List of heirs to the English throne

This article is about heirs to the English throne until 1707. For heirs since the Union of England and Scotland in 1707, see List of heirs to the British throne.

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	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
Matilda, Countess of Anjou (Empress Matilda)	Heiress presumptive	Daughter	25 December 1126 Proclaimed heiress	22 December 1135 Throne usurped by 1st cousin Stephen, Count of Boulogne

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	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 Proclaimed heir[4]	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	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 John "Lackland" proclaimed king
No recognised heir 1199–1207					John
Henry of Winchester	Heir apparent	Son	1 October 1207 Born	28 October 1216 Became king
Richard, Earl of Cornwall	Heir presumptive	Brother	28 October 1216 Brother became king	17 June 1239 Son born to king	Henry III
Edward "Longshanks", Lord of Chester	Heir apparent	Son	17 June 1239 Born	20 November 1272 Became king
Henry	Heir apparent	Son	20 November 1272 Father became king	14 October 1274 Died	Edward I
Alphonso, Earl of Chester	Heir apparent	Son	14 October 1274 Brother died	19 August 1284 Died
Edward of Caernarfon, Prince of Wales	Heir apparent	Son	19 August 1284 Brother died	8 July 1307 Became king
Thomas of Brotherton, Earl of Norfolk	Heir presumptive	Half-brother	8 July 1307 Brother became king	13 November 1312 Son born to king	Edward II
Edward of Windsor, Earl of Chester	Heir apparent	Son	13 November 1312 Born	25 January 1327 Father abdicated, became king
John of Eltham, Earl of Cornwall	Heir presumptive	Brother	25 January 1327 Brother became king	15 June 1330 Son born to king	Edward III
Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales (Edward "the Black Prince")	Heir apparent	Son	15 June 1330 Born	8 June 1376 Died
Richard of Bordeaux, Prince of Wales	Heir apparent	Grandson	8 June 1376 Father died	22 June 1377 Became king
Since Richard II 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	22 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 1st cousin deposed, became king
Philippa Plantagenet, 5th Countess of Ulster	Potential heirs by cognatic primogeniture	1st cousin	22 June 1377 1st cousin became king	5 January 1382 Died
Roger Mortimer, 4th 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	Son	30 September 1399 Father became king	20 March 1413 Became king	Henry IV
Thomas, Duke of Clarence	Heir presumptive	Brother	20 March 1413 Brother became king	22 March 1421 Died	Henry V
John, Duke of Bedford	Heir presumptive	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[5]	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 Excluded from succeeding[6]
Richard, Duke of York	Heir apparent[6]	2nd cousin −1	25 October 1460	30 December 1460 Died
Edward, Duke of York	Heir apparent	3rd cousin	30 December 1460 Father died	4 March 1461 3rd cousin deposed, 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)[7]	Heir presumptive	Brother	4 March 1461 Brother became king	31 March 1470 Proclaimed traitor	Edward IV
No recognised heir Mar–Oct 1470[8]

1470 to 1471: The Lancasters

Heir	Status	Relationship to Monarch	Became heir Reason	Ceased to be heir Reason	Monarch
Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales	Heir apparent	Son	3 October 1470 Father restored as king	11 April 1471 Father deposed	Henry VI

