Prince Charles is set to be crowned King Charles III next month, but what happens to the British monarchy after him? The next in line for the throne is Prince William, who will become King of England after Charles. Prince William is the firstborn child of Charles, who is the firstborn child of Queen Elizabeth II. This is due to the British system of primogeniture, which means the right of succession belongs to the firstborn child.
The system of succession has undergone changes in recent years. Thanks to The Succession to the Crown Act (2013), there is no longer a male bias in the line of succession. The Act ensures that the order of succession corresponds simply to the birth order of a monarch’s children, regardless of gender. This means that even if a royal has a daughter before having a son, the daughter will be closer in line to the throne than the son.
The Act also allows an heir to marry a Roman Catholic and still maintain their place in the line of succession, which was previously prohibited. This has implications for the current line of succession, which includes Prince Harry’s children, who have a Roman Catholic mother.
The current line of succession to the British throne, in order, is as follows: Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Prince Harry, Prince Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, Princess Lilbet Mountbatten-Windsor, Prince Andrew, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, August Philip Hawke Brooksbank, Prince Edward, James, Viscount Severn, Lady Louise Windsor, Anne, Princess Royal, Peter Phillips, Savannah Phillips, Isla Phillips, and Zara Tindall.
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It is worth noting that the line of succession can change due to births, deaths, marriages, or other events that affect the eligibility of a royal to inherit the throne. For instance, the birth of a new child to Prince William and Kate Middleton would push the current line of succession further down.
Prince William will be the next in line for the British throne after King Charles III. The Succession to the Crown Act (2013) has ensured that there is no longer a male bias in the line of succession, with the order of succession being determined by the birth order of a monarch’s children, regardless of gender. The current line of succession includes Prince Harry’s children, who are of Roman Catholic faith. However, the line of succession can change due to births, deaths, marriages, or other events that affect the eligibility of a royal to inherit the throne.
