Queen Elizabeth was born in Mayfair London as the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York. She was the elder sister of Princess Margaret who was born in 1930. Elizabeth was third in the line of succession during her grandfather’s reign. However, the coronation of her father after the abdication of Edward VIII, made her the heir presumptive.
The Queen ascended to the British throne in 1952. She was crowned after the death of her father king George VI on February 6, 1952. She was the world’s longest reigning monarch in history and was on the throne for nearly seven decades. After the sudden news of the Queen being under medical supervision at Balmoral castle in Scotland, followed by her death this afternoon, people are curious to know about who is next in the line for the British throne.
Who Is The Heir Of Queen Elizabeth?
It is quite common knowledge that Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, who is the firstborn of Queen Elizabeth will succeed the throne, but what about the rest of the royal family members? There is a proper sequence of the royal family members in the order in which they stand in line to the throne.
Firstly, Prince Charles is in line to succeed his mother, followed by his son Prince William holding the second position on the throne. Prince William and Kate Middleton’s (Duchess of Cambridge) son Prince George of Cambridge is the third in line to the throne after his father and grandfather. Princess Charlotte is fourth followed by Prince Louis. Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex is sixth. Prince Harry and Megan Markle’s son Archie Mountbatten Windsor is seventh in the line to the throne.
Lilibet Diana Mountbatten Windsor, Prince Andrew, and Princess Beatrice are eighth ninth, and tenth in line of succession respectively. After her elder sister Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie and her son Jack Brooksbank are eleventh and twelfth in line. Prince Edward is at thirteen followed by his son James and daughter Lady Louis. Princess Royal, Anne is sixteenth in line. Peter Phillips, and his two daughters Savannah and Isla are on number seventeen, eighteen, and nineteen respectively. Finally the daughter of Princess Anne, Tindall is twentieth in the line of the throne.
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How Does The Royal Line Of Succession Work?
The crown is normally passed from the reigning king to the eldest son. The heir to the throne is always called the Prince of Wales. If the monarch has no son, the throne passes to the eldest daughter. Although the princess royal is older than her brothers, the Duke of York and Earl of the Wessex, they have a place before her in the order of succession. This system was however changed in 2013. Now the oldest child succeeds the throne regardless of being a daughter or son.
Firstly, to be considered listed in the line of succession you must be a member of the royal family or as it is known, the royal firm. There are other elements like religion, legitimacy, and sex which affects a royal’s position in this line. According to the law, Roman Catholics are banned from taking the throne. Hence, anyone who ascends the throne must be a Christian and a protestant. If someone dies or abdicates before becoming the king or queen, the person next in the line will take over the throne.
According to the Royal Family website “The Sovereign must, in addition, be in communion with the Church of England and must swear to preserve the established Church of England and the established Church of Scotland.”
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