List of heirs to the English throne explained

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

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	Second 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
Empress Matilda, Countess of Anjou	Heiress presumptive	Daughter	25 December 1126	Proclaimed heiress	22 December 1135	Throne usurped by cousin Stephen of Blois

1135 to 1154: The Blois

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	Eldest 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	Treaty of Wallingford	19 December 1154	Became king

1154 to 1399: Plantagenets

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	Eldest 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	Throne usurped by John
No recognised heir 1199–1207							John
Henry of Winchester	Heir apparent	Eldest son	1 October 1207	Born	28 October 1216	Became king
Richard, Earl of Cornwall	Heir presumptive	Younger brother	28 October 1216	Brother became king	17 June 1239	Son born to king	Henry III
Edward "Longshanks", Lord of Chester	Heir apparent	Eldest son	17 June 1239	Born	20 November 1272	Became king
Henry	Heir apparent	Eldest son	20 November 1272	Father became king	16 October 1274	Died	Edward I
Alphonso, Earl of Chester	Heir apparent	Son	16 October 1274	Brother died	19 August 1284	Died
Edward of Caernarfon, Prince of Wales	Heir apparent	Son	19 August 1284	Brother died	7 July 1307	Became king
Thomas of Brotherton, Earl of Norfolk	Heir presumptive	Younger brother	7 July 1307	Brother became king	13 November 1312	Son born to king	Edward II
Edward of Windsor, Earl of Chester	Heir apparent	Eldest son	13 November 1312	Born	25 January 1327	Became king
John of Eltham, Earl of Cornwall	Heir presumptive	Younger brother	25 January 1327	Brother became king	15 June 1330	Son born to king	Edward III
Edward "the Black Prince", Prince of Wales	Heir apparent	Eldest son	15 June 1330	Born	8 June 1376	Died
Richard of Bordeaux, Prince of Wales	Heir apparent	Grandson	8 June 1376	Father died	21 June 1377	Became king
Since Richard II (1377–1399) 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	21 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	Became king
Philippa, Countess of Ulster	Potential heirs by cognatic primogeniture	1st cousin	21 June 1377	Cousin became king	5 January 1382	Died
Roger Mortimer, 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

Heir	Status	Relationship to Monarch	Became heir	Reason	Ceased to be heir	Reason	Monarch
Henry of Monmouth, Prince of Wales	Heir apparent	Eldest son	30 September 1399	Father became king	20 March 1413	Became king	Henry IV
Thomas, Duke of Clarence	Heir presumptive	Younger brother	20 March 1413	Brother became king	22 March 1421	Died	Henry V
John, Duke of Bedford	Heir presumptive	Younger 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^[4]	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	Act of Accord
Richard, Duke of York	Heir apparent	2nd cousin −1	25 October 1460	Act of Accord	30 December 1460	Died
Edward, Duke of York	Heir apparent	3rd cousin	30 December 1460	Father died	4 March 1461	Became king

1461 to 1470: The Yorks

Heir	Status	Relationship to Monarch	Became heir	Reason	Ceased to be heir	Reason	Monarch
George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence (Disputed from 1466 onward)^[5]	Heir presumptive	Younger brother	4 March 1461	Brother became king	31 March 1470	Proclaimed traitor	Edward IV
No recognised heir Mar-Oct 1470^[6]

1471 to 1485: The Yorks

Heir	Status	Relationship to Monarch	Became heir	Reason	Ceased to be heir	Reason	Monarch
Edward, Prince of Wales	Heir apparent	Eldest son	11 April 1471	Father restored as king	9 April 1483	Became king	Edward IV
Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York	Heir presumptive	Younger brother	9 April 1483	Brother became king	25 June 1483	Declared illegitimate	Edward V
Edward of Middleham, Prince of Wales	Heir apparent	Eldest son	26 June 1483	Father became king	9 April 1484	Died	Richard III
No recognised heir 1484–1485

