at school. 

Although he has been kept relatively under the radar, Prince George’s various antics have captured the hearts of Royal watchers around the globe, whether pressing his nose up against windows or looking dour while being carted away by his nanny.

PRINCESS CHARLOTTE OF CAMBRIDGE

FOURTH IN LINE TO THE THRONE: Charlotte Elizabeth Diana was born in May 2015. The second child of Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, she was named after her grandfather, Prince Charles; great grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, and grandmother, Princess Diana.

Six-year-old ‘Lottie’ is said to be a fan of curry and ‘pretty good with heat,’ according to her mother, and loves horses, something she has in common with her namesake great-grandmother.

Princess Charlotte is arguably the more mischievous of the Cambridge children, being known to playfully stick out her tongue at waiting crowds and telling photographers they weren’t invited inside to younger brother Prince Louis’ christening. 

PRINCE LOUIS OF CAMBRIDGE

FIFTH IN LINE TO THE THRONE: Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge’s youngest child, Louis Arthur Charles, was born in April 2018. The three-year-old was named for his great-great-great-uncle, Louis Mountbatten, and his grandfather, Prince Charles. Arthur is one of Prince William’s middle names. 

Royal watchers have noted that while siblings Prince George and Princess Charlotte clearly resemble young Prince William and Queen Elizabeth II, respectively, Prince Louis shows more of the Middleton side of the family tree – he’s already a dead ringer for his maternal grandfather, Michael Middleton.

HENRY, THE DUKE OF SUSSEX

SIXTH IN LINE TO THE THRONE: Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s second son, Henry Charles Albert David, was born in September 1984. Originally third in line for the throne, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, was bumped down to sixth in the line of succession for the throne following the births of his nephews and niece.

Like his brother, Prince William, Prince Harry attended Eton College as a teenager, where he was considered a star athlete, playing polo and rugby union. For his gap year, he went to Australia, where he worked on a cattle station. Upon his return to England, he trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, kicking off a 15-year military career. Prince Harry – aka Captain Wales – made headlines when, at age 28 in 2013, it was revealed that he had been secretly deployed to Afghanistan for four months as an Apache attack helicopter pilot and the British Army confirmed that he had been directly responsible for killing at least one insurgent as a co-pilot gunner in a combat situation. Like his brother and father, Prince Harry spent many years as a working Royal and, notably, founding the Invictus Games.

Prince Harry made waves when he began dating American actress Meghan Markle in July 2016. They married in May 2018 and have two children, Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor. Following several rocky years in the public eye as working senior Royals, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, stepped back from Royal duties and moved to California in a move widely known as ‘Megxit’. Prince Harry’s strained relationship with the Royal Family – including fallout from an explosive interview with Oprah – have led some Royal loyalists to suggest that Harry should be removed from the line of succession. 

MASTER ARCHIE MOUNTBATTEN-WINDSOR

SEVENTH IN LINE FOR THE THRONE: Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’s first child, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, was born in May 2019. The two-year-old is attending school in California and – proving the apple doesn’t fall far from the Royal Family tree – has inherited his father’s fiery-red hair, which was put on display in the family’s holiday card in December 2021. 

In their explosive Oprah interview which was filmed after Princess Harry and Meghan stepped back from royal duties, Meghan claimed that an unnamed member of the Royal Family had raised concerns about the boy’s mixed-race heritage and speculated about how dark his skin tone might be. She also speculated that Archie wasn’t being given a ‘prince’ title because he was mixed race. However, the actuality is that is he is not entitled to be a prince or have a ‘His Royal Highness’ title because King George V had put a limit on the number of titles within the family during the First World War. 

MISS LILIBET MOUNTBATTEN-WINDSOR

EIGHTH IN LINE TO THE THRONE: Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor – Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’s second child – was born in June 2021. She was given Queen Elizabeth II’s nickname for her first name and her middle name is in honor of Prince Harry’s mother, Princess Diana.

Prince Harry and Meghan kept Lilibet under wraps for the first six months of her life, but the baby’s first picture was released in December 2021, revealing that she may also have inherited her father’s red hair.

It took seven weeks before Lilibet was officially added to the Royal Family line of succession.  

ANDREW, THE DUKE OF YORK

NINTH IN LINE TO THE THRONE: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s scandal-ridden third child and second son, Prince Andrew – who was born in February 1960 – is ninth in line to the throne. He became Duke of York when he married Sarah Ferguson in 1986. The couple separated in 1992 and were officially divorced in 1996. The couple have two daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie.

