List of rulers in the British Isles

This is a list of rulers in the British Isles. The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles and over six thousand smaller islands.

In 1603, King James VI of Scotland also became James I of England, joining the crowns of England and Scotland in personal union. By royal proclamation, James styled himself "King of Great Britain", but no such kingdom was actually created until 1707, when England and Scotland united to form the new Kingdom of Great Britain, with a single British parliament sitting at Westminster, during the reign of Queen Anne.

House of Wessex
Alfred was king of Wessex from 871.

c. 886 – 26 October 899
 * Alfred the Great
 * Alfred the Great

and Osburh Gainsborough 868 5 children Aged about 50
 * Alfred - MS Royal 14 B VI.jpg
 * 849 Son of Æthelwulf of Wessex
 * Ealhswith
 * 26 October 899
 * Son of Æthelwulf of Wessex Treaty of Wedmore

26 October 899 – 17 July 924  and Ealhswith c. 893 2 children Ælfflæd c. 900 8 children Eadgifu c. 919 4 children Aged about 50
 * Edward the Elder
 * Edward the Elder
 * Edward the Elder - MS Royal 14 B VI.jpg
 * c. 874 Son of Alfred
 * Ecgwynn
 * 17 July 924
 * Son of Alfred


 * }

Disputed
There is some evidence that Ælfweard of Wessex may have been king in 924, between his father Edward the Elder and his brother Æthelstan, although he was not crowned. A 12th-century list of kings gives him a reign length of four weeks, though one manuscript of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle says he died only 16 days after his father. However, that he ruled is not accepted by all historians. Also, it is unclear whether—if Ælfweard was declared king—it was over the whole kingdom or of Wessex only. One interpretation of the ambiguous evidence is that when Edward died, Ælfweard was declared king in Wessex and Æthelstan in Mercia.

c. 17 July 924 – 2 August 924  and Ælfflæd No children Aged about 23
 * Ælfweard
 * Ælfweard
 * No image.svg
 * c. 901 Son of Edward the Elder
 * 2 August 924
 * Son of Edward the Elder


 * }

924 King of the Anglo-Saxons (924–927) – King of the English (927–939)27 October 939 (14–15 years) and Ecgwynn Aged about 45
 * Æthelstan
 * Æthelstan
 * Aethelstan1 of England.jpg
 * 894 Son of Edward the Elder
 * Unmarried
 * 27 October 939
 * Son of Edward the Elder

27 October 939 – 26 May 946  and Eadgifu of Kent 2 sons Æthelflæd of Damerham 944 No children Pucklechurch Killed in a brawl aged about 25
 * Edmund I
 * Edmund I
 * Edmund I - MS Royal 14 B VI.jpg
 * c. 921 Son of Edward the Elder
 * Ælfgifu of Shaftesbury
 * 26 May 946
 * Son of Edward the Elder

26 May 946 – 23 November 955  and Eadgifu of Kent Frome Aged about 32
 * Eadred
 * Eadred
 * Eadred - MS Royal 14 B VI.jpg
 * c. 923 Son of Edward the Elder
 * Unmarried
 * 23 November 955
 * Son of Edward the Elder

23 November 955 – 1 October 959  and Ælfgifu of Shaftesbury No verified children Aged about 19
 * Eadwig
 * Eadwig
 * Eadwig - MS Royal 14 B VI.jpg
 * c. 940 Son of Edmund I
 * Ælfgifu
 * 1 October 959
 * Son of Edmund I

1 October 959 – 8 July 975 (23 years, 177 days) Wessex Son of Edmund I and Ælfgifu of Shaftesbury c. 960 1 son Ælfthryth c. 964 2 sons Winchester Aged 31
 * Edgar the Peaceful
 * Edgar the Peaceful
 * Edgar - MS Royal 14 B VI.jpg
 * c. 943
 * Æthelflæd
 * 8 July 975
 * Son of Edmund I

8 July 975 – 18 March 978 (22 years, 321 days) and Æthelflæd Corfe Castle Murdered aged about 16
 * Edward the Martyr
 * Edward the Martyr
 * Edward the Martyr - MS Royal 14 B V.jpg
 * c. 962 Son of Edgar the Peaceful
 * Unmarried
 * 18 March 978
 * Son of Edgar the Peaceful

Æthelred Æthelred the Unready 18 March 978 – 1013 (34–35 years) and Ælfthryth 991 9 children Emma of Normandy 1002 3 children London Aged about 48
 * (1st reign)
 * (1st reign)
 * EthelUn.jpg
 * c. 968 Son of Edgar the Peaceful
 * Ælfgifu of York
 * 23 April 1016
 * Son of Edgar the Peaceful


 * }

House of Denmark
England came under the control of Sweyn Forkbeard, a Danish king, after an invasion in 1013, during which Æthelred abandoned the throne and went into exile in Normandy.

Sweyn Forkbeard 25 December 1013 – 3 February 1014  Denmark Son of Tove of the Obotrites and Harald Bluetooth c. 990 7 children Sigrid the Haughty c. 1000 1 daughter Gainsborough Aged 50
 * Sweyn
 * Sweyn
 * Sweyn Forkbeard.jpg
 * 17 April 963
 * Gunhild of Wenden
 * 3 February 1014
 * Right of conquest


 * }

House of Wessex (restored, first time)
Following the death of Sweyn Forkbeard, Æthelred the Unready returned from exile and was again proclaimed king on 3 February 1014. His son succeeded him after being chosen king by the citizens of London and a part of the Witan, despite ongoing Danish efforts to wrest the crown from the West Saxons.

Æthelred Æthelred the Unready 3 February 1014 – 23 April 1016 (23 years, 103 days) and Ælfthryth 991 9 children Emma of Normandy 1002 3 children London Aged about 48
 * (2nd reign)
 * (2nd reign)
 * EthelUn.jpg
 * c. 968 Son of Edgar the Peaceful
 * Ælfgifu of York
 * 23 April 1016
 * Son of Edgar the Peaceful

23 April 1016 – 30 November 1016  and Ælfgifu of York 2 children Glastonbury Aged 26
 * Edmund Ironside
 * Edmund Ironside
 * Edmund Ironside - MS Royal 14 B VI.jpg
 * c. 990 Son of Æthelred
 * Edith of East Anglia
 * 30 November 1016
 * Son of Æthelred


 * }

House of Denmark (restored)
Following the decisive Battle of Assandun on 18 October 1016, King Edmund signed a treaty with Cnut (Canute) under which all of England except for Wessex would be controlled by Cnut. Upon Edmund's death just over a month later on 30 November, Cnut ruled the whole kingdom as its sole king for nineteen years.

