With the children of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle having been officially recognised as Prince and Princess by the King, the order of succession to the British throne has changed.
King Charles III immediately acceded to the throne of the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms upon the death of Queen Elizabeth II on 8 September last year.
His wife Camilla joined his change of position as Queen Consort, and William, the Prince of Wales, moved up a notch beneath them to become first in line to the throne.
Until 9.30am on Thursday morning, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s children had been referred to as plain ‘master’ and ‘miss’ Mountbatten-Windsor on the Buckingham Palace website. Now they are ‘Prince Archie of Sussex’ and ‘Princess Lilibet of Sussex’.
Here, MailOnline takes a look at the new order of succession.
With the children of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle having been officially recognised as Prince and Princess by the King, the line of succession has changed. Here, MailOnline takes a look at the order of succession to the British throne (pictured)
1. The Prince of Wales
Born on 21 June 1982, William Arthur Philip Louis is King Charles’ first child who he shares with his first wife Princess Diana.
He attended Eton College as a teenager, spent his gap year in Belize, then attended the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, where he met his future wife, Kate Middleton, now the Princess of Wales.
They married at Westminster Abbey in April 2011 and went on to have three children, Princes George and Louis, and Princess Charlotte.
The family favor using the Wales’ title over their Duke and Duchess of Cambridge titles, making William and Kate known simply the Prince and Princess of Wales.
2. Prince George of Wales
The Prince of Wales’ eldest child, George Alexander Louis, was born in July 2013
Two of his names reference his great-great-grandfather, King George IV and great-great-grand uncle, Louis Mountbatten.
3. Princess Charlotte of Wales
Charlotte Elizabeth Diana was born in May 2015. The second child of Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, she was named after her grandfather, King Charles; great grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, and grandmother, Princess Diana.
‘Lottie’ is said to be a fan of curry and spiders and is ‘pretty good with heat,’ according to her mother. She also loves horses, something she had in common with her namesake great-grandmother.
4. Prince Louis of Wales
Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales’, youngest child, Louis Arthur Charles, was born in April 2018.
He was named for his great-great-great-uncle, Louis Mountbatten, and his grandfather, King Charles. Arthur is one of Prince William’s middle names.
Pictured: From left to right, first in line to the throne, Prince William, second, Prince George, third, Princess Charlotte and fourth Prince Louis with the Princess of Wales
5. The Duke of Sussex
King Charles and Princess Diana’s second son, Henry Charles Albert David (known as Harry), was born on 15 September 1984 as the third in line to the throne.
He has since been moved down to fifth following the births of his nephews and niece.
Like his brother, the Duke of Sussex attended Eton College as a teenager, where he was considered a star athlete, playing polo and rugby union.
Prince Harry began dating American actress Meghan Markle in July 2016. They married at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on 19 May 2018 and have since gone on to have two children, who follow Prince Harry behind in the line of succession.
6. Prince Archie of Sussex
The first child of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor was born on 6 May 2019.
Attending school in California, the three-year-old has inherited his father’s fiery-red hair, which was put on display in the family’s Christmas card in December 2021.
Until 9 March 2023, the children had been referred to as plain ‘master’ and ‘miss’ Mountbatten-Windsor on the Buckingham Palace website.
Now their titles have been updated on the line of succession on the Royal Family’s website, as ‘Prince Archie of Sussex’ and ‘Princess Lilibet of Sussex’.
7. Princess Lilibet of Sussex
Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor – Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’s second child – was born on 4 June 2021.
She was given Queen Elizabeth II’s nickname for her first name and her middle name is in honor of Prince Harry’s mother, Princess Diana.
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Prince Harry and Meghan kept Lilibet under wraps for the first six months of her life, but the baby’s first picture was released in December 2021, revealing that she also have inherited her father’s red hair.
Fortunately, Queen Elizabeth II met her namesake just months before she passed away. However, no cameras were allowed.
Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle are pictured with their son Prince Archie of Sussex and Princess Lilibet of Sussex
8. The Duke of York
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s third child and second son, Prince Andrew – who was born in February 1960 – is eighth in line to the throne.
He became Duke of York when he married Sarah Ferguson in 1986. The couple separated in 1992 and were officially divorced in 1996. The couple have two daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
Prince Andrew served in the Royal Navy for 22 years, flying helicopters and as the captain of a warship. During his time in the British Armed Forces, he saw action during the Falklands War in 1982, an experience that allegedly left him unable to sweat due to an overdose of adrenaline while being shot at during combat.
Up until 2019, Prince Andrew had been a working member of the Royal Family, but has since been forced to step down from any official duties as part of the fallout from his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, along with legal accusations that he engaged in sex with an underaged girl Epstein had trafficked – claims which Andrew has denied.
