List of monarchs in Britain by length of reign explained

The following is a list, ordered by length of reign, of the monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1927–present), the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1801–1922), the Kingdom of Great Britain (1707–1801), the Kingdom of England (871–1707), the Kingdom of Scotland (878–1707), the Kingdom of Ireland (1542–1800), and the Principality of Wales (1216–1542).

Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning monarch in British history on 9 September 2015 when she surpassed the reign of her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria.[1] [2] On 6 February 2017, she became the first British monarch to celebrate a Sapphire Jubilee, commemorating 65 years on the throne. On 6 February 2022, Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to reign for 70 years, and large-scale celebrations for her Platinum Jubilee occurred on 2 to 5 June. Later that year, Elizabeth II died at the age of 96, after reigning for 70 years and 214 days.[3]

Elizabeth II: the longest-reigning monarch

On 9 September 2015, Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning British monarch and the longest-reigning known female monarch in world history.[4] [5] On 23 May 2016, her reign surpassed the claimed reign of James Francis Edward Stuart (nicknamed "the Old Pretender").[6] On 6 February 2022 (at the age of), she became the first British monarch to reign for 70 years and celebrate a platinum jubilee.[7]

Ten longest-reigning British monarchs

These are the ten longest-reigning monarchs in the British Isles for whom there is reliable recorded evidence.

RankPortraitMonarchAge at accessionReignDuration
FromToDaysYears, days
1Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom6 February 19528 September 202225,782 70 years, 214 days
2Victoria of the United Kingdom20 June 183722 January 190123,22663 years, 216 days
3George III of the United Kingdom25 October 176029 January 182021,64459 years, 96 days
4James VI and I24 July 156727 March 162521,06657 years, 246 days
5Henry III of England28 October 121616 November 127220,47356 years, 19 days
6Edward III of England25 January 132720 June 137718,41050 years, 147 days
7William I of Scotlandca. 24 years9 December 11654 December 121417,89248 years, 360 days
8Llywelyn of Gwyneddca. 22 years119511 April 124016,173–16,902 44–46 years
9Elizabeth I of England17 November 155824 March 160316,19844 years, 127 days
10David II of Scotland7 June 132922 February 137115,23541 years, 260 days

Complete list of the unitary monarchy

See also: List of British monarchs.

On 1 May 1707, under the Acts of Union 1707, the Kingdom of England united with the Kingdom of Scotland as the Kingdom of Great Britain. Then, on 1 January 1801, the Kingdom of Great Britain united with the Kingdom of Ireland to become the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, becoming the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland by Act of Parliament in 1927[8] following the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922.

NameReignDuration
FromToYears, daysTotal days
Elizabeth II6 February 19528 September 2022
Victoria20 June 183722 January 1901
George III25 October 176029 January 1820
George II22 June 172725 October 1760
George V6 May 191020 January 1936
George VI11 December 19366 February 1952
George I1 August 171411 June 1727
George IV29 January 182026 June 1830
Edward VII22 January 19016 May 1910
Anne1 May 17071 August 1714
William IV26 June 183020 June 1837
Charles III8 September 2022present
Edward VIII20 January 193611 December 1936

Complete list of the kingdoms

England

See also: List of English monarchs. Includes English monarchs from the installation of Alfred the Great as King of Wessex in 871 to Anne (House of Stuart) and the Acts of Union on 1 May 1707, when the crown became part of the Kingdom of Great Britain.

