TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II dies at the age of 96 Thursday after being under round-the-clock medical supervision at her castle in Balmoral, Scotland, Buckingham Palace said in a statement Thursday.
Elizabeth marked 70 years on the throne in February 2022. She had increasingly handed over duties to her heir, now King Charles III, and other members of the royal family in recent months as she struggled to get around.
Members of the royal family, including the Queen’s son, Charles, his wife Camilla and the Queen’s grandson, Prince William were at Balmoral when she passed. Harry arrived just afterward.
With more than 70 years on the throne, most alive today will have only seen the Queen as Britain’s ruler. So, who is next in line?
Charles became king as soon as the Queen died. Next in line is Charles’ eldest son, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge. Prince George is third in line to the throne, after his father and grandfather.
The royals have made a number of changes to succession rules over the years, making it difficult to keep track of whose next in line.
Up until Duchess Kate’s pregnancy, the crown was passed from monarch to eldest son. Since King George VI had no son, his eldest daughter, Elizabeth, became queen.
But the Succession to the Crown Act was created in 2013, before Prince George was born, to make succession to the throne based on birth order, not gender.
Now, Princess Charlotte will be fourth in line to the throne, and Prince Louis will be fifth. William’s younger brother, Prince Harry, is sixth in line and his son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, will be seventh with his little sister, Lilibet right behind him.
A number of others are in line to claim the throne. Here are the top 25. The line of succession is as follows:
- Charles, Prince of Wales – married to Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall
- Prince William, Duke of Cambridge – married to Kate, Duchess of Cambridge
- Prince George of Cambridge
- Princess Charlotte of Cambridge
- Prince Louis of Cambridge
- The Duke of Sussex
- Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor
- Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor
- Prince Andrew, Duke of York – Queen Elizabeth’s 2nd son
- Princess Beatrice of York – Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York’s daughter
- Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi, Princess Beatrice’s daughter
- Princess Eugenie of York – Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York’s daughter
- August Philip Hawke Brooksbank, Princess Eugenie’s daughter
- Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex – Queen Elizabeth’s 3rd son
- James, Viscount Severn – Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex’s son
- Lady Louis Windsor – Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex’s daughter
- Anne, Princess Royal – Queen Elizabeth’s daughter
- Peter Phillips – Princess Anne’s son with Capt. Mark Phillips
- Savannah Phillips – Peter and wife Autumn’s daughter
- Isla Phillips – Peter and wife Autumn’s daughter
- Zara Tindall – Zara Phillips married Mike Tindall, the eldest granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth
- Mia Grace Tindall – Zara and Mike’s daughter
- Lena Tindall, Zara and Mike’s daughter
- Lucas Tindall, Zara and Mike’s daughter
- David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowden – Also known as Viscount David Linley
