# List of heirs to the English 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.

## 1066 to 1135: The Normans

| Heir | Status | Relationship to Monarch | Became heir Reason | Ceased to be heir Reason | Monarch |
| No recognised heir 1066–1087 | No recognised heir 1066–1087 | No recognised heir 1066–1087 | No recognised heir 1066–1087 | No recognised heir 1066–1087 | William I |
| William "Rufus" | Heir apparent | Son | 7 September 1087 Proclaimed heir | 26 September 1087 Became king | William I |
| No recognised heir 1087–1100 | No recognised heir 1087–1100 | No recognised heir 1087–1100 | No recognised heir 1087–1100 | No recognised heir 1087–1100 | William II |
| No recognised heir 1100–1116 | No recognised heir 1100–1116 | No recognised heir 1100–1116 | No recognised heir 1100–1116 | No recognised heir 1100–1116 | Henry I |
| William Adelin, Duke of Normandy | Heir apparent | Son | 19 March 1116 Proclaimed heir | 25 November 1120 Died | Henry I |
| Henry I |||||
| Matilda, Countess of Anjou | Heiress presumptive | Daughter | 25 December 1126 Proclaimed heiress | 22 December 1135 Throne usurped by first cousin Stephen, Count of Boulogne | Henry I |

## 1135 to 1154: The Blois

| Heir | Status | Relationship to Monarch | Became heir Reason | Ceased to be heir Reason | Monarch |
| No recognised heir 1135–1152 | No recognised heir 1135–1152 | No recognised heir 1135–1152 | No recognised heir 1135–1152 | No recognised heir 1135–1152 | Stephen |
| Eustace IV, Count of Boulogne | Heir apparent | Son | 6 April 1152 Proclaimed heir | 17 August 1153 Died | Stephen |
| Stephen |||||
| Henry "Curtmantle", Duke of Normandy | Heir apparent | First cousin once-removed | 6 November 1153 Proclaimed heir | 19 December 1154 Became king | Stephen |

## 1154 to 1399: Plantagenets

| Heir | Status | Relationship to Monarch | Became heir Reason | Ceased to be heir Reason | Monarch |
| No recognised heir 1154–1155 | No recognised heir 1154–1155 | No recognised heir 1154–1155 | No recognised heir 1154–1155 | No recognised heir 1154–1155 | Henry II |
| William IX, Count of Poitiers | Heir apparent | Son | 3 April 1155 Proclaimed heir | April 1156 Died | Henry II |
| Henry "the Young King" | Heir apparent | Son | April 1156 Brother died | 11 June 1183 Died | Henry II |
| Henry II |||||
| Richard "the Lionheart", Duke of Aquitaine | Heir apparent | Son | 4 July 1189 Proclaimed heir | 3 September 1189 Became king | Henry II |
| No recognised heir 1189–1190 | No recognised heir 1189–1190 | No recognised heir 1189–1190 | No recognised heir 1189–1190 | 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 | Richard I |
| No recognised heir 1199–1207 | No recognised heir 1199–1207 | No recognised heir 1199–1207 | No recognised heir 1199–1207 | No recognised heir 1199–1207 | John |
| Henry of Winchester | Heir apparent | Son | 1 October 1207 Born | 28 October 1216 Became king | John |
| 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 III |
| 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 I |
| Edward of Caernarfon, Prince of Wales | Heir apparent | Son | 19 August 1284 Brother died | 8 July 1307 Became king | Edward I |
| 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 | Edward II |
| 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 | Heir apparent | Son | 15 June 1330 Born | 8 June 1376 Died | Edward III |
| Richard of Bordeaux, Prince of Wales | Heir apparent | Grandson | 8 June 1376 Father died | 22 June 1377 Became king | Edward III |
| 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 | Potential heirs by the will of Edward III | First cousin | 3 February 1399 Father died | 30 September 1399 First cousin deposed, became king | Richard II |
| Philippa Plantagenet, 5th Countess of Ulster | Potential heirs by cognatic primogeniture | First cousin | 22 June 1377 First cousin became king | 5 January 1382 Died | Richard II |
| Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March | Potential heirs by cognatic primogeniture | First cousin once-removed | 5 January 1382 Mother died | 20 July 1398 Died | Richard II |
| Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March | Potential heirs by cognatic primogeniture | First cousin twice-removed | 20 July 1398 Father died | 30 September 1399 Succession of new king | Richard II |

