Kings and Queens of the United Kingdom from 1801 to Present: Complete List, Reign Periods, Spouses, Children, Historical Events and Royal Controversies
The British monarchy is one of the world's oldest surviving hereditary institutions. Its history, however, can become confusing because the terms England, Gr...
The British monarchy is one of the world's oldest surviving hereditary institutions. Its history, however, can become confusing because the terms England, Great Britain and the United Kingdom are not historically interchangeable.
England and Scotland had separate crowns until 1603, when James VI of Scotland also became James I of England. The political union creating the Kingdom of Great Britain took effect in 1707. On 1 January 1801, Great Britain and Ireland were united to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Following the creation of the Irish Free State, the state's present name, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, came into use in the twentieth century.
For that reason, this article begins in 1801, rather than treating medieval English kings as "Kings of the United Kingdom." The official Royal Family historical resources provide a broader chronology of monarchs and explain the development of the modern constitutional monarchy.
From the creation of the United Kingdom in 1801 to the present King Charles III, the Crown has passed through the Houses of Hanover, Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and Windsor.
Quick List of UK Monarchs Since 1801
| No. | Monarch | Reign relevant to UK history | Spouse | Children |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George III | 1760–1820; King of UK from 1801 | Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz | 15 |
| 2 | George IV | 1820–1830 | Caroline of Brunswick | 1 legitimate |
| 3 | William IV | 1830–1837 | Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen | No surviving legitimate children |
| 4 | Victoria | 1837–1901 | Prince Albert | 9 |
| 5 | Edward VII | 1901–1910 | Alexandra of Denmark | 6 |
| 6 | George V | 1910–1936 | Mary of Teck | 6 |
| 7 | Edward VIII | Jan–Dec 1936 | Wallis Simpson, married after abdication | 0 |
| 8 | George VI | 1936–1952 | Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon | 2 |
| 9 | Elizabeth II | 1952–2022 | Prince Philip | 4 |
| 10 | Charles III | 2022–present | Diana, later Camilla | 2 |
Important: In historical royal genealogy, "number of children" can require qualification. Some monarchs had children who died in infancy, and some had acknowledged or alleged children outside marriage. Where this makes a material difference, it is explained below.
1. King George III
Reign
25 October 1760 – 29 January 1820
Monarch of the United Kingdom
1 January 1801 – 29 January 1820
House
Hanover
Wife
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Children
15 children
George III was already King of Great Britain and Ireland when those kingdoms formally united in 1801. He therefore became the first monarch to reign over the newly created United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
His extraordinarily long reign witnessed some of the most important political events of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, including the American Revolution, the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.
George III and Queen Charlotte had 15 children — nine sons and six daughters.
Controversies and difficulties
One of the defining crises of George III's reign was the loss of Britain's thirteen American colonies following the American War of Independence.
His health also became a major constitutional issue. George suffered repeated periods of severe illness that affected his ability to perform royal duties. In 1811, his eldest son became Prince Regent under the Regency arrangements and exercised royal authority during the final years of George III's life.
It is important not to reduce George III's reign to his illness. His reign lasted almost six decades and encompassed enormous political, military and constitutional changes.
2. King George IV
Reign
29 January 1820 – 26 June 1830
House
Hanover
Wife
Caroline of Brunswick
George also secretly went through a marriage ceremony with Maria Fitzherbert in 1785, but the marriage was not legally valid under the requirements governing royal marriages at the time.
Children
One legitimate child — Princess Charlotte of Wales
Princess Charlotte died in 1817, before George IV became king.
George IV had already exercised royal powers as Prince Regent from 1811 because of George III's illness.
He became known for extravagant spending, fashion, architecture, entertainment and an exceptionally lavish lifestyle.
Major scandal: His marriage to Caroline
George IV's relationship with Caroline of Brunswick became one of the great royal scandals of the period.
Their marriage was extremely unhappy, and the couple separated. When George became king, he attempted to divorce Caroline and prevent her from becoming queen.
The government introduced the controversial Pains and Penalties Bill 1820, intended to dissolve the marriage and deprive Caroline of her position as queen. The attempt generated enormous public attention and was ultimately abandoned.
George even attempted to exclude Caroline from his coronation.
Historic Royal Palaces describes George IV's marriage as disastrous and notes that the couple's only child, Charlotte, died before his accession.
3. King William IV
Reign
26 June 1830 – 20 June 1837
House
Hanover
Wife
Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen
Legitimate children
William and Adelaide had children, but none survived to succeed him.
Children outside marriage
Before becoming king, William had a long relationship with actress Dorothea Jordan.
They had 10 children together, generally known by the surname FitzClarence.
Consequently, simply saying William IV "had no children" is inaccurate. He had no surviving legitimate heir, but he fathered a large family outside his marriage.
Historical significance
William IV's relatively short reign coincided with major political reform.
Most notably, the Reform Act 1832 transformed parliamentary representation and expanded the electorate.
Controversy
His long relationship with Dorothea Jordan and their ten children would have been regarded as unconventional for a future monarch, although royal mistresses and illegitimate children were far from unprecedented historically.
