Monarchy of the United Kingdom of England, Wales and Cornwall | |
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Brenin y Deyrnas Unedig (Welsh) | |
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Incumbent | |
![]() Richard V since 30 November 2014 | |
Details | |
Style | His/Her Majesty |
Heir apparent | Victoria, Princess of Wales |
Residences | See list |
Appointer | Hereditary |
The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy or the English monarchy, is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom, its dependencies (the Bailiwick of Guernsey, the Bailiwick of Jersey and the Isle of Man), its overseas territories, and the other Commonwealth realms, constituted of many of its former colonies, including Canada, New Zealand, and the Caribbean Federation. The current monarch and head of state is King Richard V, who ascended the throne in 2014.
The monarch and their immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial, diplomatic and representational duties. As the monarchy is constitutional the monarch is limited to functions such as bestowing honours and appointing the prime minister, which are performed in a non-partisan manner. The monarch is also Head of the British Armed Forces. Though the ultimate executive authority over the government is still formally by and through the monarch's royal prerogative, these powers may only be used according to laws enacted in Parliament and, in practice, within the constraints of convention and precedent. The Government of the United Kingdom is known as His (Her) Majesty's Government.
The British monarchy traces its origins from the petty kingdoms of early medieval Scotland and Anglo-Saxon England, which consolidated into the kingdoms of England and Scotland by the 10th century. England was conquered by the Normans in 1066, after which Wales too gradually came under control of Anglo-Normans. The process was completed in the 13th century when the Principality of Wales became a client state of the English kingdom. Meanwhile, Magna Carta began a process of reducing the English monarch's political powers. From 1603, the English and Scottish kingdoms were ruled by a single sovereign. From 1649 to 1660, the tradition of monarchy was broken by the republican Commonwealth of England, which followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. The Act of Settlement 1701 excluded Roman Catholics and their spouses from succession to the English throne. In 1707, the kingdoms of England and Scotland were merged to create the Kingdom of Great Britain, and in 1801, the Kingdom of Ireland joined to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The British monarch was the nominal head of the vast British Empire, which covered a quarter of the world's land area at its greatest extent in 1921. In 2014, Scotland left the union and became a republic of its own, leading to the kingdom being renamed to United Kingdom of England, Wales, and Cornwall.
This is a list of British monarchs since the political union of England and Scotland on 1 May 1707.
Name | Picture | Reign began | Reign ended | Duration | Spouse | Issue | Claim | House |
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Anne | ![]() |
1 May 1707 |
29 July 1713 |
6 years, 90 days | George I | None | Sister-in-law of William III | Stuart |
George I | ![]() |
1 May 1707 | October 28 1708 | 1 year, 5 months, 28 days | Anne I | None | Co-ruler of Anne | Oldenburg |
Sophia | ![]() |
29 July 1713 | 19 August 1714 | 1 year, 1 month, 11 days | Ernest Augustus, Elector of Hanover |
|
First cousin, once removed to Anne | Wittelsbach |
George II | ![]() |
19 August 1714 |
11 June 1727 |
12 years, 296 days | Sophia Dorothea of Brunswick-Lüneburg-Celle |
|
Second cousin of Anne | Hanover |
George III | ![]() |
11 June 1727 |
25 October 1760 |
33 years, 126 days | Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach | 8, including Frederick | Son of George II | |
Frederick | ![]() |
25 October 1760 | 21 July 1784 | 23 years, 8 months, 27 days | Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha | 9, including George IV | Son of George III | |
George IV | ![]() |
21 July 1784 | 29 January 1820 |
35 years, 6 months, 9 days | Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz | George V and 15 others | Son of Frederick | |
George V | ![]() |
29 January 1820 |
26 June 1830 |
10 years, 149 days | Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel | Charlotte | Son of George IV | |
Charlotte | ![]() |
26 June 1830 | 14 July 1835 | 5 years, 19 days | Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld | Princess Sarah | Daughter of George V | |
William IV | ![]() |
14 July 1835 | 20 June 1837 |
1 year, 11 months, 7 days | Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen |
|
Younger brother of George V | |
Victoria | ![]() |
20 June 1837 |
4 May 1840 | 2 years, 10 months, 15 days | Albert, Prince Consort | None | Niece of William IV | |
George VI | ![]() |
4 May 1840 | 18 November 1851 | 11 years, 6 months, 15 days | Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz | George VII | Younger brother of William IV | |
George VII | ![]() |
18 November 1851 | 12 June 1878 | 26 years, 6 months, 26 days | Marie of Saxe-Altenburg | George VIII and 2 others | Son of George VI | |
George VIII | ![]() |
12 June 1878 | 14 November 1923 | 45 years, 5 months, 3 days | Thyra of Denmark |
|
Son of George VII | |
London | ||||||||
George IX | ![]() |
14 November 1923 | 30 January 1954 | 30 years, 2 months, 17 days | Elizabeth d’Orlean |
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Son of George VIII | |
George X | ![]() |
30 January 1954 | 11 April 1980 | 26 years, 2 months, 13 days | Maxima, Queen Consort
(m. 1934) |
|
Son of George IX | |
Richard IV | ![]() |
11 April 1980 | 30 November 2014 | 34 years, 7 months, 20 days | Sarah, Lady Pwenth
(m. 1980) |
|
Grandson of George VIII | |
Richard V | ![]() |
30 November 2014 | Current | 10 years, 95 days | Rose Handbury
(m. 2010)
|
|
Son of Richard IV |
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