This day of September 8, 2022 is sadly historic: Queen Elizabeth II died, after seventy years of reign. While Buckingham and the royal family follow the different stages of the very detailed protocol planned for these circumstances, the order of succession to the throne is updated: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and eldest son of the late sovereign, becomes the king Charles III.
Charles is not the only one to change status following the death of Elizabeth II: his son Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, automatically becomes Prince of Wales and heir to the throne in turn. Then come his three children, born of his marriage to Kate Middleton: Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis of Cambridge. This order – with Charlotte retaining her place ahead of her brother Louis – was thus established in 2013 thanks to the Act of Succession to the Crown which ended the rule of “male primogeniture” for children born after 2011. that a well-known royal title resurfaces and rightfully belongs to Kate Middleton, that of princess of walesworn by her iconic mother-in-law Lady Diana…
Although he distanced himself from the monarchy in 2020 to settle in California, Prince Harry is now in 5th position, ahead of his son Archie (6th) and daughter Lilibet (7th), born to his marriage to former American actress Meghan Markle. The “Megxit” certainly shook the Crown, but it did not change the order of succession.
Princess Anne and her children stay behind
Another royal scandal threatened the order of the legitimate descendants of Elizabeth II: the legal disputes of her second son Prince Andrew, Duke of York, accused of sexual assault on a minor in the United States… Fortunately, the daughters of the latter, born of his past marriage to Sarah Ferguson, princesses Beatrice (9th) and Eugenie (11th), ensured the future of the Yorks by giving birth to their first children in 2021: Sienna (10th) and August (12th).
In 13th place, we find the prince edwardEarl of Wessex, followed by his son James Mountbatten-Windsor (Viscount Severn) and his daughter Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsorborn of his marriage to Sophie, Countess of Wessex.
Princess Anne – left behind her brothers Andrew and Edward because she was not affected by the end of the rule on male primogeniture – completes the order of succession with her children and grandchildren: Peter Phillips (17th) and her daughters Savannah and Isla, born of her past marriage to Autumn Kelly, then Zara Tindall (20th) and her three children, Mia, Lena and Lucas, whom she shares with her husband Mike Tindall.
New order of succession to the British throne:
1. Prince William, Prince of Wales
2. Prince George of Cambridge
3. Princess Charlotte of Cambridge
4. Prince Louis of Cambridge
5. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
6. Archie Mountbatten-Windsor
7. Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor
8. Prince Andrew, Duke of York
9. Princess Beatrice of York
10. Sienna Mapelli Mozzi
11. Princess Eugenie of York
12. August Brooksbank
13. Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
14. James Mountbatten-Windsor, Viscount Severn
15. Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor
16. Princess Anne
17. Peter Phillips
18. Savannah Phillips
19. Island Phillips
20. Zara Tindall
21. Mia Tindall
22. Lena Tindall
23. Lucas Tindall