See who inherits the throne after Queen Elizabeth II.
It was the moment many fans below were waiting for. However, there were a few notable absences following the monarch’s decision last month that only royals carrying out official duties would be invited to join her. That call ruled out Prince Harry — sixth in line to the throne — and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex both of whom stepped back from royal duties in 2020. It also meant Prince Andrew, who lost his HRH title in January, was not present either. Alongside the Queen were three of her children, Charles, Edward and Anne. Prince William and Catherine and their children, as well as a number of other relatives. So, if you’re still having a hard time deciphering your Earl of Wessex from your Princess Royal, here’s a handy guide to who’s who in the House of Windsor, in order of their potential ascension to the throne. Queen Elizabeth II
Born: April 21, 1926
What to know: Born third in line to the throne, she was christened Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary after her mother Queen Elizabeth; her paternal great-grandmother Queen Alexandra; and her paternal grandmother Queen Mary. The Queen is the sixth female to ascend to the British throne and the longest-reigning monarch. In September 2015, she surpassed the record set by her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, who ruled for 63 years, seven months. She married her third cousin, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, in November 1947. Like Queen Elizabeth II, he was a great-great-grandchild of Queen Victoria. Prince Philip died at the age of 99 in April 2021. More key relatives: Her younger sister and only sibling, Princess Margaret, who died in 2002. Charles, Prince of Wales
Born: November 14, 1948
What to know: First in the line of succession, Prince Charles is the longest serving British monarch-in-waiting; he’s been the heir apparent since the age of three. President of The Prince’s Trust and the Royal Shakespeare Company, and president or patron of more than 400 charitable organizations, the Prince of Wales is the first royal heir to earn a university degree. More key relatives: Diana, Princess of Wales, to whom he was married from 1981 to 1996. They had two children together: Princes William and Harry. Diana died in 1997 following a car accident in Paris, along with boyfriend Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul. In 2005, the Prince of Wales married Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall. Prince William, Duke of Cambridge
Born: June 21, 1982
What to know: Prince William, second in line to the throne after his father Prince Charles, has achieved the highest educational degree — Master of Arts — of any member of the royal family. He served in the military from 2006 to 2013, participating in more than 150 helicopter search and rescue operations. More key relatives: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, whom he married in 2011. The couple have three children together: Prince George, 8; Princess Charlotte, 7; and Prince Louis, 4. The family’s official residence is Kensington Palace. Prince George of Cambridge
Born: July 22, 2013
What to know: When Prince George arrived, he became third in line to inherit the throne. If all goes as planned and he becomes king after the reigns of his grandfather Prince Charles and his father Prince William, George will be the 43rd monarch since William the Conqueror. But for now, he’s still brushing up on his education: George currently attends Thomas’s Battersea school in south London along with his younger sister, Princess Charlotte. Princess Charlotte of Cambridge
Born: May 2, 2015
What to know: Fourth in line to the throne, Princess Charlotte was born into a more equitable era: In 2011, the British monarchy abolished a rule that gave preference to male heirs over their sisters in the line of succession.