Cnut the Great 18 October 1016 – 12 November 1035  and Gunhilda of Poland 2 sons Emma of Normandy 1017 2 children Shaftesbury Aged about 40
 * Canute
 * Cnut the Great - MS Royal 14 B VI.jpg
 * c. 995 Son of Sweyn Forkbeard
 * Ælfgifu of Northampton
 * 12 November 1035
 * Son of Sweyn Treaty of Deerhurst

12 November 1035 – 17 March 1040 (22 years, 199 days) and Ælfgifu of Northampton Oxford Aged about 24
 * Harold Harefoot
 * Harold Harefoot
 * Harold Harefoot - MS Royal 14 B VI.jpg
 * c. 1016 Son of Canute
 * 17 March 1040
 * 17 March 1040
 * Son of Canute

17 March 1040 – 8 June 1042  and Emma of Normandy Lambeth Aged about 24
 * Harthacnut
 * Harthacnut
 * Harthacnut - MS Royal 14 B VI.jpg
 * 1018 Son of Canute
 * Unmarried
 * 8 June 1042
 * Son of Canute


 * }

House of Wessex (restored, second time)
After Harthacnut, there was a brief Saxon Restoration between 1042 and 1066.

8 June 1042 – 5 January 1066 (22 years, 334 days) Islip Son of Æthelred and Emma of Normandy 23 January 1045 No children Westminster Palace Aged about 63
 * Edward the Confessor
 * Edward the Confessor
 * Edward the Confessor - MS Royal 14 B VI.jpg
 * c. 1003
 * Edith of Wessex
 * 5 January 1066
 * Son of Æthelred


 * }

House of Godwin
6 January 1066 – 14 October 1066 (23 years, 21 days) and Gytha Thorkelsdóttir 5 children Ealdgyth c. 1064 2 sons Hastings Died in battle aged about 44
 * Harold Godwinson
 * Harold Godwinson
 * Harold Godwinson - MS Royal 14 B VI.jpg
 * c. 1022 Son of Godwin of Wessex
 * Edith Swannesha
 * 14 October 1066
 * Supposedly named heir by Edward the Confessor Elected by the Witenagemot


 * }

House of Wessex (restored, third time)
After King Harold was killed at the Battle of Hastings, the Witan elected Edgar Ætheling as king. He ruled but was never crowned. He eventually abdicated his kingship and submitted to King William the Conqueror.

Edgar Ætheling 15 October 1066 – 17 December 1066  and Agatha Aged about 75
 * Edgar the Ætheling.jpg
 * c. 1051 Son of Edward the Exile
 * Unmarried
 * c. 1126
 * Grandson of Edmund Ironside Elected by the Witenagemot


 * }

House of Normandy
In 1066, several rival claimants to the English throne emerged. Among them were Harold Godwinson, recognised as king by the Witenagemot after the death of Edward the Confessor, as well as Harald Hardrada, King of Norway who claimed to be the rightful heir of Harthacnut, and Duke William II of Normandy, vassal to the King of France, and first cousin once-removed of Edward the Confessor. Harald and William both invaded separately in 1066. Godwinson successfully repelled the invasion by Hardrada, but ultimately lost the throne of England in the Norman conquest of England.

After the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, William the Conqueror made permanent the recent removal of the capital from Winchester to London. Following the death of Harold Godwinson at Hastings, the Anglo-Saxon Witenagemot elected as king Edgar the Ætheling, the son of Edward the Exile and grandson of Edmund Ironside. The young monarch was unable to resist the invaders and was never crowned. William was crowned King William I of England on Christmas Day 1066, in Westminster Abbey, and is today known as William the Conqueror, William the Bastard or William I.

William the Conqueror 25 December 1066 – 9 September 1087  Falaise Castle Son of Robert the Magnificent and Herleva Normandy 1053 9 children Rouen Aged about 59
 * William I
 * William I
 * Vilem1.jpg
 * c. 1028
 * Matilda of Flanders
 * 9 September 1087
 * Supposedly named heir in 1052 by Edward the Confessor First cousin once removed of Edward the Confessor Right of conquest

William Rufus 26 September 1087 – 2 August 1100  Normandy Son of William the Conqueror and Matilda of Flanders New Forest Shot with an arrow aged 44
 * William II
 * William II
 * William II of England.jpg
 * c. 1056
 * Unmarried
 * 2 August 1100
 * Son of William I Granted the Kingdom of England over elder brother Robert Curthose

Henry Beauclerc 5 August 1100 – 1 December 1135 (23 years, 65 days) Selby Son of William the Conqueror and Matilda of Flanders Westminster Abbey 11 November 1100 2 children Adeliza of Louvain Windsor Castle 29 January 1121 No children Saint-Denis-en-Lyons Aged 67
 * Henry I
 * Henry I
 * Henry1.jpg
 * September 1068
 * Matilda of Scotland
 * 1 December 1135
 * Son of William I Seizure of the Crown (from Robert Curthose)


 * }

House of Blois
Henry I left no legitimate male heirs, his son William Adelin having died in the White Ship disaster. This ended the direct Norman line of kings in England. Henry named his eldest daughter, Matilda (Countess of Anjou by her second marriage to Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, as well as widow of her first husband, Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor), as his heir. Before naming Matilda as heir, he had been in negotiations to name his nephew Stephen of Blois as his heir. When Henry died, Stephen invaded England, and in a coup d'etat had himself crowned instead of Matilda. The period which followed is known as The Anarchy, as parties supporting each side fought in open warfare both in Britain and on the continent for the better part of two decades.

Stephen of Blois 22 December 1135 – 25 October 1154  Blois Son of Stephen II of Blois and Adela of Normandy Westminster 1125 6 children Dover Castle Aged about 58
 * Stephen
 * Stephen
 * Stepan Blois.jpg
 * c. 1096
 * Matilda of Boulogne
 * 25 October 1154
 * Grandson of William I Appointment / usurpation


 * }

Disputed claimants
Matilda was declared heir presumptive by her father, Henry I, after the death of her brother on the White Ship, and acknowledged as such by the barons. Upon Henry I's death, the throne was seized by Matilda's cousin, Stephen of Blois. During the ensuing Anarchy, Matilda controlled England for a few months in 1141—the first woman to do so—but was never crowned and is rarely listed as a monarch of England.

Matilda Empress Matilda 7 April 1141 – 1 November 1141 (23 years, 4 days) Sutton Courtenay Daughter of Henry I and Edith of Scotland Mainz Cathedral 6 January 1114 No children Geoffrey Plantagenet Le Mans Cathedral 22 May 1128 3 sons Rouen Aged 65
 * (Title disputed)
 * (Title disputed)
 * Empress Mathilda.png
 * 7 February 1102
 * Henry V of the Holy Roman Empire
 * 10 September 1167
 * Daughter of Henry I Seizure of the Crown


 * }

Count Eustace IV of Boulogne (c. 1130 – 17 August 1153) was appointed co-king of England by his father, King Stephen, on 6 April 1152, in order to guarantee his succession to the throne (as was the custom in France, but not in England). The Pope and the Church would not agree to this, and Eustace was not crowned. Eustace died the next year aged 23, during his father's lifetime, and so never became king in his own right.

