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List of heirs to the English throne

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This is a list of the individuals who were, at any given time, considered the next in line to inherit the throne of England, should the incumbent monarch die. Those who actually succeeded (at any future time) are shown in bold. Stillborn children and infants surviving less than a month are not included.

It may be noted that the succession was highly uncertain, and was not governed by a fixed convention, for much of the century after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

Significant breaks in the succession, where the designated heir did not in fact succeed (due to usurpation, conquest, revolution, or lack of heirs) are shown as breaks in the table below.

The symbols +1, +2, etc. are to be read "once (twice, etc.) removed in descendancy", i.e., the child or grandchild (etc.) of a cousin of the degree specified. The symbols −1, −2, etc. indicate the converse relationship, i.e., the cousin of a parent or grandparent (etc.).

1066 to 1135: The Normans

[edit]
Heir Status Relationship to Monarch Became heir
Reason
Ceased to be heir
Reason
Monarch
No recognised heir 1066–1087[1] William I
William "Rufus" Heir apparent Son 7 September 1087
Proclaimed heir[2]
26 September 1087
Became king
No recognised heir 1087–1100 William II
No recognised heir 1100–1116 Henry I
William Adelin, Duke of Normandy Heir apparent Son 19 March 1116
Proclaimed heir[3]
25 November 1120
Died
No recognised heir 1120–1126
Matilda, Countess of Anjou
(Empress Matilda)
Heiress presumptive Daughter 25 December 1126
Proclaimed heiress
22 December 1135
Throne usurped by 1st cousin Stephen, Count of Boulogne

1135 to 1154: The Blois

[edit]
Heir Status Relationship to Monarch Became heir
Reason
Ceased to be heir
Reason
Monarch
No recognised heir 1135–1152 Stephen
Eustace IV, Count of Boulogne Heir apparent Son 6 April 1152
Proclaimed heir
17 August 1153
Died
No recognised heir Aug–Nov 1153
Henry "Curtmantle", Duke of Normandy Heir apparent 1st cousin +1 6 November 1153
Proclaimed heir[4]
19 December 1154
Became king

1154 to 1399: Plantagenets

[edit]
Heir Status Relationship to Monarch Became heir
Reason
Ceased to be heir
Reason
Monarch
No recognised heir 1154–1155 Henry II
William IX, Count of Poitiers Heir apparent Son 3 April 1155
Proclaimed heir
April 1156
Died
Henry the Young King Heir apparent Son April 1156
Brother died
11 June 1183
Died
No recognised heir 1183–1189
Richard "the Lionheart", Duke of Aquitaine Heir apparent Son 4 July 1189
Proclaimed heir
3 September 1189
Became king
No recognised heir 1189–1190 Richard I
Arthur I, Duke of Brittany Heir presumptive Nephew 11 November 1190
Proclaimed heir
27 May 1199
John "Lackland" proclaimed king
No recognised heir 1199–1207 John
Henry of Winchester Heir apparent Son 1 October 1207
Born
28 October 1216
Became king
Richard, Earl of Cornwall Heir presumptive Brother 28 October 1216
Brother became king
17 June 1239
Son born to king
Henry III
Edward "Longshanks", Lord of Chester Heir apparent Son 17 June 1239
Born
20 November 1272
Became king
Henry Heir apparent Son 20 November 1272
Father became king
14 October 1274
Died
Edward I
Alphonso, Earl of Chester Heir apparent Son 14 October 1274
Brother died
19 August 1284
Died
Edward of Caernarfon, Prince of Wales Heir apparent Son 19 August 1284
Brother died
8 July 1307
Became king
Thomas of Brotherton, Earl of Norfolk Heir presumptive Half-brother 8 July 1307
Brother became king
13 November 1312
Son born to king
Edward II
Edward of Windsor, Earl of Chester Heir apparent Son 13 November 1312
Born
25 January 1327
Father abdicated, became king
John of Eltham, Earl of Cornwall Heir presumptive Brother 25 January 1327
Brother became king
15 June 1330
Son born to king
Edward III
Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales
(Edward "the Black Prince")
Heir apparent Son 15 June 1330
Born
8 June 1376
Died
Richard of Bordeaux, Prince of Wales Heir apparent Grandson 8 June 1376
Father died
22 June 1377
Became king
Since Richard II never designated an heir, the succession was disputed among the heirs established under the will of Edward III and heirs by cognatic primogeniture.
The will entailed the throne on the heirs male. The following are the leaders of both lines:
John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster Potential heirs by the will of Edward III Uncle 22 June 1377
Nephew became king
3 February 1399
Died
Richard II
Henry "Bolingbroke", Duke of Lancaster 1st cousin 3 February 1399
Father died
30 September 1399
1st cousin deposed, became king
Philippa Plantagenet, 5th Countess of Ulster Potential heirs by cognatic primogeniture 1st cousin 22 June 1377
1st cousin became king
5 January 1382
Died
Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March 1st cousin +1 5 January 1382
Mother died
20 July 1398
Died
Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March 1st cousin +2 20 July 1398
Father died
30 September 1399
Succession of new king