Prince Andrew served in the Royal Navy for 22 years, flying helicopters and as the captain of a warship. During his time in the British Armed Forces, he saw action during the Falklands War in 1982 – an experience that allegedly left him unable to sweat due to an overdose of adrenalin while being shot at during combat. 

Up until 2019, Prince Andrew had been a working member of the Royal Family, but has since been forced to step down from any official duties as part of the fallout from his friendship with convicted sex pest Jeffrey Epstein, along with legal accusations that he engaged in sex with underaged girls Epstein trafficked – claims which Andrew has denied.

In the wake of this massive scandal, Queen Elizabeth II stripped Prince Andrew of all of his military affiliations and patronages and forced him to stop using the His Royal Highness title in any official capacity. But, in late February, it was revealed that Prince Andrew is being allowed to keep one military title – Vice Admiral. 

In February 2022, Prince Andrew, 62, was reported to reach a £12 million ($15.7 million) out-of-court settlement ‘in principle’ with one of his accusers who filed a civil suit against him, despite claiming innocence and vowing to contest the charges. It’s believed that the settlement is part of an effort to put an end to the scandal before the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations kick off in earnest. 

PRINCESS BEATRICE, MRS. EDOARDO MAPELLI MOZZI

TENTH IN LINE TO THE THRONE: Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice of York was born in August 1988 and is the eldest daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York. The 33-year-old is now 10th in line of succession to the throne.

Princess Beatrice, who revealed in 2005 that she diagnosed with dyslexia at age seven, graduated from Goldsmiths, University of London, with a BA in history and history of ideas in 2011. She went on to work several jobs before landing a full-time job as vice-president of strategy and partnerships at tech firm Afiniti. 

Princess Beatrice married property tycoon Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in a private ceremony at The Royal Chapel of All Saints at Royal Lodge, Windsor, in July 2020, after the coronavirus pandemic scuttled their original plans to marry in May. The couple have a daughter, Sienna Elizabeth, and Beatrice is stepmother to Mozzi’s son from a previous marriage, Christopher Woolf.

MISS SIENNA MAPELLI MOZZI

ELEVENTH IN LINE TO THE THRONE: Sienna Mapelli Mozzi was born in September 2021 to Princess Beatrice and husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. As with her many female cousins, part of the baby’s name was given in tribute to her great grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

Sienna –  one of the newest members of the Royal Family Tree – is not eligible for a royal title, despite being the daughter of a princess. Royal rules dictate that only male grandchildren in the royal family automatically receive HRH-style titles, but it’s possible that Queen Elizabeth II might give one to Sienna, if asked. Although it’s not likely the question will come up. 

As Sienna’s father, Mozzi, is the son of Count Alessandro Mapelli Mozzi, Sienna is supposedly entitled to be called a nobile donna or ‘noble woman.’

PRINCESS EUGENIE, MRS. JACK BROOKSBANK

TWELFTH IN LINE TO THE THRONE: Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s second child, Princess Eugenie, is now 12th in line for the throne. She was born in March 1990.

Prince Eugenie graduated from Newcastle University with a degree in English literature and art history, which she put to good use while working at the online auction house, Paddle8, before becoming a director at the Hauser & Wirth art gallery.

Eugenie married Jack Brooksbank in a grand wedding celebration at Windsor Castle in October 2018. They couple have a son, August Brooksbank. 

MASTER AUGUST BROOKSBANK

THIRTEENTH IN LINE TO THE THRONE: Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s son, August Philip Hawke Brooksbank, was born in February 2021. Few pictures of the apparently dark-haired ‘Augie’ have been made public as the couple wishes to give the child privacy as he grows up. Beatrice has called the boy a ‘special soul that brightens every room with your smile and wave.’

EDWARD, THE EARL OF WESSEX

FOURTEENTH IN LINE TO THE THRONE: Prince Edward, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s youngest child was born in March 1964 and is now 14th in line for the throne. He received his Earl of Wessex and Viscount Severn title when he married Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999. The couple have two children, Louise and James.

Unlike his siblings and generations of Royal men before him, Prince Edward’s military career was very brief – he dropped out after a third of the 12-month Royal Marines training course. After abandoning the military, he made his way into an entertainment career, commissioning the 1986 musical Cricket from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice for Queen Elizabeth II’s 60th birthday, and also starting a TV production company that ultimately went belly up. 

Prince Edward is now a working Royal and he and wife Sophie devote their time to various patronages, and the Earl and Countess of Wessex Trust.