House of Anjou
King Stephen came to an agreement with Matilda in November 1153 with the signing of the Treaty of Wallingford, where Stephen recognised Henry, son of Matilda and her second husband Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, as the designated heir. The royal house descended from Matilda and Geoffrey is widely known by two names, the House of Anjou (after Geoffrey's title as Count of Anjou) or the House of Plantagenet, after his sobriquet. Some historians prefer to group the subsequent kings into two groups, before and after the loss of the bulk of their French possessions, although they are not different royal houses.

The Angevins (from the French term meaning "from Anjou") ruled over the Angevin Empire during the 12th and 13th centuries, an area stretching from the Pyrenees to Ireland. They did not regard England as their primary home until most of their continental domains were lost by King John. The direct, eldest male line from Henry II includes monarchs commonly grouped together as the House of Plantagenet, which was the name given to the dynasty after the loss of most of their continental possessions, while cadet branches of this line became known as the House of Lancaster and the House of York during the War of the Roses.

The Angevins formulated England's royal coat of arms, which usually showed other kingdoms held or claimed by them or their successors, although without representation of Ireland for quite some time. Dieu et mon droit has generally been used as the motto of English monarchs since being adopted by Edward III, but it was first used as a battle cry by Richard I in 1198 at the Battle of Gisors, when he defeated the forces of Philip II of France, after which he made it his motto.

Henry Curtmantle 19 December 1154 – 6 July 1189  Le Mans Son of Geoffrey V of Anjou and Matilda Bordeaux Cathedral 18 May 1152 8 children Chinon Aged 56
 * Henry II
 * Henry II
 * Henry II of England.jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1154-1189).svg
 * 5 March 1133
 * Eleanor of Aquitaine
 * 6 July 1189
 * Grandson of Henry I Treaty of Wallingford

Richard the Lionheart 3 September 1189 – 6 April 1199 (23 years) Beaumont Palace Son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine Limassol 12 May 1191 No children Châlus Shot by a quarrel aged 41
 * Richard I
 * Richard I
 * Richard coeurdelion g.jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1189-1198).svg
 * 8 September 1157
 * Berengaria of Navarre
 * 6 April 1199
 * Son of Henry II Primogeniture

John Lackland 27 May 1199 – 19 October 1216  Beaumont Palace Son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine Marlborough Castle 29 August 1189 No children Isabella of Angoulême Bordeaux Cathedral 24 August 1200 5 children Newark-on-Trent Aged 49
 * John
 * John
 * John of England (John Lackland).jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1198-1340).svg
 * 24 December 1166
 * Isabel of Gloucester
 * 19 October 1216
 * Son of Henry II Proximity of blood
 * }

Henry II named his son, another Henry (1155–1183), as co-ruler with him. But this was a Norman custom of designating an heir, and the younger Henry did not outlive his father and rule in his own right, so he is not counted as a monarch on lists of kings.

Disputed claimant
Louis VIII of France briefly won about half of England over to his side from 1216 to 1217 at the conclusion of the First Barons' War against King John. On marching into London he was openly received by the rebel barons and citizens of London and proclaimed (though not crowned) king at St Paul's cathedral. Many nobles, including Alexander II of Scotland, gathered to give homage to him. However, in signing the Treaty of Lambeth in 1217, Louis conceded that he had never been the legitimate king of England.

Louis Louis VIII the Lion 1216 – 22 September 1217 (1 year) Paris Son of Philip II of France and Isabella of Hainault Port-Mort 23 May 1200 13 children Montpensier Aged 39
 * (Title disputed)
 * (Title disputed)
 * Louis8.png
 * France Ancient Arms.svg
 * 5 September 1187
 * Blanche of Castile
 * 8 November 1226
 * Right of conquest
 * }

House of Plantagenet
The House of Plantagenet takes its name from Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, husband of the Empress Matilda and father of Henry II. The name Plantagenet itself was unknown as a family name per se until Richard of York adopted it as his family name in the 15th century. It has since been retroactively applied to English monarchs from Henry II onward. It is common among modern historians to refer to Henry II and his sons as the "Angevins" due to their vast continental Empire, and most of the Angevin kings before John spent more time in their continental possessions than in England.

It is from the time of Henry III, after the loss of most of the family's continental possessions, that the Plantagenet kings became more English in nature. The Houses of Lancaster and York are cadet branches of the House of Plantagenet.

Henry of Winchester 28 October 1216 – 16 November 1272  Winchester Castle Son of John and Isabella of Angoulême Canterbury Cathedral 14 January 1236 5 children Westminster Palace Aged 65
 * Henry III
 * Henry III
 * Henrytreti.jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1198-1340).svg
 * 1 October 1207
 * Eleanor of Provence
 * 16 November 1272
 * Son of John Primogeniture

Edward Longshanks 20 November 1272 – 7 July 1307  Palace of Westminster Son of Henry III and Eleanor of Provence Abbey of Santa María la Real de Las Huelgas 18 October 1254 16 children Margaret of France Canterbury 10 September 1299 3 children Burgh by Sands Aged 68
 * Edward I
 * Edward I
 * Eduard2.jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1198-1340).svg
 * 17 June 1239
 * Eleanor of Castile
 * 7 July 1307
 * Son of Henry III Primogeniture

Edward of Caernarfon 8 July 1307 – 20 January 1327 (22 years, 319 days) Caernarfon Castle Son of Edward I and Eleanor of Castile Boulogne Cathedral 24 January 1308 4 children Berkeley Castle Murdered aged 43
 * Edward II
 * Edward II
 * Edward II - British Library Royal 20 A ii f10 (detail).jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1198-1340).svg
 * 25 April 1284
 * Isabella of France
 * 21 September 1327
 * Son of Edward I Primogeniture

25 January 1327 – 21 June 1377  Windsor Castle Son of Edward II and Isabella of France York Minster 25 January 1328 14 children Sheen Palace Aged 64
 * Edward III
 * Edward III
 * Edward III of England (Order of the Garter).jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1198-1340).svg
 * 13 November 1312
 * Philippa of Hainault
 * 21 June 1377
 * Son of Edward II Primogeniture

22 June 1377 – 29 September 1399  Bordeaux Son of Edward the Black Prince and Joan of Kent 14 January 1382 No children Isabella of Valois Calais 4 November 1396 No children Pontefract Castle Aged 33
 * Richard II
 * Richard II
 * Richard II King of England.jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1395-1399).svg
 * 6 January 1367
 * Anne of Bohemia
 * 14 February 1400
 * Grandson of Edward III Primogeniture


 * }

House of Lancaster
This house descended from Edward III's third surviving son, John of Gaunt. Henry IV seized power from Richard II (and also displaced the next in line to the throne, Edmund Mortimer (then aged 7), a descendant of Edward III's second son, Lionel of Antwerp).

