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After over 70 years as heir to the throne, King Charles was officially crowned as the reigning sovereign in September 2022.
When King Charles was coronated after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, the order of the line of succession shifted, with members of the British royal family both moving up and down in the line for the throne.
King Charles has officially been crowned monarch after being first in the line of succession for over 70 years. (Credit: Getty)
WHAT IS THE CURRENT LINE OF SUCCESSION?
As of February 2025, King Charles’ eldest son, Prince William, is first in the line of succession and will be the next member of the royal family to assume the throne.
Princess Royal Anne and Prince Edward are the only other working royals, meaning they will most likely step into Charles’ place at necessary events.
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Prince William and Princess Catherine’s eldest son, Prince George, is second in line for the throne, followed by his younger sister, Princess Charlotte.
In 2013, the Succession to the Crown Act introduced revisions to the line of succession that eliminated male preference. As a result, the eldest heir apparent now holds a higher position in the line of succession, regardless of gender.
As this revision applies only to royal heirs born after October 28, 2011, Princess Charlotte is the first of the female heirs to be ahead of her younger brother, Prince Louis, who is currently fourth in line for the throne.
Prince William is currently first in line to the throne, with his son Prince George now second. (Credit: Getty)
King Charles’ youngest son, Prince Harry, is currently fifth in line for the throne, with his two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, being sixth and seventh respectively.
Princess Catherine and Meghan Markle do not factor into the line of succession as they are not direct descendants of Queen Elizabeth II, with both being members of the British royal family by marriage.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s third child, Prince Andrew, is currently eighth in the line of succession, with his eldest daughter, Princess Beatrice, now ninth, followed by her daughter, Sienna Mapelli Mozzi. Her newest child, Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi who was born in January 2025, is now 11th in line to the throne.
Prince Andrew is currently eighth in line, followed by Princess Beatrice (R) and Princess Eugenie (L). (Credit: Getty)
Prince Andrew’s youngest daughter, Princess Eugenie, is currently 12th in line to the throne, followed by her eldest son, August Brooksbank.
Following the arrival of her youngest son Ernest in June 2023, Prince Edward, Princess Eugenie’s uncle, has now been bumped down in the line of succession, with the youngest child of the late Queen now 15th in line.
Anne, Princess Royal is behind her younger brothers and their children in the line of succession, with the Princess now being 18th in line. Her eldest child, Peter Phillips, is currently 19th in line, followed by his two daughters, Savannah and Isla.
Princess Anne’s youngest daughter, Zara Tindall, is 22nd in the line of succession, with her children Mia, Lena, and Lucas rounding out the direct line of succession.
Princess Anne’s two children, Peter and Zara, are the last of Queen Elizabeth II grandchildren in the line of succession. (Credit: Getty)