## 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 of Lancaster, Duke of Clarence | Heir presumptive | Brother | 20 March 1413 Brother became king | 22 March 1421 Died | Henry V |
| John of Lancaster, Duke of Bedford | Heir presumptive | Brother | 22 March 1421 Brother died | 6 December 1421 Son born to king | Henry V |
| Henry of Windsor, Duke of Cornwall | Heir apparent | Son | 6 December 1421 Born | 31 August 1422 Became king | Henry V |
| John of Lancaster, Duke of Bedford | Heir presumptive | Uncle | 31 August 1422 Nephew became king | 14 September 1435 Died | Henry VI |
| Humphrey of Lancaster, Duke of Gloucester | Heir presumptive | Uncle | 14 September 1435 Brother died | 23 February 1447 Died | Henry VI |
| Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York | Heir presumptive | Second cousin once-removed | 23 February 1447 Second cousin died | 13 October 1453 Son born to king | Henry VI |
| Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales | Heir apparent | Son | 13 October 1453 Born | 25 October 1460 Excluded from succeeding | Henry VI |
| Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York | Heir apparent | Second cousin once-removed | 25 October 1460 Second cousin twice-removed excluded from succeeding | 30 December 1460 Killed in battle | Henry VI |
| Edward Plantagenet, 4th Duke of York | Heir apparent | Third cousin | 30 December 1460 Father killed in battle | 4 March 1461 Third cousin deposed, became king | Henry VI |

## 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) | Heir presumptive | Brother | 4 March 1461 Brother became king | 31 March 1470 Proclaimed traitor | Edward IV |
| Edward IV |||||

## 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 of York, 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 |
| Richard III |||||

## 1485 to 1603: The Tudors

| Heir | Status | Relationship to Monarch | Became heir Reason | Ceased to be heir Reason | Monarch |
| No recognised heir 1485–1486 | No recognised heir 1485–1486 | No recognised heir 1485–1486 | No recognised heir 1485–1486 | No recognised heir 1485–1486 | Henry VII |
| Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales | Heir apparent | Son | 20 September 1486 Born | 2 April 1502 Died | Henry VII |
| Henry Tudor, Prince of Wales | Heir apparent | Son | 2 April 1502 Brother died | 21 April 1509 Became king | Henry VII |
| Margaret, Queen of Scotland | Heiress presumptive | Sister | 21 April 1509 Brother became king | 1 January 1511 Son born to king | Henry VIII |
| Henry Tudor, Duke of Cornwall | Heir apparent | Son | 1 January 1511 Born | 22 February 1511 Died | Henry VIII |
| Margaret, Queen of Scotland | Heiress presumptive | Sister | 22 February 1511 Nephew died | 18 February 1516 Daughter born to king | Henry VIII |
| Mary Tudor | Heiress presumptive | Daughter | 18 February 1516 Born | 23 March 1534 Declared illegitimate | Henry VIII |
| Elizabeth Tudor | Heiress presumptive | Daughter | 23 March 1534 Half-sister declared illegitimate | 8 June 1536 Declared illegitimate | Henry VIII |
| Henry VIII |||||
| Edward Tudor, Prince of Wales | Heir apparent | Son | 12 October 1537 Born | 28 January 1547 Became king | Henry VIII |
| Mary Tudor | Heiress presumptive | Half-sister | 28 January 1547 Half-brother became king | 21 June 1553 Excluded by letters patent | Edward VI |
| Lady Jane Dudley | Heiress presumptive | First cousin once-removed | 21 June 1553 Named in letters patent | 6 July 1553 Proclaimed queen | Edward VI |
| 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 | 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. The following are the leaders of both lines: ||||||
| Mary, Queen of Scots | Potential heirs by cognatic primogeniture | First cousin once-removed | 17 November 1558 First cousin once-removed became queen | 8 February 1587 Executed | Elizabeth I |
| King James VI of Scotland | Potential heirs by cognatic primogeniture | First cousin twice-removed | 8 February 1587 Mother executed | 24 March 1603 Became king | Elizabeth I |
| Katherine Seymour, Countess of Hertford | Potential heirs by the will of Henry VIII | First cousin once-removed | 17 November 1558 First cousin once-removed became queen | 26 January 1568 Died | Elizabeth I |
| Lady Mary Keyes | Potential heirs by the will of Henry VIII | First cousin once-removed | 26 January 1568 Sister died | 20 April 1578 Died | Elizabeth I |
| Margaret Stanley, Dowager Countess of Derby | Potential heirs by the will of Henry VIII | First cousin once-removed | 20 April 1578 First cousin died | 28 September 1596 Died | Elizabeth I |
| Lady Anne Stanley | Potential heirs by the will of Henry VIII | First cousin three-times-removed | 28 September 1596 Grandmother died | 24 March 1603 Succession of new king | Elizabeth I |