Henry of Bolingbroke 30 September 1399 – 20 March 1413  Bolingbroke Castle Son of John of Gaunt and Blanche of Lancaster Arundel Castle 27 July 1380 6 children Joanna of Navarre Winchester Cathedral 7 February 1403 No children Westminster Abbey Aged 45
 * Henry IV
 * Henry IV
 * Illumination of Henry IV (cropped).jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1340-1367).svg
 * 15 April 1367
 * Mary de Bohun
 * 20 March 1413
 * Grandson / heir male of Edward III Usurpation / agnatic primogeniture

21 March 1413 – 31 August 1422  Monmouth Castle Son of Henry IV and Mary de Bohun Troyes Cathedral 2 June 1420 1 son Château de Vincennes Aged 36
 * Henry V
 * Henry V
 * Henry5.JPG
 * Royal Arms of England (1399-1603).svg
 * 16 September 1386
 * Catherine of Valois
 * 31 August 1422
 * Son of Henry IV Agnatic primogeniture

Henry VI 1 September 1422 – 4 March 1461 (23 years, 181 days) Windsor Castle Son of Henry V and Catherine of Valois Titchfield Abbey 22 April 1445 1 son Tower of London Allegedly murdered aged 49
 * (1st reign)
 * (1st reign)
 * King Henry VI.jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1399-1603).svg
 * 6 December 1421
 * Margaret of Anjou
 * 21 May 1471
 * Son of Henry V Agnatic primogeniture


 * }

House of York
The House of York claimed the right to the throne through Edward III's second surviving son, Lionel of Antwerp, but it inherited its name from Edward's fourth surviving son, Edmund of Langley, first Duke of York.

The Wars of the Roses (1455–1485) saw the throne pass back and forth between the rival houses of Lancaster and York.

Edward IV 4 March 1461 – 3 October 1470 (23 years, 93 days) Rouen Son of Richard of York and Cecily Neville Grafton Regis 1 May 1464 10 children Westminster Palace Aged 40
 * (1st reign)
 * (1st reign)
 * EdwardIVofEngland-Yorkist.jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1399-1603).svg
 * 28 April 1442
 * Elizabeth Woodville
 * 9 April 1483
 * Great-great-grandson / heir general of Edward III Seizure of the Crown Cognatic primogeniture


 * }

House of Lancaster (restored)
Henry VI 3 October 1470 – 11 April 1471 (23 years, 115 days) Windsor Castle Son of Henry V and Catherine of Valois Titchfield Abbey 22 April 1445 1 son Tower of London Allegedly murdered aged 49
 * (2nd reign)
 * (2nd reign)
 * King Henry VI.jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1470-1471).svg
 * 6 December 1421
 * Margaret of Anjou
 * 21 May 1471
 * Son of Henry V Seizure of the Crown


 * }

House of York (restored)
Edward IV 11 April 1471 – 9 April 1483 (22 years, 237 days) Rouen Son of Richard of York and Cecily Neville Grafton Regis 1 May 1464 10 children Westminster Palace Aged 40
 * (2nd reign)
 * (2nd reign)
 * EdwardIVofEngland-Yorkist.jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1399-1603).svg
 * 28 April 1442
 * Elizabeth Woodville
 * 9 April 1483
 * Great-great-grandson / heir general of Edward III Seizure of the Crown Cognatic primogeniture

9 April 1483 – 25 June 1483 (22 years, 283 days) Westminster Son of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville London Allegedly murdered aged 12
 * Edward V
 * Edward V
 * King Edward V from NPG.jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1399-1603).svg
 * 2 November 1470
 * Unmarried
 * Disappeared mid-1483
 * Son of Edward IV Cognatic primogeniture

26 June 1483 – 22 August 1485  Fotheringhay Castle Son of Richard of York and Cecily Neville Westminster Abbey 12 July 1472 1 son Bosworth Field Killed in battle aged 32
 * Richard III
 * Richard III
 * King Richard III from NPG.jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1399-1603).svg
 * 2 October 1452
 * Anne Neville
 * 22 August 1485
 * Great-great-grandson of Edward III Titulus Regius


 * }

House of Tudor
The Tudors descended in the female line from John Beaufort, one of the illegitimate children of John of Gaunt (third surviving son of Edward III), by Gaunt's long-term mistress Katherine Swynford. Those descended from English monarchs only through an illegitimate child would normally have no claim on the throne, but the situation was complicated when Gaunt and Swynford eventually married in 1396 (25 years after John Beaufort's birth). In view of the marriage, the church retroactively declared the Beauforts legitimate via a papal bull the same year. Parliament did the same in an Act in 1397. A subsequent proclamation by John of Gaunt's legitimate son, King Henry IV, also recognised the Beauforts' legitimacy, but declared them ineligible ever to inherit the throne. Nevertheless, the Beauforts remained closely allied with Gaunt's other descendants, the Royal House of Lancaster.

John Beaufort's granddaughter Lady Margaret Beaufort was married to Edmund Tudor. Tudor was the son of Welsh courtier Owain Tudur (anglicised to Owen Tudor) and Catherine of Valois, the widow of the Lancastrian King Henry V. Edmund Tudor and his siblings were either illegitimate, or the product of a secret marriage, and owed their fortunes to the goodwill of their legitimate half-brother King Henry VI. When the House of Lancaster fell from power, the Tudors followed.

By the late 15th century, the Tudors were the last hope for the Lancaster supporters. Edmund Tudor's son became king as Henry VII after defeating Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, winning the Wars of the Roses. King Henry married Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV, thereby uniting the Lancastrian and York lineages. (See family tree.)

With Henry VIII's break from the Roman Catholic Church, the monarch became the Supreme Head of the Church of England and of the Church of Ireland. Elizabeth I's title became the Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

22 August 1485 – 21 April 1509  Pembroke Castle Son of Edmund Tudor and Margaret Beaufort Westminster Abbey 18 January 1486 8 children Richmond Palace Aged 52
 * Henry VII
 * Henry VII
 * King Henry VII from NPG.jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1399-1603).svg
 * 28 January 1457
 * Elizabeth of York
 * 21 April 1509
 * Great-great-great-grandson of Edward III Right of conquest

22 April 1509 – 28 January 1547  Greenwich Palace Son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York Greenwich 11 June 1509 1 daughter Anne Boleyn Westminster Palace 25 January 1533 1 daughter Jane Seymour Whitehall Palace 30 May 1536 1 son 3 further marriages No more children Whitehall Palace Aged 55
 * Henry VIII
 * Henry VIII
 * [[File:Hans Holbein, the Younger, Around 1497-1543 - Portrait of Henry VIII of England - Google Art Project.jpg|80px|Henry VIII, by Hans Holbein, c.1536]]
 * Royal Arms of England (1399-1603).svg
 * 28 June 1491
 * Catherine of Aragon
 * 28 January 1547
 * Son of Henry VII Primogeniture

28 January 1547 – 6 July 1553  Hampton Court Palace Son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour Greenwich Palace Aged 15
 * Edward VI
 * Edward VI
 * Portrait of Edward VI of England.jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1399-1603).svg
 * 12 October 1537
 * Unmarried
 * 6 July 1553
 * Son of Henry VIII Primogeniture


 * }

Disputed claimant
Edward VI named Lady Jane Grey as his heir in his will, overruling the order of succession laid down by Parliament in the Third Succession Act. Four days after his death on 6 July 1553, Jane was proclaimed queen—the first of three Tudor women to be proclaimed queen regnant. Nine days after the proclamation, on 19 July, the Privy Council switched allegiance and proclaimed Edward VI's Catholic half-sister Mary queen. Jane was executed for treason in 1554, aged 16.