NameReignDuration
FromToDaysYears, days
Henry III28 October 121616 November 127220,47356 years, 19 days
Edward III25 January 132721 June 137718,41050 years, 147 days
Elizabeth I17 November 155824 March 160316,19844 years, 127 days
Henry VI1 September 1422
31 October 1470		4 March 1461
11 April 1471		14,064
162
Total: 14,226		38 years, 184 days
162 days
Total: 38 years, 347 days
Æthelred II18 March 978
3 February 1014		25 December 1013
23 April 1016		13,065
810
Total: 13,875		35 years, 282 days
2 years, 80 days
37 years, 362 days
Henry VIII22 April 150928 January 154713,79537 years, 281 days
Henry I5 August 11001 December 113512,90135 years, 118 days
Henry II25 October 11546 July 118912,67334 years, 254 days
Edward I20 November 12727 July 130712,64634 years, 229 days
Alfred the Great24 April 87126 October 89910,41228 years, 185 days
Edward the Elder27 October 89917 July 9249,02924 years, 264 days
Charles II29 May 16606 February 16859,01924 years, 253 days
Charles I27 March 162530 January 16498,71023 years, 309 days
Henry VII22 August 148521 April 15098,64223 years, 242 days
Edward the Confessor8 June 10425 January 10668,61223 years, 211 days
Richard II22 June 137729 September 13998,13422 years, 99 days
James I24 March 160327 March 16258,03922 years, 3 days
Edward IV4 March 1461
11 April 1471		3 October 1470
9 April 1483		3,500
4,381
Total: 7,881		9 years, 213 days
11 years, 363 days
21 years, 211 days
William I12 December 10669 September 10877,56320 years, 258 days
Edward II8 July 130720 January 13277,13619 years, 196 days
Cnut30 November 101612 November 10356,92118 years, 347 days
Stephen22 December 113525 October 11546,88318 years, 308 days
John6 April 119919 October 12166,40617 years, 196 days
Edgar I1 October 9598 July 9755,75915 years, 280 days
Æthelstan2 August 924
(or 925)		27 October 9395,564
or 5,199		15 years, 86 days
or 14 years, 86 days
Henry IV30 September 139920 March 14134,91913 years, 171 days
William III
13 February 16898 March 17024,77013 years, 23 days
Henry the Young King
14 June 117011 June 11834,74512 years, 362 days
William II26 September 10872 August 11004,69312 years, 310 days
Richard I6 July 11896 April 11993,5619 years, 274 days
Eadred26 May 94623 November 9553,4689 years, 181 days
Henry V21 March 141331 August 14223,4509 years, 163 days
Edmund I27 October 93926 May 9462,4036 years, 211 days
Edward VI28 January 15476 July 15532,3516 years, 159 days
Mary II
13 February 168928 December 16942,1445 years, 318 days
Mary I19 July 155317 November 15581,9475 years, 121 days
Anne
8 March 170230 April 17071,8795 years, 53 days
Harold I12 November 103517 March 104015864 years, 126 days
Eadwig23 November 9551 October 9591,4083 years, 312 days
James II6 February 168511 December 16881,4043 years, 309 days
Edward the Martyr9 July 97518 March 9789842 years, 253 days
Harthacnut17 March 10408 June 10428132 years, 83 days
Richard III26 June 148322 August 14857882 years, 57 days
Harold II5 January 106614 October 1066282282 days
Edmund II23 April 101630 November 1016221221 days
Matilda 7 April 11411 November 1141208208 days
Edward V9 April 148326 June 14837878 days
Edgar II15 October 106617 December 10666363 days
Sweyn Forkbeard25 December 10133 February 10144040 days
Ælfweard 17 July 9242 August 9241616 days
Jane 10 July 155319 July 155399 days

Scotland

See also: List of Scottish monarchs. Includes Scottish monarchs from the installation of Kenneth I (House of Alpin) in 848 to Anne (House of Stuart) and the Acts of Union on 1 May 1707, when the crown became part of the Kingdom of Great Britain.

NameReignDuration
FromTo(days)(years, days)
James VI24 July 156727 March 1625
William I9 December 11654 December 1214
Constantine II900943c. 15,500c. 43 years
David II7 June 132922 February 1371
Alexander III6 July 124919 March 1286
Malcolm III17 March 105813 November 1093
Alexander II4 December 12146 July 1249
James I4 April 140621 February 1437
Malcolm II25 March 100525 November 1034
James V9 September 151314 December 1542
David I23 April 112424 May 1153
James III3 August 146011 June 1488
Charles II30 January 1649
29 May 1660		3 September 1651
6 February 1685

