What is the Royal Family line of succession?

6 January 2022, 11:35

The Royal Family's line of succession delegates who will become King or Queen when their predecessor passes. Picture: Ranald Mackechnie/ Buckingham Palace

By Alice Dear

Who is next in line to the throne, who will become King or Queen next and what is the full line of succession?

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The Royal Family's line of succession is important as it represents who will become the King or Queen of Great Britain when their successor dies.

Currently on the throne is Queen Elizabeth II, who – at the age of 95-years-old – is the longest reigning Monarch in British history with almost 70 years as Head of State.

When the Queen passes away, her eldest son, Prince Charles, will become King.

From there, the line of succession runs down from Prince William all the way to Zara Tindall, the daughter of Princess Anne.

You can find the full line of succession here:

1. Prince Charles

Prince Charles is first in line to the throne. Picture: Getty

Prince Charles, the Queen's eldest son, will become King when the Queen passes.

2. Prince William

Prince William is the first child of Prince Charles and he late Princess Diana. Picture: Getty

Second in line to the throne is Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge.

Due to the fact Charles had two children, these children – William and Prince Harry – automatically join the line of succession higher than the rest of the Queen's children.

3. Prince George

Prince George is the first child of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Picture: The Duchess of Cambridge

Prince George is the Duchess and Duke of Cambridge's first born child, and therefore is third in line to the throne.

In the same way Charles' children moved to the top of the line of succession, William and Kate's children move above Harry, the Duke of Sussex, and his children.

4. Princess Charlotte

Princess Charlotte is fourth in line to the throne.

However, the young girl is unlikely to become monarch if her older brother, George, has children.

5. Prince Louis

Kate Middleton and Prince William's third child, Louis, is fifth in line to the throne. Picture: The Duchess of Cambridge

Kate and William's third child, Prince Louis is fifth in line to the throne.

6. Prince Harry

Prince Harry is the second child of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana. Picture: Getty

Prince Harry went from third in line to the throne to sixth when his brother welcomed his three children.

7. Archie Mountbatten-Windsor

Archie is the first child of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Picture: Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's first born, Archie, is seventh in line to the throne.

8. Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's second child, Lilibet, currently sits at eighth in line to the throne.

9. Prince Andrew

Prince Andrew is the third child of the Queen and the late Prince Philip. Picture: Getty

Prince Andrew is ninth in line to the British throne.

While Princess Anne is the Queen's second born, and older than Andrew, a previous rule which meant males could move above their female siblings in the line of succession stopped Princess Anne from falling into the higher place.

This ruling changed in 2011.

10. Princess Beatrice

Princess Beatrice is the eldest of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson's two daughters. Picture: Getty

Princess Beatrice, Prince Andrew's eldest daughter, is tenth in the line of succession.

11. Sienna Elizabeth

Princess Beatrice's first child, Sienna, is 11th in line to the throne.

12. Princess Eugenie

Princess Eugenie is 12th in place to the throne. Picture: Getty

Princess Eugenie, the second daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, sits in 12th place to the throne.

13. August Philip Hawke Brookbank

Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank's first child, August, is 13th in the line of succession.

14. Prince Edward

Prince Edward is the youngest of the Queen and Prince Philip's children. Picture: Getty

Prince Edward, the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, sits in the 14th position.

15. James, Viscount Severn

James, Viscount Severn, is Prince Edwards first son. Picture: Getty

Prince Edward's second child and first son, James, is in 15th position in the line of succession.

16. Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor

Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor is Prince Edward's eldest child. Picture: Getty

Prince Edward's first born, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, is 16th in line to the throne.

In the same way Princess Anne's siblings moved above her ranking because of her gender, Lady Louise's brother James moved above her in the line of succession as they were both born before 2011 when the rules were changed.