1399 to 1461: The Lancasters

[edit]
Heir Status Relationship to Monarch Became heir
Reason
Ceased to be heir
Reason
Monarch
Henry of Monmouth, Prince of Wales Heir apparent Son 30 September 1399
Father became king
20 March 1413
Became king
Henry IV
Thomas, Duke of Clarence Heir presumptive Brother 20 March 1413
Brother became king
22 March 1421
Died
Henry V
John, Duke of Bedford Heir presumptive Brother 22 March 1421
Brother died
6 December 1421
Son born to king
Henry, Duke of Cornwall Heir apparent Son 6 December 1421
Born
31 August 1422
Became king
John, Duke of Bedford Heir presumptive Uncle 31 August 1422
Nephew became king
14 September 1435
Died
Henry VI
Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester Heir presumptive Uncle 14 September 1435
Brother died
23 February 1447
Died
Richard, Duke of York[5] Heir presumptive 2nd cousin −1 23 February 1447
2nd cousin died
13 October 1453
Son born to king
Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales Heir apparent Son 13 October 1453
Born
25 October 1460
Excluded from succeeding[6]
Richard, Duke of York Heir apparent[6] 2nd cousin −1 25 October 1460
30 December 1460
Died
Edward, Duke of York Heir apparent 3rd cousin 30 December 1460
Father died
4 March 1461
3rd cousin deposed, became king

1461 to 1470: The Yorks

[edit]
Heir Status Relationship to Monarch Became heir
Reason
Ceased to be heir
Reason
Monarch
George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence
(Disputed from 1466 onward)[7]
Heir presumptive Brother 4 March 1461
Brother became king
31 March 1470
Proclaimed traitor
Edward IV
No recognised heir Mar–Oct 1470[8]

1470 to 1471: The Lancasters

[edit]
Heir Status Relationship to Monarch Became heir
Reason
Ceased to be heir
Reason
Monarch
Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales Heir apparent Son 3 October 1470
Father restored as king
11 April 1471
Father deposed
Henry VI

1471 to 1485: The Yorks

[edit]
Heir Status Relationship to Monarch Became heir
Reason
Ceased to be heir
Reason
Monarch
Edward, Prince of Wales Heir apparent Son 11 April 1471
Father restored as king
9 April 1483
Became king
Edward IV
Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York Heir presumptive Brother 9 April 1483
Brother became king
25 June 1483
Brother deposed, both declared illegitimate
Edward V
Edward of Middleham, Prince of Wales Heir apparent Son 26 June 1483
Father became king
9 April 1484
Died
Richard III
No recognised heir 1484–1485