JAMES, VISCOUNT SEVERN

FIFTEENTH IN LINE TO THE THRONE: James Alexander Philip Theo Mountbatten-Windsor, Viscount Severn, is the youngest child of Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex. Born in December 2007, he is 15th in line for the throne.

Now 14, the boy has been known for having an adventurous streak – he even once drove a Land Rover around Windsor Castle grounds when he was just 11 years old. As the castle lands are private property, he didn’t need a drivers license to do so. 

THE LADY LOUISE MOUNTBATTEN-WINDSOR

SIXTEENTH IN LINE TO THE THRONE: Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary Mountbatten-Windsor is the eldest child of Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex. Despite being born in November 2003 – four years before her brother, Louise is 16th in line for the throne.

Her lower position in the line of succession is due to the fact that she was born before the 2013 Crown Act changed the succession rules, removing the rule that had allowed men born before October 2011 to precede elder sisters in the succession line.

Louise is an avid horsewoman and driver of carriages – a practice she learned at a young age from her grandfather, Prince Philip. When Prince Philip died, Louise inherited his driving ponies and carriage following his death in April 2021. 

ANNE, THE PRINCESS ROYAL

SEVENTEENTH IN LINE TO THE THRONE: Princess Anne is the Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s second child. When she was born in August 1950, she was third in the line of succession but the 71-year-old is now 17th. Despite her dramatic drop over the years, she is known as one of the hardest working Royals. In 2021, she was carried out a reported 387 Royal engagements, just edging out her brother, the future king, Prince Charles’ 385 official activities. She was named Princess Royal in June 1987 – three years after a botched kidnapping attempt was carried out against her near Buckingham Palace. 

Princess Anne married Captain Mark Phillips at Westminster Abbey in November 1973, during a televised ceremony that was watched by 100 million people. The couple had two children – Peter and Zara Phillips – before they announced their separation in 1989 and finally divorced in April 1992. The Princess Royal married Vice-Admiral Timothy Laurence in December 1992, in a private ceremony in Scotland.

A devoted and noted equestrian, Princess Anne became the first member of the British Royal Family to compete in the Olympic Games – in Eventing – in Montreal in 1976. Prior to competing on the world stage, she won a gold medal at the European Eventing Championships in 1971 and took home two silver medals in 1975. When Princess Anne isn’t riding horses and making Royal appearances, she works on various charities, including Save the Children.

MR. PETER PHILLIPS

EIGHTEENTH IN LINE TO THE THRONE: Peter Phillips is Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips’ first child and also Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest grandchild. He is 18th in line for the throne and does not carry a Royal title because his father declined the offer of an earldom when he married into the family, so his children don’t have courtesy titles.

Businessman Peter met Canadian Autumn Kelly in 2003 and they married in May 2008 – after Kelly converted from Catholicism to the Church of England, so that Peter wouldn’t be kicked out of the succession line due to a law that was repealed in 2013. They had two children – Savannah and Isla – and announced their divorce in February 2020, which was finalized in June 2021.  

Peter, 44, recently made headlines for introducing his new lady love, Lindsay Wallace, to his grandmother, the Queen. Wallace, 40, is an old school friend of both Peter and sister Zara Phillips. 

MISS SAVANNAH PHILLIPS

NINETEENTH IN LINE TO THE THRONE: Savannah Philips was born in December 2010 and is the first child of Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly. Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest great-grandchild is now 19th in line for the throne.

The girl has a mischievous streak that has left Royal watchers cracking up in recent years. At Princess Eugenie’s wedding in 2018, bridesmaid Savannah left her pageboy cousin, Prince George, trying – and failing – to cover up laughter while she pretended to play the trumpet in St. George’s Chapel. 

 She was also caught attempting to push George down a grassy bank at a polo match and covering his mouth with her hand while the National Anthem played as the Royal Family gathered on the Buckingham Palace balcony during the 2019 Trooping the Colour. 

MISS ISLA PHILLIPS

TWENTIETH IN LINE FOR THE THRONE: Isla Phillips is Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly’s second and youngest daughter. She was born in March 2012 – Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee year – and is 20th in line for the throne.

Like her elder sister Savannah, Isla is usually kept out of the Royal Family limelight, but has been known to join her Royal cousins at major events. She and her cousins, including Prince George and Princess Charlotte, are usually spotted playing and goofing around at horse trials, weddings or while appearing at notable events like Trooping the Colour. 