1485 to 1603: The Tudors

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	Eldest son	20 September 1486	Born	2 April 1502	Died
Henry, Prince of Wales	Heir apparent	Son	2 April 1502	Brother died	22 April 1509	Became king
Margaret, Queen of Scotland^[7] ^[8]	Heiress presumptive	Sister	22 April 1509	Brother became king	1 January 1511	Son born to king	Henry VIII
Henry, Duke of Cornwall	Heir apparent	Eldest son	1 January 1511	Born	23 February 1511	Died
Margaret, Queen of Scotland	Heiress presumptive	Sister	23 February 1511	Nephew died	18 February 1516	Daughter born to king
Mary Tudor	Heiress presumptive	Eldest daughter	18 February 1516	Born	23 March 1534	First Succession Act
Elizabeth Tudor	Heiress presumptive	Daughter	23 March 1534	First Succession Act	8 June 1536	Second Succession Act
No recognised heir 1536–1537^[9]
	Edward, Prince of Wales	Heir apparent	Son	12 October 1537	Born	28 January 1547		Became king
Mary Tudor	Heiress presumptive	Elder half-sister	28 January 1547	Half-brother became king	21 June 1553	Excluded by letters patent^[10]	Edward VI
Lady Jane Grey	Heiress presumptive	1st cousin +1	21 June 1553	Named in letters patent^[11]	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 Jane Grey's short reign is a matter of dispute, so are her heirs.
Lady Katherine Grey	Heiress presumptive (disputed)	Younger sister	6 July 1553	Sister proclaimed queen	19 July 1553	Sister deposed	Jane
Elizabeth Tudor	Heiress presumptive	Younger half-sister	6 July 1553	Half-sister became queen	17 November 1558	Became queen	Mary I
Since Elizabeth I (1558–1603) 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.^[12] The following are the leaders of both lines:
Mary, Queen of Scots	Potential heirs by cognatic primogeniture	1st cousin +1^[13]	17 November 1558	Cousin became queen	8 February 1587	Executed	Elizabeth I
James VI of Scotland		1st cousin +2^[14]	8 February 1587	Mother executed	24 March 1603	Became king
Lady Katherine Grey^[15]	Potential heirs by the will of Henry VIII	1st cousin +1^[16]	17 November 1558	Cousin became queen	26 January 1568	Died
Lady Mary Grey		1st cousin +1	26 January 1568	Sister died	20 April 1578	Died
Margaret, Countess of Derby^[17]		1st cousin +1^[18]	20 April 1578	1st cousin died	28 September 1596	Died
Lady Anne Stanley		1st cousin +3^[19]	28 September 1596	Paternal grandmother died	24 March 1603	succession of new king

1603 to 1707: The Stuarts

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	Eldest son	24 March 1603	Father became king	6 November 1612	Died	Charles, Duke of York Younger brother	James I
Charles, Prince of Wales	Heir apparent	Son	6 November 1612	Brother died	27 March 1625	Became king	Elizabeth, Electress Palatine Elder sister
Elizabeth, Electress Palatine	Heiress presumptive	Elder sister	27 March 1625	Brother became king	29 May 1630	Son born to king	Frederick Henry 1625 – 1629 Son	Charles I
							Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine Jan - May 1629 Son
Charles, Prince of Wales	Heir apparent	Son	29 May 1630	Born	30 January 1649	Became king	Elizabeth, Electress Palatine 1630 – 1631 Aunt
						Mary, Princess Royal 1631 – 1633 Sister
						James, Duke of York 1633 – 1649 Brother
James, Duke of York	Heir presumptive	Younger brother	30 January 1649	Brother proclaimed King	6 February 1685	Became king	Henry, Duke of Gloucester 1649 – 1660 Younger brother	Charles II
						Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange Sep – Oct 1660 Elder sister
						Charles, Duke of Cambridge 1660 – 1661 Son
						Prince William of Orange 1661 – 1662 Nephew
						Princess Mary 1662 – 1663 Daughter
						James Stuart, Duke of Cambridge 1663 – 1667 Son
						Princess Mary Jun – Sep 1667 Daughter
						Edgar Stuart, Duke of Cambridge 1667 – 1669 Son
						Princess Mary 1669 – 1677 Daughter
						Charles, Duke of Cambridge Nov – Dec 1677 Son
						Mary, Princess of Orange 1677 – 1685 Daughter
Mary, Princess of Orange	Heiress presumptive	Elder daughter	6 February 1685	Father became king	10 June 1688	Younger brother born	Princess Anne of Denmark Younger sister	James II
James, Prince of Wales	Heir apparent	Son	10 June 1688	Born	13 February 1689	Father deposed	Mary, Princess of Orange Elder sister
William III	Mutual heirs^[20]	Husband	13 February 1689	Declaration of Right, 1689	28 December 1694	Became sole monarch	Princess Anne of Denmark Sister(-in-law)	Mary II
Mary II		Wife				Died		William III
Princess Anne of Denmark	Heiress presumptive^[21]	Sister-in-law and 1st cousin	28 December 1694	Sister's death	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
Sophia, Dowager Electress of Hanover	Heiress presumptive^[22]	1st cousin −1	8 March 1702	Death of William III	1 May 1707	Became heiress-presumptive to Great Britain	George Louis, Elector of Hanover Son	Anne