Jane 10 July 1553 – 19 July 1553 (Overthrown after 22 years, 259 days) Bradgate Park Daughter of the 1st Duke of Suffolk and Frances Brandon The Strand 21 May 1553 No children Tower of London Executed aged 16
 * (Title disputed)
 * (Title disputed)
 * Streathamladyjayne.jpg
 * Arms of Grey Family.svg
 * October 1537
 * Guildford Dudley
 * 12 February 1554
 * Great-granddaughter of Henry VII Devise for the Succession


 * }

Bloody Mary 19 July 1553 – 17 November 1558  Greenwich Palace Daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon Winchester Cathedral 25 July 1554 No children St James's Palace Aged 42
 * Mary I
 * Mary I
 * Anthonis Mor 001.jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1554-1558).svg
 * 18 February 1516
 * Philip II of Spain
 * 17 November 1558
 * Daughter of Henry VIII Third Succession Act

Philip 25 July 1554 – 17 November 1558  Valladolid Son of Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire and Isabella of Portugal Winchester Cathedral 25 July 1554 No children ''3 other marriages 7 children'' El Escorial Aged 71
 * (Jure uxoris)
 * (Jure uxoris)
 * Philip, King of England.jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1554-1558).svg
 * 21 May 1527
 * Mary I of England
 * 13 September 1598
 * Husband of Mary I Act for the Marriage of Queen Mary to Philip of Spain
 * N/A


 * }

Under the terms of the marriage treaty between Philip I of Naples (Philip II of Spain from 15 January 1556) and Queen Mary I, Philip was to enjoy Mary's titles and honours for as long as their marriage should last. All official documents, including Acts of Parliament, were to be dated with both their names, and Parliament was to be called under the joint authority of the couple. An Act of Parliament gave him the title of king and stated that he "shall aid her Highness … in the happy administration of her Grace's realms and dominions" (although elsewhere the Act stated that Mary was to be "sole queen"). Nonetheless, Philip was to co-reign with his wife.

As the new King of England could not read English, it was ordered that a note of all matters of state should be made in Latin or Spanish. Coins were minted showing the heads of both Mary and Philip, and the coat of arms of England (pictured right) was impaled with Philip's to denote their joint reign. Acts which made it high treason to deny Philip's royal authority were passed in England and Ireland. In 1555, Pope Paul IV issued a papal bull recognising Philip and Mary as rightful King and Queen of Ireland.

17 November 1558 – 24 March 1603  Greenwich Palace Daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn Richmond Palace Aged 69
 * Elizabeth I
 * Elizabeth I
 * Elizabeth I Rainbow Portrait3.jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1399-1603).svg
 * 7 September 1533
 * Unmarried
 * 24 March 1603
 * Daughter of Henry VIII Third Succession Act


 * }

House of Stuart
Following the death of Elizabeth I in 1603 without issue, her first cousin twice removed, King James VI of Scotland, succeeded to the English throne as James I in the Union of the Crowns. James was descended from the Tudors through his great-grandmother, Margaret Tudor, the eldest daughter of Henry VII and wife of James IV of Scotland. In 1604, he adopted the title King of Great Britain. However, the two parliaments remained separate until the Acts of Union 1707.

24 March 1603 – 27 March 1625  Edinburgh Castle Son of Mary, Queen of Scots and Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley Oslo 23 November 1589 7 children Theobalds House Aged 58
 * James I
 * James I
 * JamesIEngland.jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1603-1707).svg
 * 19 June 1566
 * Anne of Denmark
 * 27 March 1625
 * Great-great-grandson / heir general of Henry VII

27 March 1625 – 30 January 1649  Dunfermline Palace Son of James I and Anne of Denmark St Augustine's Abbey 13 June 1625 9 children Whitehall Palace Executed aged 48
 * Charles I
 * Charles I
 * King Charles I after original by van Dyck.jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1603-1707).svg
 * 19 November 1600
 * Henrietta Maria of France
 * 30 January 1649
 * Son of James I Cognatic primogeniture


 * }

Interregnum
No monarch reigned between the execution of Charles I in 1649 and the Restoration of Charles II in 1660. Between 1649 and 1653, there was no single English head of state, as England was ruled directly by the Rump Parliament with the English Council of State acting as executive power during a period known as the Commonwealth of England. After a coup d'etat in 1653, Oliver Cromwell forcibly took control of England from Parliament. He dissolved the Rump Parliament at the head of a military force and England entered a period known as The Protectorate, under Cromwell's direct control with the title Lord Protector.

It was within the power of the Lord Protector to choose his heir and Oliver Cromwell chose his eldest son, Richard Cromwell, to succeed him. Richard lacked both the ability to rule and confidence of the Army, and he was forcibly removed by the English Committee of Safety under the leadership of Charles Fleetwood in May 1659. England again lacked any single head of state during several months of conflict between Fleetwood's party and that of George Monck. Monck took control of the country in December 1659, and after almost a year of anarchy, the monarchy was formally restored when Charles II returned from France to accept the throne of England. This was following the Declaration of Breda and an invitation to reclaim the throne from the Convention Parliament of 1660.

16 December 1653 – 3 September 1658  Huntingdon Son of Robert Cromwell and Elizabeth Steward St Giles 22 August 1620 9 children Whitehall Aged 59
 * + Lords Protector
 * Oliver Cromwell
 * Oliver Cromwell
 * Oliver Cromwell by Robert Walker.jpg
 * Arms of the Protectorate (1653–1659).svg
 * 25 April 1599
 * Elizabeth Bourchier
 * 3 September 1658

Tumbledown Dick 3 September 1658 – 7 May 1659 (23 years, 119 days) Huntingdon Son of Oliver Cromwell and Elizabeth Bourchier May 1649 9 children Cheshunt Aged 85
 * Richard Cromwell
 * Richard Cromwell
 * RichardCromwell.png
 * Arms of the Protectorate (1653–1659).svg
 * 4 October 1626
 * Dorothy Maijor
 * 12 July 1712


 * }

House of Stuart (restored)
After the Monarchy was restored, England came under the rule of Charles II, whose reign was relatively peaceful domestically, given the tumultuous time of the Interregnum years. Tensions still existed between Catholics and Protestants. With the ascension of Charles's brother, the openly Catholic James II, England was again sent into a period of political turmoil.