When William died without surviving legitimate children, the British throne passed to his niece, Victoria.
4. Queen Victoria
Reign
20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901
House
Hanover
Husband
Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Children
9 children
Victoria became queen at only 18 years of age.
Her reign of more than 63 years gave its name to the Victorian era, a period associated with Britain's industrial expansion, technological development and enormous imperial growth.
Victoria married her first cousin Prince Albert in 1840.
They had nine children, many of whom married into European royal families. This extensive network eventually helped earn Victoria the nickname "Grandmother of Europe."
The Royal Family records that Victoria and Albert had nine children between 1840 and 1857.
Major controversy: Withdrawal after Albert's death
Prince Albert died in 1861.
Victoria was devastated and withdrew substantially from public life for years.
Her prolonged absence from many public duties led to criticism and contributed to declining enthusiasm for the monarchy in some sections of society.
Eventually, Victoria resumed a more visible public role and regained considerable popularity.
Another controversy: John Brown
Victoria's exceptionally close friendship with Scottish servant John Brown attracted considerable public gossip and speculation.
Claims about the exact nature of their relationship have never been conclusively established, so allegations that they secretly married or had a romantic relationship should be treated as speculation rather than historical fact.
Victoria died in 1901 after a reign of more than 63 years.
5. King Edward VII
Reign
22 January 1901 – 6 May 1910
House
Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Wife
Alexandra of Denmark
Children
6 children, although their youngest son, Prince Alexander John, died shortly after birth.
Edward was the eldest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
Because Victoria reigned for so long, Edward was 59 when he finally became king.
His reign gave its name to the Edwardian era.
Scandals
Edward had acquired a reputation as a playboy long before becoming king.
He was associated with numerous women and was widely reported to have had several mistresses.
One notorious episode was the Tranby Croft affair, a gambling scandal in which Edward, then Prince of Wales, was called as a witness in court.
His lifestyle frequently caused concern to Queen Victoria.
Historic Royal Palaces describes Edward's pre-accession reputation as that of a playboy prince known for mistresses and a lavish lifestyle.
The official Royal Family biography also notes that his high-society lifestyle caused his mother considerable misgiving.
6. King George V
Reign
6 May 1910 – 20 January 1936
House
Originally Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, subsequently Windsor
Wife
Mary of Teck — Queen Mary
Children
6 children
Their children were:
- Edward VIII
- George VI
- Mary, Princess Royal
- Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester
- Prince George, Duke of Kent
- Prince John
Historical significance
George V's reign included:
- World War I
- political and social upheaval
- the decline of several European monarchies
- Irish independence
- expansion of parliamentary democracy
- transformation of the British Empire
German-name controversy
During World War I, Britain's royal family's German ancestry became politically sensitive because Britain was at war with Germany.
In 1917, George V changed the name of the royal house from Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to Windsor.
The name Windsor remains the name of the royal house today.
Historic Royal Palaces notes that criticism of the family's German heritage during World War I prompted George V to adopt the name Windsor.
Controversy surrounding his death
George V's death later became historically controversial after the publication of his physician Lord Dawson's diary.
The diary indicated that the dying king was administered large doses of morphine and cocaine shortly before his death.
The circumstances have generated substantial historical and medical debate concerning whether the medication merely relieved suffering or deliberately hastened death.
7. King Edward VIII
Reign
20 January 1936 – 11 December 1936
House
Windsor
Wife
Wallis Simpson
However, Edward married Wallis after his abdication, in 1937.
Children
None
Edward VIII had one of the shortest reigns in modern British history.
The Abdication Crisis
Edward wanted to marry Wallis Simpson, an American who had divorced her first husband and was in the process of divorcing her second.
The proposed marriage produced a constitutional crisis.
As king, Edward was also Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and political and religious objections made his proposed marriage extremely difficult.
Edward ultimately decided to give up the throne.
On 10 December 1936, he signed the Instrument of Abdication, and his abdication took effect the following day.
His younger brother became King George VI.
Historic Royal Palaces describes Edward's reign as lasting 327 days and explains how his determination to marry Wallis Simpson culminated in abdication.
Later controversy
Edward's attitude toward Nazi Germany before World War II has generated serious historical controversy.
Edward and Wallis visited Germany in 1937 and met Adolf Hitler.
Historians continue to examine Edward's political opinions, his contacts and German plans concerning him during World War II.
For this reason, Edward VIII remains one of the most controversial modern British royals.
8. King George VI
Reign
11 December 1936 – 6 February 1952
House
Windsor
Wife
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, later widely known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
Children
2 daughters
- Princess Elizabeth — later Queen Elizabeth II
- Princess Margaret
George VI had never expected to become king.
He inherited the throne after his elder brother Edward VIII abdicated.
World War II
George VI became an important symbol of British national unity during World War II.
The King and Queen remained in Britain during the war and visited bomb-damaged communities.
Speech difficulties
George VI struggled with a significant stammer and worked with Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue.
This part of his life later became internationally familiar through the film The King's Speech.