1485 to 1603: The Tudors

[edit]
Heir Status Relationship to Monarch Became heir
Reason
Ceased to be heir
Reason
Monarch
No recognised heir 1485–1486 Henry VII
Arthur, Prince of Wales Heir apparent Son 20 September 1486
Born
2 April 1502
Died
Henry, Prince of Wales Heir apparent Son 2 April 1502
Brother died
21 April 1509
Became king
Margaret, Queen of Scotland[9][10] Heiress presumptive Sister 21 April 1509
Brother became king
1 January 1511
Son born to king
Henry VIII
Henry, Duke of Cornwall Heir apparent Son 1 January 1511
Born
22 February 1511
Died
Margaret, Queen of Scotland[9][10] Heiress presumptive Sister 22 February 1511
Nephew died
18 February 1516
Daughter born to king
Mary Tudor Heiress presumptive Daughter 18 February 1516
Born
23 March 1534
Declared illegitimate[11]
Elizabeth Tudor Heiress presumptive[11] Daughter 23 March 1534
Half-sister declared illegitimate
8 June 1536
Declared illegitimate[12]
No recognised heir 1536–1537[12]
Edward, Prince of Wales Heir apparent Son 12 October 1537
Born
28 January 1547
Became king
Mary Tudor Heiress presumptive[13] Half-sister 28 January 1547
Half-brother became king
21 June 1553
Excluded by letters patent[14]
Edward VI
Lady Jane Dudley (Lady Jane Grey) Heiress presumptive[14] 1st cousin +1[15] 21 June 1553
Named in letters patent
6 July 1553
Proclaimed queen
Upon the death of Edward VI, the succession was disputed between his sister Mary, the heir by primogeniture and the Third Succession Act,
and Lady Jane Grey, whom Edward had named his heir. Since Lady Jane's short reign is a matter of dispute, so are her heirs.
Katherine Herbert, Lady Herbert of Cardiff Heiress presumptive Sister 6 July 1553
Sister proclaimed queen
19 July 1553
Sister deposed
Jane (disputed)
Elizabeth Tudor Heiress presumptive[13] Half-sister 6 July 1553
Half-sister became queen
17 November 1558
Became queen
Mary I
Since Elizabeth I never designated an heir, the succession was disputed among heirs of Henry VII by cognatic primogeniture and the heirs established under the will of Henry VIII.
The document placed the granddaughters of the king's younger sister Mary after his children, while also disinheriting the descendants of his elder sister Margaret.
However, as the will had been signed by a dry stamp rather than by the king's own hand, its legal force was questionable.[16] The following are the leaders of both lines:
Mary, Queen of Scots Potential heirs by cognatic primogeniture 1st cousin +1[17] 17 November 1558
1st cousin +1 became queen
8 February 1587
Executed
Elizabeth I
King James VI of Scotland 1st cousin +2[18] 8 February 1587
Mother executed
24 March 1603
Became king
Katherine Seymour, Countess of Hertford[19] Potential heirs by the will of Henry VIII 1st cousin +1[15] 17 November 1558
1st cousin +1 became queen
26 January 1568
Died
Lady Mary Keyes[19] 1st cousin +1[15] 26 January 1568
Sister died
20 April 1578
Died
Margaret Stanley, Dowager Countess of Derby[20] 1st cousin +1[21] 20 April 1578
1st cousin +1 died
28 September 1596
Died
Lady Anne Stanley[20] 1st cousin +3[22] 28 September 1596
Grandmother died
24 March 1603
Succession of new king