Total: 9,965

27 years, 104 days
James IV11 June 14889 September 1513
Mary I14 December 154224 July 1567
Charles I27 March 162530 January 1649
Kenneth II971995c. 8,700c. 23-24 years
James II21 February 14373 August 1460
Edward Balliol (disputed)24 September 133220 January 1356
Robert I25 March 13067 June 1329
Robert II22 February 137119 April 1390
Alexander I8 January 110723 April 1124
Macbeth14 August 104015 August 1057
Robert III19 April 13904 April 1406
Constantine I862877c. 5,400c. 15 years
Kenneth MacAlpin84313 February 858c. 5,100c. 14 years
William II11 May 16898 March 1702
Malcolm IV24 May 11539 December 1165
Giric
878889c. 4.000c. 11 years
Donald II889900c. 4,000c. 11 years
Malcolm I943954c. 3,600c. 10-11 years
Edgar10978 January 1107c. 3,600c. 10 years
Kenneth III99725 March 1005c. 2,900c. 8 years
Indulf954962c. 2,700c. 8 years
Duncan I25 November 103414 August 1040
Mary II11 April 168928 December 1694
Amlaíb971977c. 2,000c. 5-6 years
Anne8 March 170230 April 1707
Dub962c. 966-967c. 1,800c. 5 years
Cuilénc. 966-967971c. 1,800c. 5 years
Domnall mac Ailpín85813 April 862c. 1.300c. 4 years
James VII6 February 168511 December 1688


Margaret25 November 128626 September 1290
John Balliol17 November 129210 July 1296
Donald III13 November 10931097c. 1,000c. 3-4 years
Áed mac Cináeda877878c. 365c. 1 year
Constantine III995997c. 48516 months[9]
Lulach15 August 105717 March 1058
Duncan IIMay 109412 November 1094c. "less than 7 months"

Ireland

See also: Monarchy of Ireland. The High King of Ireland (846–1198) was primarily a titular ruler (with the exception of Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair who was regarded as the first "King of Ireland"). The later Kingdom of Ireland (1542–1800) came into being under the Crown of Ireland Act 1542, the long title of which was "An Act that the King of England, his Heirs and Successors, be Kings of Ireland". In 1801 the Irish crown became part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

NameReignDuration
FromTo(days)(years, days)
Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair11661193 26-27 years
June 131514 October 1318 3 years, 100 days
12581260 1-2 years

List of the Principalities

Gwynedd (incomplete list)

See also: List of rulers of Gwynedd. The Principality (or Kingdom) of Gwynedd (5th century–1216) was based in northwest Wales, its rulers were repeatedly acclaimed as "King of the Britons" before losing their power in civil wars or Saxon and Norman invasions. In 1216 it was superseded by the title Principality of Wales, although the new title was not first used until the 1240s.

NameReignDuration
FromTo(days)(years, days)
Gruffudd ap Cynan10811137 55-56 years
Llywelyn the Great119511 April 1240>16,172 44-45 years
Owain Gwynedd11371170>11,688 33 years
Dafydd ab Owain Gwynedd11701195>8,766 25 years
Cynan ab Iago10231039584016 years
Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd11701170<1 year

Wales (complete list)

The Principality of Wales (1216–1542) was a client state of England for much of its history, except for brief periods when it was de facto independent under a Welsh Prince of Wales (see House of Aberffraw). From 1301 it was first used as a title of the English (and later British) heir apparent. The Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 formally incorporated all of Wales within the Kingdom of England.

NameReignDuration
FromTo(days)(years, days)
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd125311 December 1282>10,572 29 years
Owain Glyndŵr 16 September 1400 1416>5,585 16 years
Owain Goch ap Gruffydd25 February 12461255>3,000 9 years
Owain Lawgoch May 1372July 1378>2,221 6 years
Dafydd ap Llywelyn12 April 124025 February 1246
Dafydd ap Gruffydd11 December 12823 October 1283 days

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Patricia Treble . 30 December 2014 . Palace calculations: Queen Elizabeth II set to lap Victoria . Maclean's . 4 September 2015.
  2. Web site: Official Website of the British Monarchy . 5 September 2015 . On 9 September 2015, The Queen will become the longest reigning British Monarch, surpassing Queen Victoria..
  3. News: 8 September 2022. Queen Elizabeth II has died, Buckingham Palace announces . en-GB . BBC News . 8 September 2022.
  4. Web site: Warren Gaebel . Longest Reigning British Monarch . 2015-06-15 . Warren Gaebel.
  5. Web site: 2015-01-03 . Elizabeth is about to become Britain's longest-reigning queen. Here's how she's changed monarchy . 2015-03-08 . The Spectator.
  6. Web site: Famous Stewarts . May 20, 2016 . stewartsociety.org.
  7. Web site: The Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.
  8. Web site: Royal And Parliamentary Titles Act 1927 . 2016-10-13 . Legislation.gov.uk.
  9. Skene, Chronicles of the Picts and Scots, p. 131

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