In the wake of this scandal, Queen Elizabeth II stripped Prince Andrew of all of his military affiliations and patronages and forced him to stop using the ‘His Royal Highness’ title in any official capacity. But, in late February, it was revealed that Prince Andrew is allowed to keep one military title – Vice Admiral.
9. Princess Beatrice, Mrs. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi
Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice of York was born in August 1988 and is the eldest daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York. She is now 9th in line of succession to the throne.
Princess Beatrice, who revealed in 2005 that she was diagnosed with dyslexia at age seven, graduated from Goldsmiths, University of London, with a BA in History and the History of Ideas in 2011. She went on to work several jobs before landing a full-time job as vice-president of strategy and partnerships at tech firm Afiniti.
Princess Beatrice married property tycoon Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in a private ceremony at The Royal Chapel of All Saints at Royal Lodge, Windsor, in July 2020, after the coronavirus pandemic scuttled their original plans to marry in May. The couple have a daughter, Sienna Elizabeth, and Beatrice is stepmother to Mozzi’s son from a previous marriage, Christopher Woolf.
10. Miss Sienna Mapelli Mozzi
Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi was born in September 2021 to Princess Beatrice and husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. As with her many female cousins, part of the baby’s name was given in tribute to her great grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Sienna – one of the newest members of the Royal Family Tree – is not eligible for a royal title, despite being the daughter of a princess. Royal rules dictate that only male grandchildren in the royal family automatically receive HRH-style titles.
The Duchess of York, 61, has previously praised Eugenie’s mothering skills during an interview, saying both of her daughters are ‘phenomenal’ mothers
11. Princess Eugenie, Mrs. Jack Brooksbank
Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s second child, Princess Eugenie, is now 11th in line for the throne. She was born in March 1990.
Prince Eugenie graduated from Newcastle University with a degree in English Literature and Art History, which she put to good use while working at the online auction house, Paddle8, before becoming a director at the Hauser & Wirth art gallery.
Eugenie married Jack Brooksbank in a grand wedding celebration at Windsor Castle in October 2018. The couple has a son, August Brooksbank, who follows his mother in the line of succession.
12. Master August Brooksbank
Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s son, August Philip Hawke Brooksbank, was born at London’s Portland hospital in February 2021.
Few pictures of the apparently dark-haired ‘Augie’ have been made public, aside from those captured at Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, since the couple wishes to give the child privacy as he grows up. Beatrice has called the boy a ‘special soul that brightens every room with your smile and wave.’
13: Baby Brooksbank
On 24 January 2023 Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank announced that they are pregnant with their second child, which will become the 13th in line to the British throne once born.
She posted a snap on Instagram showing two-year-old August kissing her stomach, writing: ‘We’re so excited to share that there will be a new addition to our family this summer.’
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: ‘Princess Eugenie and Mr Jack Brooksbank are pleased to announce they are expecting their second child this summer.
On 24 January 2023 Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank announced that they are pregnant with their second child, which will become the 13th in line to the British throne once born (pictured, with her son August)
‘The family are delighted and August is very much looking forward to being a big brother.’
While it is not known where the photo of the princess and August was taken, it appears to have been captured in the past few weeks, with frost on the ground.
In the post, the mother-of-one beams down at her young son, who snuggled into her tummy enthusiastically.
14. The Earl of Wessex
Prince Edward, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s youngest child was born in March 1964 and is now 13th in line for the throne. He received his Earl of Wessex and Viscount Severn title when he married Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999. The couple have two children, Louise and James.
Unlike his siblings and generations of Royal men before him, Prince Edward’s military career was very brief – he dropped out after a third of the 12-month Royal Marines training course. After abandoning the military, he made his way into an entertainment career, commissioning the 1986 musical Cricket from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice for Queen Elizabeth II’s 60th birthday. He also started a TV production company that ultimately went belly up.
Prince Edward is now a working Royal, and he and wife Sophie devote their time to various patronages as well as the Earl and Countess of Wessex Trust.
15. Viscount Severn
James Alexander Philip Theo Mountbatten-Windsor, Viscount Severn, is the youngest child of Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex. Born in December 2007, he is 14th in line for the throne.
James has been known for having an adventurous streak – he even once drove a Land Rover around Windsor Castle grounds when he was just 11 years old. As the castle lands are private property, he didn’t need a drivers license to do so.
16. The Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor
Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary Mountbatten-Windsor is the eldest child of Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex. Despite being born in November 2003 – four years before her brother – Louise is 15th in line for the throne.
