The British Line of Succession from Prince William to Sienna Mapelli Mozzi
King Charles III’s cancer diagnosis put the spotlight back on the British royal line of succession and who could temporarily take his place as regent.
Earlier this month, Buckingham Palace shared that King Charles III has been diagnosed with cancer, news that placed the royal line of succession in the spotlight once more. Less than a year and a half earlier, Charles succeeded his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on the throne after her death on September 8, 2022. The monumental event shook up the line of succession in a major way for the first time since the births of Prince William’s and Prince Harry’s children. Here are the rules behind who ascends to the British throne and a look at who’s who in the line of succession, plus who can take over as regent if Charles becomes unable to handle his duties.
Rules for Succession
Historically, male children in the British royal family, even if they were younger than their sisters, took precedence when it came to inheriting the throne from a parent. This changed with the Succession to the Crown Act of 2013 that states gender doesn’t matter for royals born after October 28, 2011. Birth order now determines which child is next in line for the crown.
Royal parentage alone isn’t enough to join the line of succession; a couple must have been married when their child was born. So if Charles and now-Queen Camilla’s love affair during the 1980s and ’90s had resulted in a son or daughter, he or she would have no claim to the throne, even though Charles and Camilla wed in 2005.
Being a descendant of King George I’s mother, Princess Sophia, who was Electress of Hanover and a granddaughter of King James I, is another requirement to ascend to the British throne. A child adopted into the royal family wouldn’t join the line of succession, though this hasn’t been put to the test by any royal adoptions. In addition, the British monarch, who also serves as the supreme governor of the Church of England, can’t be a Roman Catholic.
That said, because the United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy, these rules could be changed via legislation. In the end, Parliament determines who can be king or queen.
Who’s Who in the Royal Line of Succession
Sara Kettler is a Connecticut-based freelance writer who has written for Biography.com, History, and the A&E True Crime blog. She’s a member of the Writers Guild of America and also pens mystery novels. Outside of writing, she likes dogs, Broadway shows, and studying foreign languages.
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