James II was ousted by Parliament less than three years after ascending to the throne, replaced by his daughter Mary II and her husband (also his nephew) William III during the Glorious Revolution. While James and his descendants would continue to claim the throne, all Catholics (such as James and his son Charles) were barred from the throne by the Act of Settlement 1701, enacted by Anne, another of James's Protestant daughters. After the Acts of Union 1707, England as a sovereign state ceased to exist, replaced by the new Kingdom of Great Britain.

Charles II 29 May 1660 – 6 February 1685  St James's Palace Son of Charles I and Henrietta Maria of France Portsmouth 21 May 1662 No children Whitehall Palace Aged 54
 * (Recognised by Royalists in 1649)
 * (Recognised by Royalists in 1649)
 * Charles II of England.jpeg
 * Royal Arms of England (1603-1707).svg
 * 29 May 1630
 * Catherine of Braganza
 * 6 February 1685
 * Son of Charles I Cognatic primogeniture English Restoration

6 February 1685 – 23 December 1688 (Overthrown after 23 years, 12 days) St James's Palace Son of Charles I and Henrietta Maria of France The Strand 3 September 1660 8 children Mary of Modena Dover 21 November 1673 7 children Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye Aged 67
 * James II
 * James II
 * James II (Gennari Benedetto).jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1603-1707).svg
 * 14 October 1633
 * Anne Hyde
 * 16 September 1701
 * Son of Charles I Cognatic primogeniture

13 February 1689 – 28 December 1694  St James's Palace Daughter of James II and Anne Hyde St James's Palace 4 November 1677 No children Kensington Palace Aged 32
 * Mary II
 * Mary II
 * Mary II - Kneller 1690.jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1689-1694).svg
 * 30 April 1662
 * William III of England
 * 28 December 1694
 * Daughter of James II Offered the Crown by Parliament

William of Orange 13 February 1689 – 8 March 1702  The Hague Son of William II of Orange and Mary of England St James's Palace 4 November 1677 No children Kensington Palace Aged 51
 * William III
 * William III
 * King William III of England.jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1694-1702).svg
 * 4 November 1650
 * Mary II of England
 * 8 March 1702
 * Grandson of Charles I Offered the Crown by Parliament

8 March 1702 – 1 May 1707 (22 years, 338 days) (Queen of Great Britain until 1 August 1714) (22 years, 338 days) St James's Palace Daughter of James II and Anne Hyde St James's Palace 28 July 1683 No surviving children Kensington Palace Aged 49
 * Anne
 * Anne
 * Dahl, Michael - Queen Anne - NPG 6187.jpg
 * Royal Arms of England (1603-1707).svg
 * 6 February 1665
 * George of Denmark
 * 1 August 1714
 * Daughter of James II Cognatic primogeniture Bill of Rights 1689

! class=noprint colspan=2 style="font-weight:normal" | ! class=noprint colspan=6 style="font-weight:normal" |


 * }

Wales
King of Wales was a very rarely used title, because Wales, much like Ireland, never achieved a degree of political unity, like that of England or Scotland during the Middle Ages. While many different leaders in Wales claimed the title of 'King of Wales', the country was only truly united once and that occurred under the rule of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn from 1055 to 1063.

House of Alpin (848–1034)
The reign of Kenneth MacAlpin begins what is often called the House of Alpin, an entirely modern concept. The descendants of Kenneth MacAlpin were divided into two branches; the crown would alternate between the two, the death of a king from one branch often hastened by war or assassination by a pretender from the other. Malcolm II was the last king of the House of Alpin; in his reign, he successfully crushed all opposition to him and, having no sons, was able to pass the crown to his daughter's son, Duncan I, who inaugurated the House of Dunkeld.

* Eochaid was a son of Run, King of Strathclyde, but his mother was a daughter of Kenneth I. Evidence of his reign is unclear. He may have never actually been king and if he was, he was co-king with Giric.

‡ Amlaíb is known only by a reference to his death in 977, which reports him as King of Alba; since Kenneth II is known to have still been King in 972–973, Amlaíb must have taken power between 973 and 977.

House of Dunkeld (1034–1286)
Duncan succeeded to the throne as the maternal grandson of Malcolm II. He was also the heir-general of Malcolm I, as his paternal grandfather, Duncan of Atholl was the third son of Malcolm I. The House of Dunkeld was therefore closely related to the House of Alpin. Duncan was killed in battle by Macbeth, who had a long and relatively successful reign. In a series of battles between 1057 and 1058, Duncan's son Malcolm III defeated and killed Macbeth and Macbeth's stepson and heir Lulach, claiming the throne. The dynastic feuds did not end there: on Malcolm III's death in battle, his brother Donald III, known as "Bán", claimed the throne, expelling Malcolm III's sons from Scotland. A civil war in the family ensued, with Donald III and Malcolm III's son Edmund opposed by Malcolm III's English-backed sons, led first by Duncan II and then by Edgar. Edgar triumphed, sending his uncle and brother to monasteries. After the reign of David I, the Scottish throne was passed according to rules of primogeniture, moving from father to son, or where not possible, brother to brother.

House of Sverre (1286–1290)
The status of Margaret, Maid of Norway, as a Scottish monarch is debated by historians. One of her biographers, Archie Duncan, argues that because she was "never inaugurated, she was never queen of Scots". Another, Norman H. Reid, insists that Margaret was "accepted as queen" by her contemporaries but that, owing to the lack of Inauguration, "[her] reign never started".

House of Balliol (1292–1296)
The death of Margaret of Norway began a two-year interregnum in Scotland caused by a succession crisis. With her death, the descent of William I became extinct and there was no obvious heir. Thirteen candidates presented themselves; the most prominent were John Balliol, great-grandson of William I's younger brother David of Huntingdon, and Robert de Brus, 5th Lord of Annandale, David of Huntingdon's grandson. The Scottish magnates invited Edward I of England to arbitrate the claims. He did so but forced the Scots to swear allegiance to him as overlord. Eventually, it was decided that John Balliol should become king. He proved weak and incapable and, in 1296, was forced to abdicate by Edward I who then attempted to annex Scotland into the Kingdom of England.