## 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 Stuart, Prince of Wales | Heir apparent | Son | 24 March 1603 Father became king | 6 November 1612 Died | Charles Stuart, Duke of York Brother | James I |
| Charles Stuart, Prince of Wales | Heir apparent | Son | 6 November 1612 Brother died | 27 March 1625 Became king | Elizabeth, Electress Palatine Sister | James I |
| Elizabeth, Electress Palatine | Heiress presumptive | Sister | 27 March 1625 Brother became king | 13 May 1629 Son born to king | Electoral Prince Frederick Henry of the Palatinate 1625–1629, Son | Charles I |
| Elizabeth, Electress Palatine | Heiress presumptive | Sister | 27 March 1625 Brother became king | 13 May 1629 Son born to king | Electoral Prince Charles Louis of the Palatinate 1629, Son | Charles I |
| Charles James Stuart, Duke of Cornwall | Heir apparent | Son | 13 May 1629 Born | 13 May 1629 Died | Elizabeth, Electress Palatine Aunt | Charles I |
| Elizabeth, Electress Palatine | Heiress presumptive | Sister | 13 May 1629 Nephew died | 29 May 1630 Son born to king | Electoral Prince Charles Louis of the Palatinate Son | Charles I |
| Charles Stuart, Prince of Wales | Heir apparent | Son | 29 May 1630 Born | 30 January 1649 Proclaimed king | Elizabeth, Electress Palatine 1630–1631, Aunt | Charles I |
| Charles Stuart, Prince of Wales | Heir apparent | Son | 29 May 1630 Born | 30 January 1649 Proclaimed king | Mary Stuart 1631–1633, Sister | Charles I |
| Charles Stuart, Prince of Wales | Heir apparent | Son | 29 May 1630 Born | 30 January 1649 Proclaimed king | James Stuart, Duke of York 1633–1649, Brother | Charles I |
| James Stuart, Duke of York | Heir presumptive | Brother | 30 January 1649 Brother proclaimed king | 6 February 1685 Became king | Henry Stuart, Duke of Gloucester 1649–1660, Brother | Charles II |
| James Stuart, Duke of York | Heir presumptive | Brother | 30 January 1649 Brother proclaimed king | 6 February 1685 Became king | Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange 1660, Sister | Charles II |
| James Stuart, Duke of York | Heir presumptive | Brother | 30 January 1649 Brother proclaimed king | 6 February 1685 Became king | Charles Stuart, Duke of Cambridge 1660–1661, Son | Charles II |
| James Stuart, Duke of York | Heir presumptive | Brother | 30 January 1649 Brother proclaimed king | 6 February 1685 Became king | William III, Prince of Orange 1661–1662, Nephew | Charles II |
| James Stuart, Duke of York | Heir presumptive | Brother | 30 January 1649 Brother proclaimed king | 6 February 1685 Became king | Mary Stuart 1662–1663, Daughter | Charles II |
| James Stuart, Duke of York | Heir presumptive | Brother | 30 January 1649 Brother proclaimed king | 6 February 1685 Became king | James Stuart, Duke of Cambridge 1663–1667, Son | Charles II |
| James Stuart, Duke of York | Heir presumptive | Brother | 30 January 1649 Brother proclaimed king | 6 February 1685 Became king | Mary Stuart 1667, Daughter | Charles II |
| James Stuart, Duke of York | Heir presumptive | Brother | 30 January 1649 Brother proclaimed king | 6 February 1685 Became king | Edgar Stuart, Duke of Cambridge 1667–1671, Son | Charles II |
| James Stuart, Duke of York | Heir presumptive | Brother | 30 January 1649 Brother proclaimed king | 6 February 1685 Became king | Mary, Princess of Orange 1671–1677, Daughter | Charles II |
| James Stuart, Duke of York | Heir presumptive | Brother | 30 January 1649 Brother proclaimed king | 6 February 1685 Became king | Charles Stuart, Duke of Cambridge 1677, Son | Charles II |
| James Stuart, Duke of York | Heir presumptive | Brother | 30 January 1649 Brother proclaimed king | 6 February 1685 Became king | Mary, Princess of Orange 1677–1685, Daughter | Charles II |
| 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 Stuart, Prince of Wales | Heir apparent | Son | 10 June 1688 Born | 13 February 1689 Father deposed, excluded from succeeding | Mary, Princess of Orange Sister | James II |