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	Son	11 April 1471 Father restored as king	9 April 1483 Became king	Edward IV
Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York	Heir presumptive	Brother	9 April 1483 Brother became king	25 June 1483 Brother deposed, both declared illegitimate	Edward V
Edward of Middleham, Prince of Wales	Heir apparent	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	Son	20 September 1486 Born	2 April 1502 Died
Henry, Prince of Wales	Heir apparent	Son	2 April 1502 Brother died	21 April 1509 Became king
Margaret, Queen of Scotland[9][10]	Heiress presumptive	Sister	21 April 1509 Brother became king	1 January 1511 Son born to king	Henry VIII
Henry, Duke of Cornwall	Heir apparent	Son	1 January 1511 Born	22 February 1511 Died
Margaret, Queen of Scotland[9][10]	Heiress presumptive	Sister	22 February 1511 Nephew died	18 February 1516 Daughter born to king
Mary Tudor	Heiress presumptive	Daughter	18 February 1516 Born	23 March 1534 Declared illegitimate[11]
Elizabeth Tudor	Heiress presumptive[11]	Daughter	23 March 1534 Half-sister declared illegitimate	8 June 1536 Declared illegitimate[12]
No recognised heir 1536–1537[12]
Edward, Prince of Wales	Heir apparent	Son	12 October 1537 Born	28 January 1547 Became king
Mary Tudor	Heiress presumptive[13]	Half-sister	28 January 1547 Half-brother became king	21 June 1553 Excluded by letters patent[14]	Edward VI
Lady Jane Dudley (Lady Jane Grey)	Heiress presumptive[14]	1st cousin +1[15]	21 June 1553 Named in letters patent	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 Lady Jane's short reign is a matter of dispute, so are her heirs.
Katherine Herbert, Lady Herbert of Cardiff	Heiress presumptive	Sister	6 July 1553 Sister proclaimed queen	19 July 1553 Sister deposed	Jane (disputed)
Elizabeth Tudor	Heiress presumptive[13]	Half-sister	6 July 1553 Half-sister became queen	17 November 1558 Became queen	Mary I
Since Elizabeth I 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.[16] The following are the leaders of both lines:
Mary, Queen of Scots	Potential heirs by cognatic primogeniture	1st cousin +1[17]	17 November 1558 1st cousin +1 became queen	8 February 1587 Executed	Elizabeth I
King James VI of Scotland		1st cousin +2[18]	8 February 1587 Mother executed	24 March 1603 Became king
Katherine Seymour, Countess of Hertford[19]	Potential heirs by the will of Henry VIII	1st cousin +1[15]	17 November 1558 1st cousin +1 became queen	26 January 1568 Died
Lady Mary Keyes[19]		1st cousin +1[15]	26 January 1568 Sister died	20 April 1578 Died
Margaret Stanley, Dowager Countess of Derby[20]		1st cousin +1[21]	20 April 1578 1st cousin +1 died	28 September 1596 Died
Lady Anne Stanley[20]		1st cousin +3[22]	28 September 1596 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	Son	24 March 1603 Father became king	6 November 1612 Died	Charles, Duke of York Brother	James I
Charles, Prince of Wales	Heir apparent	Son	6 November 1612 Brother died	27 March 1625 Became king	Elizabeth, Electress Palatine Sister
Elizabeth, Electress Palatine	Heiress presumptive	Sister	27 March 1625 Brother became king	29 May 1630 Son born to king	Hereditary Prince Frederick Henry of the Palatinate 1625–1629, Son	Charles I
					Prince Charles Louis of the Palatinate 1629–1630, Son
Charles, Prince of Wales	Heir apparent	Son	29 May 1630 Born	30 January 1649 Proclaimed king	Elizabeth, Electress Palatine 1630–1631, Aunt
					Mary Stuart 1631–1633, Sister
					James, Duke of York 1633–1649, Brother
James, Duke of York	Heir presumptive	Brother	30 January 1649 Brother proclaimed King	6 February 1685 Became king	Henry, Duke of Gloucester 1649–1660, Brother	Charles II
					Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange Sep–Oct 1660, Sister
					Charles, Duke of Cambridge 1660–1661, Son
					William III, Prince of Orange 1661–1662, Nephew
					Mary Stuart 1662–1663, Daughter
					James, Duke of Cambridge 1663–1667, Son
					Mary Stuart Jun–Sep 1667, Daughter
					Edgar, Duke of Cambridge 1667–1671, Son
					Mary, Princess of Orange 1671–1677, Daughter
					Charles, Duke of Cambridge Nov–Dec 1677, Son
					Mary, Princess of Orange 1677–1685, Daughter
Mary, Princess of Orange	Heiress presumptive	Daughter	6 February 1685 Father became king	10 June 1688 Son born to king	Princess Anne of Denmark Sister	James II
James, Prince of Wales	Heir apparent	Son	10 June 1688 Born	13 February 1689 Father deposed, excluded from succeeding	Mary, Princess of Orange Sister
William III	Mutual heirs[23]	Husband	13 February 1689 Declaration of Right, 1689	28 December 1694 Became sole monarch	Princess Anne of Denmark[24] Sister(-in-law)	Mary II
Mary II		Wife		28 December 1694 Died		William III
Princess Anne of Denmark	Heiress presumptive[24]	Sister-in-law / 1st cousin	28 December 1694 Sister died	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[25]
Sophia, Dowager Electress of Hanover	Heiress presumptive[25]	1st cousin −1	8 March 1702 1st cousin -1 died	1 May 1707 Formation of the Kingdom of Great Britain[26]	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 Relation to heir	Pretender
James, Prince of Wales	Heir apparent	Son	13 February 1689 Father deposed	16 September 1701 Became pretender	Mary, Princess of Orange 1689–1694, Sister	James II
					Princess Anne of Denmark 1694–1701, Sister
Princess Anne of Denmark	Heiress presumptive	Sister	16 September 1701 Brother became pretender	1 August 1714 Died	Louisa Maria, Princess Royal 1701–1712, Sister	James 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 1st 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, Brother
Henry, Duke of York	Heir presumptive	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 2nd cousin +1 became pretender	14 October 1796 Died	Charles Emmanuel, Prince of Piedmont Son	Henry IX "Cardinal York"
Charles Emmanuel IV of Sardinia	Heir presumptive	2nd cousin +2	14 October 1796 Father died	13 July 1807 Last Stuart pretender died	Prince Victor Emmanuel of Savoy Brother