House of Bruce (1306–1371)
For ten years, Scotland had no king. The Scots, however, refused to tolerate English rule. First William Wallace then John Comyn and finally Robert the Bruce (the grandson of the 1292 competitor, Robert de Brus, 5th Lord of Annandale) fought against the English. Bruce and his supporters had murdered their rival to the throne of Scotland, John Comyn, on 10 February 1306 at Greyfriars Church in Dumfries. Shortly after in 1306, Robert was crowned King of Scots at Scone. Robert Bruce was then hunted down for his crime of murder, and subsequently he escaped to the outskirt islands. Leaving the country completely leaderless and the English invaded once again. Bruce would return a year later and gain support for his cause. His energy, and the corresponding replacement of the vigorous Edward I with his weaker son Edward II in 1307, allowed Scotland to free itself from English rule. At the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, the Scots routed the English, and by 1328 the English had agreed by treaty to accept Scottish independence. Robert's son, David, acceded to the throne as a child. The English renewed their war with Scotland, and David was forced to flee the kingdom by Edward Balliol, son of King John, who managed to get himself crowned (1332–1356) and to give away Scotland's southern counties to England before being driven out again. David spent much of his life in exile, first in freedom with his ally, France, and then in prison in England. He was only able to return to Scotland in 1357. Upon his death, childless, in 1371, the House of Bruce came to an end.

Disputed claimant

House of Balliol (1332–1356)
Edward Balliol was the son of King John Balliol, who had himself ruled for four years following his election in the Great Cause. Following his abdication, John Balliol lived out his life in obscurity in Picardy, France. During the minority of David II, Edward Balliol seized the opportunity to assert his claim to the throne, and backed by the English, he defeated the forces of David's regency and was himself crowned king at Scone in 1332. He was quickly defeated by loyalist forces, and sent back to England. With English support, he would mount two more attempts to seize the throne again, in 1333 and 1335, each time his actual control of the throne was brief before being sent back to England, for the last time in 1336. When David returned from exile in 1341 to rule in his own right, Edward lost most of his support. When David II was captured in battle in 1346, Edward made one last attempt to seize the throne for himself, but had little support and the campaign fizzled before it gained much traction. In 1356 he renounced all claims to the throne.

House of Stewart/Stuart (1371–1651)
Robert the Stewart was a grandson of Robert I by the latter's daughter, Marjorie. Having been born in 1316, he was older than his uncle, David II. Consequently, he was at his accession a middle aged man, already 55, and unable to reign vigorously, a problem also faced by his son Robert III, who also ascended in middle age at 53 in 1390, and suffered lasting damage in a horse-riding accident. These two were followed by a series of regencies, caused by the youth of the succeeding five boy kings. Consequently, the Stewart era saw periods of royal inertia, during which the nobles usurped power from the crown, followed by periods of personal rule by the monarch, during which he or she would attempt to address the issues created by their own minority and the long-term effects of previous reigns. Governing Scotland became increasingly difficult, as the powerful nobility became increasingly intractable. James I's attempts to curb the disorder of the realm ended in his assassination. James III was killed in a civil war between himself and the nobility, led by his own son. When James IV, who had governed sternly and suppressed the aristocrats, died in the Battle of Flodden, his wife Margaret Tudor, who had been nominated regent for their young son James V, was unseated by noble feuding, and James V's own wife, Mary of Guise, succeeded in ruling Scotland during the regency for her young daughter Mary I only by dividing and conquering the noble factions, distributing French bribes with a liberal hand. Finally, Mary I, the daughter of James V, found herself unable to govern Scotland faced with the surliness of the aristocracy and the intransigence of the population, who favoured Calvinism and disapproved of her Catholicism. She was forced to abdicate, and fled to England, where she was imprisoned in various castles and manor houses for eighteen years and finally executed for treason against the English queen Elizabeth I. Upon her abdication, her son, fathered by Henry, Lord Darnley, a junior member of the Stewart family, became King as James VI.

James VI became King of England and Ireland as James I in 1603, when his cousin Elizabeth I died. Thereafter, although the two crowns of England and Scotland remained separate, the monarchy was based chiefly in England. Charles I, James's son, found himself faced with Civil War. The resultant conflict lasted eight years, and ended in his execution. The English Parliament then decreed their monarchy to be at an end. The Scots Parliament, after some deliberation, broke their links with England, and declared that Charles II, son and heir of Charles I, would become King. He ruled until 1651 when the armies of Oliver Cromwell occupied Scotland and drove him into exile.

House of Stuart restored (1660–1707)
With the Scottish Restoration, the Stuarts became Kings of Scotland once more but Scotland's rights were not respected. During the reign of Charles II the Scottish Parliament was dissolved and James was appointed Governor of Scotland. James II himself became James VII in 1685. His Catholicism was not tolerated, and he was driven out of England after three years. In his place came his daughter Mary and her husband William of Orange, the ruler of the Dutch Republic. The two were accepted as monarchs of Scotland after a period of deliberation by the Scottish Parliament, and ruled together as William II and Mary II.

An attempt to establish a Scottish colonial empire through the Darien Scheme, in rivalry to that of England, failed, leaving the Scottish nobles who financed the venture for their own profit bankrupt. This coincided with the accession of Queen Anne, daughter of James VII. Anne had multiple children but none of these survived her, leaving as her heir her half-brother, James, then living in exile in France. The English favoured the Protestant Sophia of Hanover (a granddaughter of James VI) as heir. Many Scots preferred Prince James, who as a Stuart was a Scot by ancestry, and threatened to break the Union of Crowns between England and Scotland by choosing him for themselves. To preserve the union, the English elaborated a plan whereby the two Kingdoms of Scotland and England would merge into a single Kingdom, the Kingdom of Great Britain, ruled by a common monarch, and with a single Parliament. Both national parliaments agreed to this (the Scots albeit reluctantly, motivated primarily by the national finances), and some subterfuge as a total majority of signatories was needed to ratify the Scottish parliament's assent, bribes and payments. Thereafter, although monarchs continued to rule over the nation of Scotland, they did so first as monarchs of Great Britain, and from 1801 of the United Kingdom.

House of Stuart (1707–1714)
Anne had been Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland since 8 March 1702, and so became Queen of Great Britain upon the Union of England and Scotland. (Her total reign was 12 years and 21 weeks.)

! class=noprint colspan=2 style="font-weight:normal" | ! class=noprint colspan=6 style="font-weight:normal" | 1 May 1707 – 1 August 1714 (7 years, 94 days) St James's Palace Daughter of James II and VII and Anne Hyde St James's Palace 28 July 1683 No surviving children Kensington Palace Aged:
 * Anne
 * Anne
 * Dahl, Michael - Queen Anne - NPG 6187.jpg
 * Royal Arms of Great Britain (1707-1714).svg
 * 6 February 1665
 * Prince George of Denmark
 * 1 August 1714
 * Daughter of James II and VII Cognatic primogeniture Bill of Rights 1689


 * }

House of Hanover (1714–1901)
The Hanoverian succession came about as a result of the Act of Settlement 1701, passed by the Parliament of England, which excluded "Papists" (i.e. Roman Catholics) from the succession. In return for access to the English plantations in North America and the West Indies, the Hanoverian succession and the Union were ratified by the Parliament of Scotland in 1707.