| William III | Mutual heirs | Husband | 13 February 1689 Became joint monarchs | 28 December 1694 Became sole monarch | Princess Anne of Denmark Sister(-in-law) | Mary II |
| Mary II | Mutual heirs | Wife | 13 February 1689 Became joint monarchs | 28 December 1694 Died | Princess Anne of Denmark Sister(-in-law) | William III |
| Princess Anne of Denmark | Heiress apparent | Sister-in-law / First cousin | 28 December 1694 Sister died | 8 March 1702 Became queen | William, Duke of Gloucester 1694–1700, Son | William III |
| Princess Anne of Denmark | Heiress apparent | Sister-in-law / First cousin | 28 December 1694 Sister died | 8 March 1702 Became queen | None 1700–1701 | William III |
| Princess Anne of Denmark | Heiress apparent | Sister-in-law / First cousin | 28 December 1694 Sister died | 8 March 1702 Became queen | Sophia, Dowager Electress of Hanover 1701–1702, First cousin once-removed | William III |
| Sophia, Dowager Electress of Hanover | Heiress presumptive | First cousin once-removed | 8 March 1702 First cousin once-removed died | 1 May 1707 Formation of the Kingdom of Great Britain | 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 Stuart, 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 |
| James Stuart, Prince of Wales | Heir apparent | Son | 13 February 1689 Father deposed | 16 September 1701 Became pretender | Princess Anne of Denmark 1694–1701, Sister | James II |
| Princess Anne of Denmark | Heiress presumptive | Sister | 16 September 1701 Brother became pretender | 1 August 1714 Died | Louisa Maria Stuart, Princess Royal 1701–1712, Sister | James III "The Old Pretender" |
| Princess Anne of Denmark | Heiress presumptive | Sister | 16 September 1701 Brother became pretender | 1 August 1714 Died | Anne Marie, Queen of Scilly 1712–1714, First cousin | James III "The Old Pretender" |
| Anne Marie, Queen of Sardinia | Heiress presumptive | First cousin | 1 August 1714 First cousin died | 31 December 1720 Son born to pretender | Victor Amadeus, Prince of Piedmont 1714–1715, Son | James III "The Old Pretender" |
| Anne Marie, Queen of Sardinia | Heiress presumptive | First cousin | 1 August 1714 First cousin died | 31 December 1720 Son born to pretender | Charles Emmanuel, Prince of Piedmont 1715–1720, Son | James III "The Old Pretender" |
| Charles Stuart, Prince of Wales | Heir apparent | Son | 31 December 1720 Born | 1 January 1766 Became pretender | Anne Marie, Queen of Sardinia 1720–1725, First cousin once-removed | James III "The Old Pretender" |
| Charles Stuart, Prince of Wales | Heir apparent | Son | 31 December 1720 Born | 1 January 1766 Became pretender | Henry Stuart, Duke of York 1725–1766, Brother | James III "The Old Pretender" |
| Henry Stuart, Duke of York | Heir presumptive | Brother | 1 January 1766 Brother became pretender | 31 January 1788 Became pretender | King Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia 1766–1773, Second cousin | Charles III "The Young Pretender" |
| Henry Stuart, Duke of York | Heir presumptive | Brother | 1 January 1766 Brother became pretender | 31 January 1788 Became pretender | King Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia 1773–1788, Second cousin once-removed | Charles III "The Young Pretender" |
| King Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia | Heir presumptive | Second cousin once-removed | 31 January 1788 Second cousin once-removed became pretender | 14 October 1796 Died | Charles Emmanuel, Prince of Piedmont Son | Henry IX "Cardinal York" |
| King Charles Emmanuel IV of Sardinia | Heir presumptive | Second cousin twice-removed | 14 October 1796 Father died | 13 July 1807 Last Stuart pretender died | King Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia Brother | Henry IX "Cardinal York" |