Jacobite succession, 1689–1807

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	Pretender
James, Prince of Wales	Heir apparent	Son	13 February 1689	Father deposed	16 September 1701	Became pretender	Mary, Princess of Orange 1689–1694, elder sister	James VII and II
							Princess Anne of Denmark 1694–1701, elder sister
Princess Anne of Denmark	Heiress presumptive	Elder sister	16 September 1701	Father died, brother became pretender	1 August 1714	Died	Louisa Maria, Princess Royal 1701–1712, younger sister	James VIII and 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	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, younger brother
Henry, Duke of York	Heir presumptive	Younger 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	Cousin became pretender	14 October 1796	Died	Charles Emmanuel, Prince of Piedmont, son	Henry I and IX "Cardinal York"
Charles Emmanuel IV of Sardinia	Heir presumptive	2nd cousin +2	14 October 1796	Father died	13 July 1807	Death of last Stuart pretender	Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia, younger brother

See also

• List of heirs to the Scottish throne
• List of heirs to the British throne
• Line of succession to the British throne
• History of the English line of succession

Sources

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

Notes and References

1. 10.1093/ref:odnb/23715. Robert [called Robert Curthose], duke of Normandy. "William had made no explicit arrangements for the succession beyond the designation of Robert as his heir in Normandy."
2. Book: Nichols, John . John Nichols (printer) . 1780 . A Collection of Royal and Noble Wills . London . 1.

   10.1093/ref:odnb/29449. William II [known as William Rufus].

3. Book: Garnett, George . George Garnett . 2007 . Conquered England: Kingship, Succession, and Tenure 1066-1166 . Oxford University Press . 206 . 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. Book: Ross, Charles . Edward IV . 1974 . University of California Press . 978-0520027817 . Charles Ross (historian) . 3–7.
5. 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, Edwards oldest daughter, Elizabeth, upon her birth in 1466. Despite this, Edward, still hoping for the eventual birth of a son, never formerly named her as heir.
6. 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.
7. Book: Beem, Charles . 5 December 2019. Queenship in Early Modern Europe . Red Globe Press . 9781137005076.
8. Book: Chapman, Hester W. . 1974 . The Sisters of Henry VIII . Chivers . 59. 9780859970068 .
9. Section 18 of Second Succession Act
10. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.hx2hpx&view=1up&seq=431&skin=2021 Will of King Edward VI
11. "the said imperial crowne ... shall remaine come and be to the Lady Jane, eldest daughter of the said Lady Frances"
12. Book: Joseph Robson Tanner. Tudor Constitutional Documents, 1485–1603 . 1951 . Cambridge University Press. 398–9.
13. Daughter of James V of Scotland, son of Margaret Tudor, elder daughter of Henry VII of England
14. Son of Mary, Queen of Scots, daughter of James V of Scotland, son of Margaret Tudor, daughter of Henry VII of England
15. [Will of Henry VIII of England]
16. Daughter of Frances Grey, Duchess of Suffolk, daughter of Mary Tudor, Queen of France, daughter of Henry VII of England
17. [Will of Henry VIII of England]
18. Daughter of Eleanor Clifford, Countess of Cumberland, daughter of Mary Tudor, Queen of France, daughter of Henry VII of England
19. 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
20. [Bill of Rights 1689]
21. [Bill of Rights 1689]
22. [Act of Settlement 1701]