After the death of Anne, with no living children, her second cousin, George Louis, was the closest heir to the throne who was not Catholic. George was the son of Sophia of Hanover—granddaughter of James VI and I through his daughter Elizabeth. The Hanoverian kings of Great Britain retained their German titles, first as electors of Hanover/dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg and later as kings of Hanover; the two lands were ruled as separate states in personal union. The Hanoverian lands were separated when Queen Victoria ascended the throne of Great Britain; as German succession law prevented women from inheriting the Hanoverian throne, her uncle Ernest Augustus inherited in her stead.

George Louis 1 August 1714 – 11 June 1727  Leineschloss Son of Ernest Augustus of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Sophia of Hanover 21 November 1682 2 children Osnabrück Aged
 * George I
 * George I
 * King George I by Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt.jpg
 * Royal Arms of Great Britain (1714-1801).svg
 * 28 May 1660
 * Sophia Dorothea of Brunswick-Lüneburg-Celle
 * 11 June 1727
 * Great-grandson of James VI and I Act of Settlement Eldest son of Sophia of Hanover

George Augustus 11 June 1727 – 25 October 1760 (33 years, 133 days) Herrenhausen Son of George I and Sophia Dorothea of Brunswick-Lüneburg-Celle 22 August 1705 Herrenhausen 8 children Kensington Palace Aged
 * George II
 * George II
 * George II by Thomas Hudson.jpg
 * Royal Arms of Great Britain (1714-1801).svg
 * 30 October 1683
 * Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach
 * 25 October 1760
 * Son of George I

George William Frederick 25 October 1760 – 29 January 1820 (59 years, 109 days) Norfolk House Son of Prince Frederick and Augusta of Saxe-Gotha St James's Palace 8 September 1761 15 children Windsor Castle Aged
 * George III
 * George III
 * Allan Ramsay - King George III in coronation robes - Google Art Project.jpg
 * Royal Arms of United Kingdom (1816-1837).svg
 * 4 June 1738
 * Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
 * 29 January 1820
 * Grandson of George II

George Augustus Frederick 29 January 1820 – 26 June 1830 (10 years, 151 days) St James's Palace Son of George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz Park Lane 15 September 1785 No verified children Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel St James's Palace 8 April 1795 1 daughter Windsor Castle Aged
 * George IV
 * George IV
 * George IV 1821 color.jpg
 * Royal Arms of United Kingdom (1816-1837).svg
 * 12 August 1762
 * Maria Fitzherbert
 * 26 June 1830
 * rowspan=2|Sons of George III

William Henry 26 June 1830 – 20 June 1837 (6 years, 361 days) Buckingham Palace Son of George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz Kew Palace 13 July 1818 2 daughters Windsor Castle Aged
 * William IV
 * William IV
 * William IV in 1833 by Shee.jpg
 * Royal Arms of United Kingdom (1816-1837).svg
 * 21 August 1765
 * Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen
 * 20 June 1837

Alexandrina Victoria 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901 (63 years, 231 days) Kensington Palace Daughter of the Duke of Kent and Strathearn and Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld St James's Palace 10 February 1840 9 children Osborne House aged
 * Victoria
 * Victoria
 * Queen Victoria 1843.jpg
 * Arms of the United Kingdom (Variant 1).svg
 * 24 May 1819
 * Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
 * 22 January 1901
 * Granddaughter of George III


 * }

Houses of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1901–1917) and Windsor (from 1917)
Because his father, Albert, Prince Consort, was of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Edward VII inaugurated a new royal house when he succeeded his mother Victoria, the last monarch of the House of Hanover, in 1901. George V changed the name of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to the House of Windsor on 17 July 1917, during the First World War, because of wartime anti-German sentiment in the country. Descendants of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and Queen Elizabeth II belong to the House of Windsor by Royal Command (9 April 1952 Declaration by Queen Elizabeth II to her Privy Council) although under the usual rules of genealogy they are, by paternal descent, also members of the Glücksburg branch of the House of Oldenburg (the ruling House of Denmark and of the former Kingdom of Greece). Accordingly, King Charles III is the first monarch of the House of Windsor who is a patrilineal descendant of the Glücksburg dynasty.

Albert Edward 22 January 1901 – 6 May 1910 (9 years, 106 days) Buckingham Palace Son of Queen Victoria and Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha St George's Chapel 10 March 1863 6 children Buckingham Palace aged George Frederick Ernest Albert 6 May 1910 – 20 January 1936 (25 years, 265 days) Marlborough House Son of Edward VII and Alexandra of Denmark St James's Palace 6 July 1893 6 children Sandringham House aged Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David 20 January 1936 – 11 December 1936 (Abdicated after 325 days) White Lodge Son of George V and Mary of Teck Château de Candé 3 June 1937 No children Neuilly-sur-Seine aged Albert Frederick Arthur George 11 December 1936 – 6 February 1952 (15 years) Sandringham House Son of George V and Mary of Teck Westminster Abbey 26 April 1923 2 daughters Sandringham House aged Elizabeth Alexandra Mary 6 February 1952 – 8 September 2022  Mayfair Daughter of George VI and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon Westminster Abbey 20 November 1947 4 children Balmoral Castle Aged 96 Years, 140 Days Charles Philip Arthur George 8 September 2022 – present Buckingham Palace Son of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh St Paul's Cathedral 29 July 1981 2 sons  Camilla Parker Bowles St George's Chapel 9 April 2005 No children
 * Edward VII
 * Edward VII
 * King Edward VII by Sir (Samuel) Luke Fildes.jpg
 * Arms of the United Kingdom (Variant 1).svg
 * 9 November 1841
 * Alexandra of Denmark
 * 6 May 1910
 * Son of Victoria
 * George V
 * George V
 * George V
 * King George V 1911.jpg
 * Arms of the United Kingdom (Variant 1).svg
 * 3 June 1865
 * Mary of Teck
 * 20 January 1936
 * Son of Edward VII
 * Edward VIII
 * Edward VIII
 * Edward VIII
 * His Majesty King Edward VIII in Garter Robes (cropped).jpg
 * Arms of the United Kingdom (Variant 1).svg
 * 23 June 1894
 * Wallis Simpson
 * 28 May 1972
 * rowspan=2|Sons of George V
 * George VI
 * George VI
 * George VI
 * King George VI.jpg
 * Arms of the United Kingdom (Variant 1).svg
 * 14 December 1895
 * Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
 * 6 February 1952
 * Elizabeth II
 * Elizabeth II
 * Elizabeth II
 * Queen Elizabeth II in Coronation Robes.jpg
 * Arms of the United Kingdom.svg
 * 21 April 1926
 * Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark
 * 8 September 2022
 * Daughter of George VI
 * Charles III
 * Charles III
 * Charles III
 * King Charles III (July 2023).jpg
 * Arms of the United Kingdom.svg
 * 14 November 1948
 * Diana Spencer
 * Living
 * Son of Elizabeth II
 * }
 * }