The 30 Royals Next In Line: The British Line Of Succession And The New Rules That Changed Everything

The British line of succession is a centuries-old constitutional framework, but it is anything but static. As of December 2025, the list of who will inherit the throne after King Charles III has been recently updated by a new generation of royal births, cementing a profoundly modern shift in the Monarchy’s ancient rules. The most recent notable change occurred with the birth of Princess Beatrice’s second daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi, in early 2025, which bumped several other royals down the list.

The entire structure of royal succession is now governed by two foundational principles: the 1701 Act of Settlement and the revolutionary 2013 Succession to the Crown Act. This new legislation has fundamentally changed the order for younger royals, ensuring that gender no longer dictates who comes first, a change that has had a direct impact on the positions of the youngest members of the House of Windsor.

The Current British Line of Succession: Top 30 in Order (December 2025)

The order of succession is determined by descent and the principle of absolute primogeniture for those born after October 28, 2011. This means the Crown passes to the eldest child, regardless of gender. The list begins with the children and grandchildren of the reigning monarch, King Charles III.

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Line of Succession from King Charles III:

1. Prince William, The Prince of Wales: The eldest son of King Charles III and the late Diana, Princess of Wales. He is the Heir Apparent.
2. Prince George of Wales: The eldest son of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
3. Princess Charlotte of Wales: The daughter of the Prince and Princess of Wales. She is the first female royal whose place was not displaced by a younger brother, thanks to the 2013 Act.
4. Prince Louis of Wales: The youngest son of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
5. Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex: The younger son of King Charles III. Despite stepping back as a working royal in 2020, he remains in the line of succession.
6. Prince Archie of Sussex: The eldest child of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
7. Princess Lilibet of Sussex: The youngest child of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Descendants of Queen Elizabeth II (King Charles III's Siblings and Their Families):

8. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor: The Duke of York, King Charles III's younger brother. He retains his place despite stepping back from royal duties and having his titles removed by the King in 2025.
9. Princess Beatrice, Mrs. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi: Prince Andrew's eldest daughter.
10. Miss Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi: Princess Beatrice's eldest daughter.
11. Miss Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi: Princess Beatrice's second daughter, born in January 2025, who recently shifted the line.
12. Princess Eugenie, Mrs. Jack Brooksbank: Prince Andrew's younger daughter.
13. Master August Brooksbank: Princess Eugenie's eldest son.
14. Master Ernest Brooksbank: Princess Eugenie's youngest son, born in May 2023.
15. Prince Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh: King Charles III's youngest brother.
16. James Mountbatten-Windsor, Earl of Wessex: Prince Edward's son. He precedes his older sister due to the old male-preference rule, as he was born before 2011.
17. The Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor: Prince Edward's daughter.
18. Anne, The Princess Royal: King Charles III's sister. She is 18th in line due to the male-preference primogeniture rule in place at the time of her birth, which placed her younger brothers, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, ahead of her.
19. Mr. Peter Phillips: Princess Anne's son.
20. Miss Savannah Phillips: Peter Phillips' elder daughter.
21. Miss Isla Phillips: Peter Phillips' younger daughter.
22. Mrs. Michael Tindall (Zara Tindall): Princess Anne's daughter.
23. Miss Mia Tindall: Zara Tindall's eldest daughter.
24. Miss Lena Tindall: Zara Tindall's second daughter.
25. Master Lucas Tindall: Zara Tindall's son, born in 2021.

The Succession to the Crown Act 2013: A Constitutional Revolution

The most significant and recent change to the rules governing the succession came into effect in March 2015, following the 2013 Act. This legislation, which was agreed upon by all 16 Commonwealth Realms, addressed three major historical anomalies in the monarchy's rules.

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1. End of Male Preference Primogeniture (Absolute Primogeniture)

Historically, a younger son would displace an elder daughter in the line of succession, a system known as male-preference primogeniture. This is why Princess Anne is currently 18th in line, behind her younger brothers, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.

The 2013 Act introduced Absolute Primogeniture for all those born after October 28, 2011. This means the order is determined strictly by birth order, regardless of gender. Princess Charlotte is the first royal to benefit from this, retaining her place (3rd in line) ahead of her younger brother, Prince Louis (4th in line). This change ensures that future female heirs will not be superseded by a younger male sibling.

2. The Catholic Marriage Disqualification is Removed

For centuries, the 1701 Act of Settlement barred anyone who married a Roman Catholic from succeeding to the throne. The Sovereign themselves must still be in communion with the Church of England, but the 2013 Act removed the disqualification for marrying a Catholic.

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This change is crucial for modernising the monarchy's religious stance. Individuals who had previously lost their place in the line of succession due to marriage to a Roman Catholic were retroactively reinstated, though none were close enough to the throne to affect the immediate order.

3. Modernizing Royal Marriages Consent

The archaic Royal Marriages Act 1772 required all descendants of King George II to seek the Sovereign's consent to marry, with marriages conducted without consent being legally void. The new Act significantly narrowed this requirement.

Now, only the first six people in the line of succession must obtain the Sovereign's consent for marriage. If one of these six marries without consent, they and their descendants from that marriage are disqualified from the line of succession, but the marriage itself remains legally valid. This streamlined rule ensures that the monarch retains control over the immediate line of succession while freeing up the vast majority of extended royals.

Beyond the Top 30: The Vast Extended Line

While the focus is always on the immediate family of King Charles III, the line of succession extends to thousands of people who are legitimate Protestant descendants of Sophia of Hanover.

The list continues through the descendants of Queen Elizabeth II's late sister, Princess Margaret, and then through the descendants of King George V's younger children. These distant royals include names like David Armstrong-Jones, Earl of Snowdon (26th), Lady Sarah Chatto (29th), and Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester (32nd).

The sheer depth of the line ensures the continuity of the Crown, a primary function of the succession laws. Every birth, marriage, or death within the royal family causes a ripple effect, moving hundreds of people up or down the list. The most recent births, such as Athena Mapelli Mozzi's, demonstrate that the line is constantly in flux, reflecting the living, evolving nature of the Monarchy.

The current order, led by Prince William and his children, secures the throne for at least three generations, all of whom fall under the new, egalitarian rules of the 2013 Act. This constitutional evolution has simultaneously preserved the tradition of the Monarchy while embracing modern principles of gender equality, setting the stage for future Queens to inherit the Crown without question.