List of English, Scottish, and British regents

A regent is a person selected to act as head of state (ruling or not) because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated.

## Regents of England, Scotland, and Great Britain

### United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

* George, Prince Regent (1811–Present), during the incapacity of his father, George III.

### Kingdom of Great Britain

* After the death of Queen Anne in 1714 a regency under Lord Parker, the Lord Chief Justice, was set up while King George I was sent for to take up the crown.
* George, Prince of Wales (1716–17), during the absence of his father, George I.
* Caroline of Ansbach (1729; 1732; 1735; 1736–37), during the absences of her husband, George II.

### Kingdom of England

* Ælfthryth (978–984), during the minority of her son King Æthelred the Unready.
* William Longchamp (intermittently 1189–1197), during the absences of Richard I ("Richard the Lionheart") on the Third Crusade, imprisoned in the Holy Roman Empire, and in France.
* William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke (1216–1219) and then Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent (1219–1227), during the minority of King Henry III.
* A regency council headed by Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster (1327–1330) during the minority of Edward III
* John, Duke of Bedford (1422–1435), Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester and Henry Beaufort (1422–1437), during the minority of their nephew, Henry VI.
* Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York (1454–1455; 1455–1456), during the incapacity of his cousin, Henry VI.
* Richard, Duke of Gloucester (Richard III) (1483), during the minority of his nephew, Edward V.
* Lady Margaret Beaufort (1509), during the minority of her grandson, Henry VIII.
* Catherine of Aragon (1513), while Henry VIII was in France. In this time she played a large role in the defeat of the Scots at the Battle of Flodden, and was Queen Regent for several months.
* Catherine Parr (1544), while Henry VIII was in France.
* Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Northumberland (1550–1553), during the minority of Edward VI.
* During the month of March 1617, Francis Bacon serves as regent of England during the reign of James VI (of Scotland) & I (of England).
* William III personally led his army into battle each year during the Nine Years' War (1689–1698). In his absence, the kingdom was administered by his wife and co-ruler Mary II until her death in 1694, and thereafter by a council of seven Lord Justices (sometimes referred to as the "Lords Regent"): William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire (1640–1707), Charles Sackville, 6th Earl of Dorset (1638–1706), Sidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of Godolphin (1645–1712), Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke (1656–1733), Charles Talbot, 1st Duke of Shrewsbury (1660–1718), John Somers, Baron Somers (1651–1716), and Thomas Tenison, Archbishop of Canterbury.

### Kingdom of Scotland

* A regency council of six Guardians existed (1286–1290) during the minority of Margaret, Maid of Norway. These were: William Fraser, Bishop of St Andrews; Donnchadh III, Earl of Fife (followed by Donnchadh IV, Earl of Fife); Alexander Comyn, Earl of Buchan; Robert Wishart, Bishop of Glasgow; James Stewart, 5th High Steward of Scotland; and John Comyn II of Badenoch.
* William Wallace (1298), claiming to act as regent on behalf of the deposed King John.
* Robert the Bruce, Earl of Carrick (1298–1300)
* John Comyn III of Badenoch (1298–1301; 1302–1304)
* William Lamberton, Bishop of St Andrews (1299–1301)
* Sir Ingram de Umfraville (1300–1301)
* John de Soules (1301–1304)
* Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray (1329–1332), during the minority of David II.
* Donald, Earl of Mar (1332), during the minority of David II.
* Sir Andrew Murray (1332), during the minority of David II.
* Sir Archibald Douglas (1332–1333), during the minority of David II.
* Robert Stewart, 7th High Steward of Scotland (1334–1335), during the minority of his half-uncle, David II.
* John Randolph, 3rd Earl of Moray (1334–1335), during the minority of David II.
* Sir Andrew Murray (1335–1338), during the minority of David II.
* Robert Stewart, 7th High Steward of Scotland (1338–1341; 1346–1357), during the minority and later captivity of his half-uncle, David II.
* John Stewart, Earl of Carrick (1384–1388), during the incapacity of his father, Robert II.
* Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Fife (1388–1393), during the incapacity of his father, Robert II and of his brother, Robert III.
* David Stewart, 1st Duke of Rothesay (1399–1401), during the incapacity of his father, Robert III.
* Robert Stewart, 1st Duke of Albany (1401–1420), during the incapacity of his brother, Robert III, and then during the minority and captivity of his nephew, James I.
* Murdoch Stewart, 2nd Duke of Albany (1420–1424), during the captivity of his cousin, James I.
* Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas (1437–1439), during the minority of James II.
* William Crichton, 1st Lord Crichton and Sir Alexander Livingston (1439–1445), during the minority of James II.
* William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas (1445–1449), during the minority of James II.
* Mary of Gueldres (1460–1463), during the minority of her son, James III.
* James Kennedy and Gilbert Kennedy, 1st Lord Kennedy (1463–1466), during the minority of James III.
* Robert Boyd, 1st Lord Boyd (1466–1469), during the minority of James III.
* Patrick Hepburn (1488–1494), during the minority of James IV.
* Margaret Tudor (1513–1514), during the minority of her son, James V.
* John Stewart, 2nd Duke of Albany (1514–1524), during the minority of his cousin, James V.
* Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus and Archbishop James Beaton (1524–1528), during the minority of the former's stepson, James V.
* James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran (1542–1554), during the minority of his cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots.
* Mary of Guise (1554–1560), during the minority of his nephew, James VI & I.
* Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox (1570–1571), durin the minority of his grandson, James VI & I.
* John Erskine, Earl of Mar (1571–1572), during the minority of James VI & I.
* John Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton (1572–1581), during the minority of James VI & I.