1603 to 1707: The Stuarts

[edit]
Heir Status Relationship to Monarch Became heir
Reason
Ceased to be heir
Reason
Next in succession
Relation to heir
Monarch
Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales Heir apparent Son 24 March 1603
Father became king
6 November 1612
Died
Charles, Duke of York
Brother
James I
Charles, Prince of Wales Heir apparent Son 6 November 1612
Brother died
27 March 1625
Became king
Elizabeth, Electress Palatine
Sister
Elizabeth, Electress Palatine Heiress presumptive Sister 27 March 1625
Brother became king
29 May 1630
Son born to king
Hereditary Prince Frederick Henry of the Palatinate
1625–1629, Son
Charles I
Prince Charles Louis of the Palatinate
1629–1630, Son
Charles, Prince of Wales Heir apparent Son 29 May 1630
Born
30 January 1649
Proclaimed king
Elizabeth, Electress Palatine
1630–1631, Aunt
Mary Stuart
1631–1633, Sister
James, Duke of York
1633–1649, Brother
James, Duke of York Heir presumptive Brother 30 January 1649
Brother proclaimed King
6 February 1685
Became king
Henry, Duke of Gloucester
1649–1660, Brother
Charles II
Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange
Sep–Oct 1660, Sister
Charles, Duke of Cambridge
1660–1661, Son
William III, Prince of Orange
1661–1662, Nephew
Mary Stuart
1662–1663, Daughter
James, Duke of Cambridge
1663–1667, Son
Mary Stuart
Jun–Sep 1667, Daughter
Edgar, Duke of Cambridge
1667–1671, Son
Mary, Princess of Orange
1671–1677, Daughter
Charles, Duke of Cambridge
Nov–Dec 1677, Son
Mary, Princess of Orange
1677–1685, Daughter
Mary, Princess of Orange Heiress presumptive Daughter 6 February 1685
Father became king
10 June 1688
Son born to king
Princess Anne of Denmark
Sister
James II
James, Prince of Wales Heir apparent Son 10 June 1688
Born
13 February 1689
Father deposed, excluded from succeeding
Mary, Princess of Orange
Sister
William III Mutual heirs[23] Husband 13 February 1689
Declaration of Right, 1689
28 December 1694
Became sole monarch
Princess Anne of Denmark[24]
Sister(-in-law)
Mary II
Mary II Wife 28 December 1694
Died
William III
Princess Anne of Denmark Heiress presumptive[24] Sister-in-law / 1st cousin 28 December 1694
Sister died
8 March 1702
Became queen
William, Duke of Gloucester
1694–1700, Son
None
1700–1701
Sophia, Dowager Electress of Hanover
1701–1702, 1st cousin −1[25]
Sophia, Dowager Electress of Hanover Heiress presumptive[25] 1st cousin −1 8 March 1702
1st cousin -1 died
1 May 1707
Formation of the Kingdom of Great Britain[26]
George Louis, Elector of Hanover
Son
Anne

Jacobite succession, 1689–1807

[edit]

The following are the heirs of the Jacobite pretenders to the throne to the death of the last Stuart pretender. For other persons in this lineage, see Jacobite succession.

Heir Status Relationship to Pretender Became heir
Reason
Ceased to be heir
Reason
Next in succession
Relation to heir
Pretender
James, Prince of Wales Heir apparent Son 13 February 1689
Father deposed
16 September 1701
Became pretender
Mary, Princess of Orange
1689–1694, Sister
James II
Princess Anne of Denmark
1694–1701, Sister
Princess Anne of Denmark Heiress presumptive Sister 16 September 1701
Brother became pretender
1 August 1714
Died
Louisa Maria, Princess Royal
1701–1712, Sister
James III
"The Old Pretender"
Anne Marie, Queen of Scilly
1712–1714, 1st cousin
Anne Marie, Queen of Sardinia Heiress presumptive 1st cousin 1 August 1714
1st cousin died
31 December 1720
Son born to pretender
Victor Amadeus, Prince of Piedmont
1714–1715, Son
Charles Emmanuel, Prince of Piedmont
1715–1720, Son
Charles, Prince of Wales Heir apparent Son 31 December 1720
Born
1 January 1766
Became pretender
Anne Marie, Queen of Sardinia
1720–1725, 1st cousin −1
Henry, Duke of York
1725–1766, Brother
Henry, Duke of York Heir presumptive Brother 1 January 1766
Brother became pretender
31 January 1788
Became pretender
Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia
1766–1773, 2nd cousin
Charles III
"The Young Pretender"
Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia
1773–1788, 2nd cousin +1
Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia Heir presumptive 2nd cousin +1 31 January 1788
2nd cousin +1 became pretender
14 October 1796
Died
Charles Emmanuel, Prince of Piedmont
Son
Henry IX
"Cardinal York"
Charles Emmanuel IV of Sardinia Heir presumptive 2nd cousin +2 14 October 1796
Father died
13 July 1807
Last Stuart pretender died
Prince Victor Emmanuel of Savoy
Brother

See also

[edit]