ZARA TINDALL, MRS. MICHAEL TINDALL

TWENTY-FIRST IN LINE TO THE THRONE: Zara Tindall – born Zara Phillips – is Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips’ second child. She was born in May 1981 and is 21st in line to the throne.

Zara, now 40, met former England Rugby Union players Mike Tindall in 2003, when he won the Rugby World Cup in Australia. They married in July 2011 in Scotland. They have two daughters, Mia Grace and Lena Elizabeth, and a son, Lucas Philip.

Like her mother, Zara has been a dedicated horsewoman her entire life, managing to make it to the London 2012 Olympic team and winning a silver medal in the team event that year. She also qualified for the British team in the Beijing 2008 Olympics, but had to withdraw when her horse was injured during training.

She scandalized Royal watchers when she was in boarding school in Scotland, after getting her tongue pierced. Despite that moment of ‘wild child’ behavior, Zara said in 2019 that she would be upset if one of her daughters got a tattoo. She admitted that she ‘wouldn’t have a leg to stand on’ if they did, although she said she’d prefer a piercing because at least they can be removed.

MISS MIA TINDALL

TWENTY-SECOND IN LINE FOR THE THRONE: Mia Grace Tindall is the eldest child of Zara Tindall – Princess Anne’s daughter – and former rugby star Mike Tindall. Born in January 2014, the eight-year-old is now 22nd in the line of succession.

Like her cousin Savannah Phillips, Mia is known for a mischievous streak and can also be found running around with her father and cousins at various horse competitions. Most recently, the little girl was spotted playfully kicking her father during a charity football match. 

During the portrait shoot for great-granny Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday, Mia – then two years old – had the distinct privilege of holding the Queen’s black handbag.

MISS LENA TINDALL

TWENTY-THIRD IN LINE TO THE THRONE: Lena Elizabeth Tindall is the second child of Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall. She was born in June 2018, after Zara suffered two miscarriages. Upon the birth of her little brother in March 2021, Mike Tindall said that little Lena, age three, had taken to calling the boy ‘my baby!’ and then trying to pick him up, leaving him and Zara to have to tell her ‘no Lena, it’s not your baby!’ 

Zara’s cousin, Prince Harry, is Lena’s godfather. 

MASTER LUCAS TINDALL

TWENTY-FOURTH IN LINE TO THE THRONE: Lucas Philip Tindall was born in March 2021. He is the third child of Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall.

Lucas was delivered on the bathroom floor of the family’s home in Gatcombe Park, because Zara didn’t have enough time to make it to the hospital. In a podcast revealing the child’s birth, Mike Tindall said that Zara’s friend had recognized the urgency of the situation, their midwife was called and then ‘it was run into the gym, get a mat, get into the bathroom, towels down, brace brace brace!’ 

Lucas’ middle name, Philip, is a nod to both his great-grandfather, Prince Philip, and Mike Tindall’s own father, banker Philip Tindall.  

WHERE THE SOVEREIGNS ARE LAID TO REST: KING GEORGE VI MEMORIAL CHAPEL

Located on the grounds of Windsor Castle, St. George’s Chapel has been the house of worship for British Monarchs for centuries. Construction on the Chapel was started in 1475 by Edward IV and complete by Henry VIII in 1528.

The gothic church played host to both Royal weddings and funerals – most recently the union between Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank in 2019 and the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II’s husband, Prince Philip in 2021.

St. George’s Chapel is the final resting place of 25 British Sovereigns to date.

Ten former British Royal Family kings and queens are buried within the Chapel itself. King Henry VIII and Charles I are buried in the Chapel’s Quire, while Edward IV, Henry VII and Queen Alexandra are buried in the Quire Aisles.

Edward VI, George V and Queen Elizabeth’s father, George VI, were originally buried in the Royal Vault beneath the Chapel, which had been built by George III between 1804 to 1810. But, their bodies were moved to the specially-built annex in the Chapel – called the King George VI Memorial Chapel – in 1969.

The George VI Memorial Chapel is where the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret – Queen Elizabeth II’s younger sister – were also buried in 2002.

Prince Philip, who died on April 9, 2021, has been buried in the Royal Vault, but is expected to be moved to the King George VI Memorial Chapel when Queen Elizabeth II dies and is interred there.

Other members of the Royal Family have been buried in locations including a mausoleum at Frogmore in Windsor Great Park, where Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are buried, and at Westminster Abbey in London, where 16 former kings and queens were laid to rest, including King George II.