The British Monarchy – the succession

The uktoursonline team would like to wish Prince George a very Happy 7th Birthday for the 22nd July! As soon as he was born, Prince George became third in line to the throne after his father, Prince William, and Grandfather, Prince Charles.

The line of succession in the British Monarchy can be confusing. Here are some handy pointers to steer you through:

Normally there is either a King or a Queen on the throne. We have only once had a King and Queen ruling in joint and equal name which was when William III and Mary II ascended to the throne in 1689.

If a King is married, his wife becomes Queen Consort, and thus becomes known as Queen Caroline or Queen Mary etc, even though she is not THE Queen. If her husband dies first, she does not inherit the throne.

If a Queen is married, her husband retains the title he had before she became Monarch and does not become King Consort. This is because the rank and titles follow the male line and the rank of wives are not bestowed upon their spouse. This is why today the Queen’s husband is called Prince Philip rather than King Philip.

The throne used to pass to the eldest son, missing out any daughters along the way. In 2013 this rule was changed and now the throne passes to the eldest born child regardless of the gender.

If Princes Charles, William and George take the throne under their current names, Charles would be King Charles III, William would be King William V and George would be King George VII.