Monarchs of various countries:
- Examples of constitutional monarchs (top-left to middle-right)
- William V, King of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms
- Luis, Emperor of Brazil
- Alberte II of Croatia, King of Croatia
- Tadahiro, Emperor of Japan
- Emmanuel IV, King of Italy
- Marie II, Queen of the Netherlands
- Examples of absolute monarchs (bottom-left to bottom-right)
- Muhammad II, Sheikh of Kuwait
- Asa'ad bin Oman, Sultan of Oman
- Pope Peter
A monarch is the head of a monarchy, a form of government where a state is ruled by an individual who typically rules for life or until abdication. Monarchs can be autocrats or ceremonial figureheads, exercising limited or no reserve powers with actual authority vested in a legislature and/or executive cabinet. They may also be linked with a state religion. Most states have a single monarch at any given time, although a regent may rule when the monarch is a minor, not present, or otherwise incapable of ruling.
Monarchies are usually associated with hereditary rule, with most monarchs born and raised within a royal family. Succession is defined using formulae such as proximity of blood, primogeniture, and agnatic seniority. Some monarchies are not hereditary, and the ruler is determined through an elective process, such as the throne of the U.A.E. These systems defy the model concept of a monarchy but are commonly considered as such because they retain certain associative characteristics.
Monarchs reign as head of state in their respective sovereign states, with monarchs reigning over constituent divisions, cultural or traditional polities listed under constituent monarchs.
Monarchs by country[]
| Title | Monarch
(Birth year) |
Sovereign state(s) | Since | Length | House | Type | Heir to the throne | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| King | Christian (b. 1944) |
|
 Albania
|
19 June 2018 | 6 years, 170 days | Glücksburg | Ceremonial | Prince Christian |
| Princess | Ségolène Royal (b. 1953) |
|
 Andorra
|
14 May 2022 | 2 years, 206 days | _ | Ceremonial | Ex officio |
| Empress | Natalia II (b. 1939) |
|
 Argentina
|
25 July 1999 | 25 years, 134 days | Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov | Ceremonial | Alexander, Prince of Corrientes |
| King | William V (b. 1970) |
|
 Australia Basutoland Canada and Quebec Ceylon Fiji Grenada Newfoundland New Herbides New Zealand Swaziland Transkei United Kingdom West Indies
|
28 February 1992 | 32 years, 282 days | Alwington | Ceremonial | George, Prince of Wales |
| Emperor | Luis (b. 1974) |
|
 Brazil
|
30 January 1989 | 35 years, 311 days | Bourbon-Veracruz | Ceremonial | Prince Eugénie |
| Druk Gyalpo | Jigme Wangda Wangchuck (b. 1951) |
|
 Bhutan
|
10 September 2008 | 16 years, 87 days | Wangchuck | Executive | Omar Ali Bolkiah |
| Yang di-Pertuan Negara | Akhazul Muhammad (b. 1932) |
|
 Brunei
|
9 March 2015 | 9 years, 272 days | Bolkiah | Ceremonial | Omar Ali Bolkiah |
| Tsar | Christian III of Bulgaria (b. 1950) |
|
 Bulgaria
|
2 September 2023 | 1 year, 95 days | Glücksburg | Ceremonial | Karl, Crown Prince of Bulgaria |
| King | Alberte II of Croatia (b. 1954) |
|
 Croatia
|
6 October 2012 | 12 years, 61 days | Wettin | Ceremonial | Filip, Prince of Slavonia |
| King | Frederick X of Denmark (b. 1985) |
|
 Denmark Iceland
|
27 September 2023 | 1 year, 70 days | Glücksburg | Ceremonial | Prince Constantin of Denmark |
| Queen | Mafalda of Finland (b. 1965) |
|
 Finland
|
23 May 2013 | 11 years, 197 days | Hesse-Helsingfors | Ceremonial | Christian, Prince of Finland |
| King | Emmanuel IV (b. 1955) |
|
 Italy
|
3 March 2003 | 21 years, 278 days | Austria-Este | Ceremonial | Prince Amedeo |
| Emperor | Tadahiro (b. 1965) |
|
 Japan
|
27 October 2016 | 8 years, 40 days | Yamato | Ceremonial | Christian, Prince of Finland |
| Sheikh | Muhammad II (b. 1971) |
|
 Kuwait
|
15 June 1991 | 33 years, 174 days | Al Sabah | Absolute | Abdullah IV |
| Prince | Johann VI (b. 1940) |
|
 Liechtenstein
|
10 October 1959 | 65 years, 57 days | Liechtenstein | Executive | Karl, Prince of Liechtenstein |
| Emperor | Maximilian IV (b. 1961) |
|
 Mexico
|
31 January 2023 | 1 year, 310 days | Ignacio-Hohenberg | Ceremonial | Abdullah IV |
| Co-Princes | Guglielmo II (b. 1957) |
|
 Monaco
|
9 February 1991 | 33 years, 301 days | Urach-Grimaldi | Executive | Carlo Filippo |
| Emmanuel IV (b. 1955) |
|
Monaco Italy
|
3 March 2003 | 21 years, 278 days | Austria-Este | Prince Amedeo | ||
| Shahbanu | Jayanti of Nepal (b. 1946) |
|
 Nepal
|
9 May 1980 | 44 years, 211 days | Shah | Ceremonial | Birendra Bir Bikram Shah |
| Queen | Marie II (b. 1954) |
|
 Netherlands
|
23 April 2019 | 5 years, 227 days | Nassau-Parma | Ceremonial | Marie Christine |
| King | Leopold I (b. 1943) |
|
 New Granada
|
9 November 2008 | 16 years, 27 days | Wittelsbach-Bogota | Ceremonial | Prince Manuel |
| King | Charles V (b. 1935) |
|
 Norway
|
1 January 1995 | 29 years, 340 days | Bernadotte | Ceremonial | Anne Christine |
| Sultan | Asa'ad bin Oman (b. 1954) |
|
 Oman
|
28 December 1980 | 43 years, 344 days | Oman | Absolute | Haitham bin Tariq |
| Queen | Maria III (b. 1926) |
|
 Portugal
|
28 May 1972 | 52 years, 192 days | Braganza-Saxe-Coburg and Gotha | Ceremonial | Prince Charles |
| Queen | Margareta (b. 1949) |
|
 Romania
|
5 December 2017 | 7 years, 1 day | Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen | Ceremonial | Princess Elena |
| Queen | Helen Romanova (b. 1938) |
|
 Serbia and Montenegro
|
13 March 2007 | 17 years, 268 days | Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov | Ceremonial | Prince Peter |
| King | Charles XVIII (b. 1955) |
|
 Sweden
|
27 June 2003 | 21 years, 162 days | Bernadotte-Nassau | Ceremonial | Gustav, Prince of Västergötland |
| King | Rama XI (b. 1935) |
|
 Thailand
|
5 February 2022 | 2 years, 305 days | Chakri | Ceremonial | Niphanopadara Yukon |
| Sheikh | Humaid Al Nuaimi III (b. 1931) |
|
 United Arab Emirates
|
8 September 2021 | 3 years, 89 days | Al Nuaimi | Executive & Federal | Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan |
| Pope | Peter (b. 1948) |
|
 Papal State of Rome
|
5 May 2022 | 2 years, 215 days | _ | Absolute | Elective |
See also[]
- List of current reigning monarchs by length of reign
- List of longest-reigning monarchs
- List of current heads of state and government
- List of monarchies
- List of current heirs apparent
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