Sources

[edit]
  • Ian Mortimer, The Fears of Henry IV: the Life of England's Self-Made King (Vintage, 2008)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Robert [called Robert Curthose], duke of Normandy". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/23715. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)"William had made no explicit arrangements for the succession beyond the designation of Robert as his heir in Normandy."
  2. ^ Nichols, John (1780). A Collection of Royal and Noble Wills. London. p. 1.; "William II [known as William Rufus]". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/29449. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  3. ^ Garnett, George (2007). Conquered England: Kingship, Succession, and Tenure 1066-1166. Oxford University Press. p. 206. ISBN 9780198207931.citing Eadmer, Historia Novorum, 237, William of Malmesbury, Chronicle of the kings of England, p. 454 and John of Worcester, Chronicon ex chronicis, iii, 138
  4. ^ Treaty of Wallingford
  5. ^ Ross, Charles (1974). Edward IV. University of California Press. pp. 3–7. ISBN 978-0520027817.
  6. ^ a b Act of Accord
  7. ^ As Edward IV had based his right to throne on being the heir general of Edward III through male-preference primogeniture, it has been argued that George was displaced as heir by his niece, Edward IV's oldest daughter, Elizabeth, upon her birth in 1466. Despite this, Edward IV, still hoping for the eventual birth of a son, never formerly named her as heir.
  8. ^ Edward IV's wife was pregnant, so the succession could not be determined until the baby was born. See Posthumous birth#In monarchies and nobilities.
  9. ^ a b Beem, Charles (5 December 2019). Queenship in Early Modern Europe. Red Globe Press. ISBN 9781137005076.
  10. ^ a b Chapman, Hester W. (1974). The Sisters of Henry VIII. Chivers. p. 59. ISBN 9780859970068.
  11. ^ a b First Succession Act
  12. ^ a b Second Succession Act
  13. ^ a b Third Succession Act
  14. ^ a b Edward VI's devise for the succession - "the said imperial crowne ... shall remaine come and be to the Lady Jane, eldest daughter of the said Lady Frances"
  15. ^ a b c Daughter of Frances Grey, Duchess of Suffolk, daughter of Mary Tudor, Queen of France, daughter of Henry VII of England
  16. ^ Joseph Robson Tanner (1951). Tudor Constitutional Documents, 1485–1603. Cambridge University Press. pp. 398–9.
  17. ^ Daughter of James V of Scotland, son of Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scotland, daughter of Henry VII of England
  18. ^ Son of Mary, Queen of Scots, daughter of James V of Scotland, son of Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scotland, daughter of Henry VII of England
  19. ^ a b Will of Henry VIII - "And if it shall fortune our said daughter, Elizabeth, to die without issue of her body lawfully begotten, ... we will that the said imperial crown ... shall wholly remain and come to the heirs of the body of the Lady Frances, our niece, eldest daughter to our late sister, the French Queen, lawfully begotten"
  20. ^ a b Will of Henry VIII - "And for default of such issue of the body of the said Lady Frances, we will that the said imperial crown ... shall wholly remain and come to the heirs of the body of the Lady Eleanor, our niece, second daughter to our said late sister, the French Queen, lawfully begotten"
  21. ^ Daughter of Eleanor Clifford, Countess of Cumberland, daughter of Mary Tudor, Queen of France, daughter of Henry VII of England
  22. ^ Daughter of Ferdinando Stanley, 5th Earl of Derby, son of Margaret Stanley, Countess of Derby, daughter of Eleanor Clifford, Countess of Cumberland, daughter of Mary Tudor, Queen of France, daughter of Henry VII of England
  23. ^ Bill of Rights 1689 - "the crown and regal government of the said kingdoms ... shall be and continue to their said Majesties and the survivor of them during their lives and the life of the survivor of them"
  24. ^ a b Bill of Rights 1689 - "after [the deceases of William and Mary] the said crown and premises shall be and remain to the heirs of the body of her Majesty [there were none], and for default of such issue to her Royal Highness the Princess Anne of Denmark"
  25. ^ a b Act of Settlement 1701 - "the most excellent Princess Sophia, Electress and Duchess Dowager of Hanover ... be and is hereby declared to be the next in succession ... after His Majesty, and the Princess Anne of Denmark, and in default of issue of the said Princess Anne, and of His Majesty respectively"
  26. ^ Acts of Union 1707