Her lower position in the line of succession is due to the fact that she was born before the 2013 Crown Act changed the succession rules, removing the rule that had allowed men born before October 2011 to precede elder sisters in the succession line.
Louise is an avid horsewoman and driver of carriages – a practice she learned at a young age from her grandfather, Prince Philip. When Prince Philip died, Louise inherited his driving ponies and carriage following his death in April 2021.
17. The Princess Royal
Princess Anne is Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s second child. When she was born in August 1950, she was third in the line of succession but she is now 16th.
In 2021, she carried out a reported 387 Royal engagements, just edging out King Charles’s 385 official activities. She was named Princess Royal in June 1987.
Princess Anne married Captain Mark Phillips at Westminster Abbey in November 1973, during a televised ceremony that was watched by 100 million people.
The couple had two children – Peter and Zara Phillips – before they announced their separation in 1989 and officially divorced in April 1992. The Princess Royal married Vice-Admiral Timothy Laurence in a private ceremony in Scotland in December 1992.
18. Mr. Peter Phillips
Peter Phillips is Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips’ first child and also Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest grandchild.
He is 17th in line for the throne and does not carry a Royal title because his father declined the offer of an earldom when he married into the family, so his children don’t have courtesy titles.
Businessman Peter met Canadian Autumn Kelly in 2003 and they married in May 2008 – after Kelly converted from Catholicism to the Church of England, so that Peter wouldn’t be kicked out of the succession line due to a law that was repealed in 2013.
They had two children – Savannah and Isla – and announced their divorce in February 2020, which was finalized in June 2021.
Peter made headlines when he introduced his new lady love, Lindsay Wallace, to his grandmother, the Queen. Wallace is an old school friend of both Peter and his sister, Zara.
19. Miss Savannah Phillips
Savannah Philips was born in December 2010 and is the first child of Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly. Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest great-great-grandchild is now 18th in line for the throne.
At Princess Eugenie’s wedding in 2018, bridesmaid Savannah left her pageboy cousin, Prince George, trying – and failing – to cover up laughter while she pretended to play the trumpet in St. George’s Chapel.
20. Miss Isla Phillips
Isla Phillips is Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly’s second and youngest daughter. She was born in March 2012 – Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee year, and is 19th in line for the throne.
Like her elder sister Savannah, Isla is usually kept out of the Royal Family limelight, but has been known to join her Royal cousins at major events like Trooping The Colour.
21. Zara Tindall, Mrs. Michael Tindall
Zara Tindall, born Zara Phillips, is Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips’ second child. She was born in May 1981 and is 20th in line to the throne.
Zara met former England Rugby Union player Mike Tindall in 2003, when he won the Rugby World Cup in Australia. They married in July 2011 in Scotland and they have two daughters, Mia Grace and Lena Elizabeth, and a son, Lucas Philip.
Zara has been a dedicated horsewoman her entire life and managed to make it to the London 2012 Olympic team and winning a silver medal in the team event that year.
She also qualified for the British team in the Beijing 2008 Olympics, but had to withdraw when her horse was injured during training.
22. Miss Mia Tindall
Mia Grace Tindall is the eldest child of Zara Tindall, Princess Anne’s daughter, and former rugby star Mike Tindall. Born in January 2014, she is now 21st in the line of succession.
Like her cousin Savannah Phillips, Mia is known for a mischievous streak and can also be found running around with her father and cousins at various horse competitions. Most recently, the little girl was spotted playfully kicking her father during a charity football match.
During the portrait shoot for Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday, Mia – then two years old – had the distinct privilege of holding the Queen’s black handbag.
23. Miss Lena Tindall
Lena Elizabeth Tindall is the second child of Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall. She was born in June 2018, after Zara suffered two miscarriages. Upon the birth of her little brother in March 2021, Mike Tindall said that little Lena, age three, had taken to calling the boy ‘my baby!’ and then trying to pick him up, leaving him and Zara to have to tell her ‘no Lena, it’s not your baby!’
Zara’s cousin, Prince Harry, is Lena’s godfather.
24. Master Lucas Tindall
Lucas Philip Tindall was born in March 2021. He is the third child of Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall.
Lucas was delivered on the bathroom floor of the family’s home in Gatcombe Park because Zara didn’t have enough time to make it to the hospital. In a podcast revealing the child’s birth, Mike Tindall said that Zara’s friend had recognized the urgency of the situation, their midwife was called and then ‘it was run into the gym, get a mat, get into the bathroom, towels down, brace brace brace!’
Lucas’s middle name, Philip, is a nod to both his great-grandfather, Prince Philip, and Mike Tindall’s own father, banker Philip Tindall.
