The British Royal Family's Line of Succession
On May 6, 2018, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle welcomed their first child into the world, a boy.
On that day not only did the world meet the newest royal, but it also saw the line of royal succession change forever. As royal historian Alex David explained, “The birth of Baby Sussex… means that for the first time the first 20 people in the line of succession to the British throne are all descendants of Queen Elizabeth II. The Earl of Snowdon, son of Princess Margaret, is now pushed to 21st place.”
As of now, Baby Sussex sits as the seventh in line for the throne. But who else is still in the mix to lead the kingdom? Keep scrolling to find out the top people who are in the real-life game of thrones.
Prince Charles
Prince Charles is the Queen’s first-born son and is next in line to take over the throne. As The Telegraph noted, Charles already holds the record for the longest-serving heir apparent in British history. At the ripe old age of 68, Charles will also be the oldest person to be crowned in British history when the time comes.
Prince William
Prince William currently sits as third in line to the throne and will one day take over as king, following his father, the Prince of Wales. He will then be followed in line by his own son, Prince George.
Prince George
Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge's first-born son will one day be King George VII. As The Telegraph rather morbidly noted, the birth of Prince George means that anyone “alive today is unlikely to see another queen on the throne in their lifetime once Elizabeth II's reign is over.”
Princess Charlotte
Princess Charlotte is the youngest person in line for the throne, but she could perhaps be the most impactful royal of all. While, like her Uncle Harry, she is the “spare to the heir,” Charlotte could make history one day thanks to a change under the Succession to the Crown Act. As The Telegraph explained, in 2013, the rule changed so that princes no longer take precedence over their sisters, bringing an end to the system of male preference, which had been in place since the Act of Settlement of 1701. So, if George were to abdicate, Charlotte would take the throne (regardless of whether or not Will and Kate ever have a second son).
Prince Harry
Prince Harry, whose real name is actually Prince Henry (who knew?), now sits as the fifth person in line to the throne, following the birth of both his niece and nephew. But, instead of pining away for his place in the kingdom, Harry focuses much of his attention now on volunteering and serving non-profits around the globe, just like his mother, Princess Diana.
Baby Sussex
Seventh in line for the throne, the son of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will also likely have to put his dreams of being the reigning monarch to the side. But, the little prince will still live a rather lavish life as a royal thanks to his parents being the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Prince Andrew
Prince Andrew, who was once second in line for the throne, is now so far removed from it that he no longer is required to attend official royal engagements, according to The Telegraph. The brother of Prince Charles even has to self-fund his family’s bodyguards because he is no longer considered “core” to the royal family. Ouch.
Princess Beatrice
Princess Beatrice, the eldest daughter of Prince Andrew, sits in the number seven spot on our list. Although she will likely never rule over England, she still is frequently spotted at royal engagements. Like Harry, she too has taken up a life of service and often spends her time volunteering for various organizations.
Princess Eugenie
Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice’s younger sister, sits eighth in line for the throne. Like her sister, she too frequents royal engagements, however she has also made a life for herself outside of her royal duties. According to British Royals, Eugenie moved to New York in 2013 to work for an online auction firm as a benefit auctions manager.
Prince Edward
Prince Edward is the third son and the youngest child of Queen Elizabeth. After a “cringe-worthy” career in television, Edward has now become a full-time royal. Since his wedding in 1999, Edward has been known as the Earl of Wessex, while his wife Sophie became Countess of Wessex. He is vice patron of the Commonwealth Games Federation, and it is believed he will inherit the title of Duke of Edinburgh when his father, Prince Philip, passes.