See also

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

Sources

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

References

1. "Robert [called Robert Curthose], duke of Normandy". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/23715. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)"William had made no explicit arrangements for the succession beyond the designation of Robert as his heir in Normandy."
2. Nichols, John (1780). A Collection of Royal and Noble Wills. London. p. 1.; "William II [known as William Rufus]". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/29449. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
3. Garnett, George (2007). Conquered England: Kingship, Succession, and Tenure 1066-1166. Oxford University Press. p. 206. ISBN 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. Treaty of Wallingford
5. Ross, Charles (1974). Edward IV. University of California Press. pp. 3–7. ISBN 978-0520027817.
6. Act of Accord
7. 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, Edward IV's oldest daughter, Elizabeth, upon her birth in 1466. Despite this, Edward IV, still hoping for the eventual birth of a son, never formerly named her as heir.
8. 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.
9. Beem, Charles (5 December 2019). Queenship in Early Modern Europe. Red Globe Press. ISBN 9781137005076.
10. Chapman, Hester W. (1974). The Sisters of Henry VIII. Chivers. p. 59. ISBN 9780859970068.
11. First Succession Act
12. Second Succession Act
13. Third Succession Act
14. Edward VI's devise for the succession - "the said imperial crowne ... shall remaine come and be to the Lady Jane, eldest daughter of the said Lady Frances"
15. Daughter of Frances Grey, Duchess of Suffolk, daughter of Mary Tudor, Queen of France, daughter of Henry VII of England
16. Joseph Robson Tanner (1951). Tudor Constitutional Documents, 1485–1603. Cambridge University Press. pp. 398–9.
17. Daughter of James V of Scotland, son of Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scotland, daughter of Henry VII of England
18. Son of Mary, Queen of Scots, daughter of James V of Scotland, son of Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scotland, daughter of Henry VII of England
19. Will of Henry VIII - "And if it shall fortune our said daughter, Elizabeth, to die without issue of her body lawfully begotten, ... we will that the said imperial crown ... shall wholly remain and come to the heirs of the body of the Lady Frances, our niece, eldest daughter to our late sister, the French Queen, lawfully begotten"
20. Will of Henry VIII - "And for default of such issue of the body of the said Lady Frances, we will that the said imperial crown ... shall wholly remain and come to the heirs of the body of the Lady Eleanor, our niece, second daughter to our said late sister, the French Queen, lawfully begotten"
21. Daughter of Eleanor Clifford, Countess of Cumberland, daughter of Mary Tudor, Queen of France, daughter of Henry VII of England
22. 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
23. Bill of Rights 1689 - "the crown and regal government of the said kingdoms ... shall be and continue to their said Majesties and the survivor of them during their lives and the life of the survivor of them"
24. Bill of Rights 1689 - "after [the deceases of William and Mary] the said crown and premises shall be and remain to the heirs of the body of her Majesty [there were none], and for default of such issue to her Royal Highness the Princess Anne of Denmark"
25. Act of Settlement 1701 - "the most excellent Princess Sophia, Electress and Duchess Dowager of Hanover ... be and is hereby declared to be the next in succession ... after His Majesty, and the Princess Anne of Denmark, and in default of issue of the said Princess Anne, and of His Majesty respectively"
26. Acts of Union 1707