Controversies
Compared with several other monarchs on this list, George VI's personal reign was relatively free of major marital or personal scandal.
His greatest difficulties were constitutional and historical rather than scandalous: inheriting the throne unexpectedly, restoring confidence in the monarchy after Edward VIII's abdication and leading symbolically during World War II.
9. Queen Elizabeth II
Reign
6 February 1952 – 8 September 2022
House
Windsor
Husband
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Marriage
1947–2021, ending with Prince Philip's death
Children
4 children
- Charles — now King Charles III
- Anne, Princess Royal
- Prince Andrew
- Prince Edward
Elizabeth II became queen at age 25 following the death of her father, George VI.
Her coronation took place on 2 June 1953.
Her reign lasted more than 70 years, making her the longest-reigning monarch in British history.
Historic Royal Palaces notes that Elizabeth II surpassed Victoria as Britain's longest-reigning sovereign in September 2015.
Transformation during her reign
Elizabeth II's reign witnessed extraordinary changes:
- decline and transformation of the British Empire
- growth of the Commonwealth
- the Cold War
- television becoming a mass medium
- decolonisation
- entry into and later withdrawal from the European Union
- the internet and digital revolution
- major changes in British society
- enormous changes in public attitudes toward royalty
The 1992 "Annus Horribilis"
One of the monarchy's most difficult modern years was 1992, which Elizabeth herself famously described using the Latin phrase annus horribilis.
During this period, several royal marriages were breaking down and Windsor Castle suffered a major fire.
Diana crisis
The divorce of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales attracted worldwide media attention.
After Diana's death in Paris in 1997, the monarchy faced criticism concerning its initial public response.
The Queen subsequently addressed the nation in a televised broadcast.
Prince Andrew controversy
The later years of Elizabeth II's reign were also overshadowed by controversies surrounding her son Prince Andrew and his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
These were controversies involving a member of the Royal Family rather than allegations of personal misconduct by Elizabeth II herself, an important distinction when discussing the Queen's historical record.
Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle on 8 September 2022, aged 96.
10. King Charles III
Reign
8 September 2022 – Present
House
Windsor
First wife
Lady Diana Spencer — Diana, Princess of Wales
Married: 1981
Divorced: 1996
Diana died in 1997.
Second wife
Camilla Parker Bowles
Married: 2005
Camilla became Queen Consort when Charles became king and was crowned alongside him in 2023. She is now commonly styled Queen Camilla.
Children
Charles has 2 children, both with Diana:
- William, Prince of Wales
- Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
Accession
Charles became king immediately upon the death of Queen Elizabeth II on 8 September 2022.
His coronation took place on 6 May 2023 at Westminster Abbey.
Charles-Diana-Camilla controversy
Charles's relationship with Camilla while he was married to Diana became one of the most widely reported royal controversies of the twentieth century.
Charles and Diana's marriage deteriorated publicly, and intimate details of both their lives became subjects of intense media coverage.
Their separation was announced in 1992, and they divorced in 1996.
Diana's death in a Paris car crash in 1997 further transformed public attitudes toward the Royal Family.
Charles and Camilla eventually married in 2005.
Family tensions involving Prince Harry
During Charles's later years as Prince of Wales and subsequently as king, disagreements involving Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, became a major subject of international media coverage.
However, care is necessary when describing such events as a "scandal." Many claims concerning private conversations and relationships come from competing personal accounts rather than independently established facts.
The Royal Houses Since 1801
The monarchs covered in this article belong to three royal-house names:
House of Hanover
- George III
- George IV
- William IV
- Victoria
House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
- Edward VII
- George V initially
House of Windsor
The name Windsor was adopted by George V in 1917.
The Windsor monarchs are:
- George V
- Edward VIII
- George VI
- Elizabeth II
- Charles III
This means that King Charles III is a member of the House of Windsor.
Which Monarch Reigned the Longest?
Among British monarchs, Queen Elizabeth II holds the record.
She reigned from:
6 February 1952 to 8 September 2022
Her reign lasted approximately:
70 years and 214 days
Before Elizabeth II broke the record, Queen Victoria had been Britain's longest-reigning monarch.
Victoria reigned for more than 63 years.
Which Monarch Had the Shortest Reign on This List?
Among the UK monarchs covered here, Edward VIII had by far the shortest reign.
He became king on:
20 January 1936
and abdicated in:
December 1936
His reign lasted only 327 days.
Which Monarch Had the Most Children?
Among the monarchs covered in this post-1801 list, George III had the largest legitimate family.
George III and Queen Charlotte had:
15 children
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had nine children.
William IV presents a special case: he had no surviving legitimate heir but had ten children with Dorothea Jordan.
Which Monarch Never Married While King?
Edward VIII was unmarried throughout his reign.
His desire to marry Wallis Simpson was the central issue in the constitutional crisis that resulted in his abdication.
They married in France in 1937, after Edward was no longer king.
How Did the British Monarchy Change?
Perhaps the biggest difference between the monarchy of George III and that of Charles III is the monarch's practical political role.
The British monarchy gradually developed into the modern constitutional monarchy.
The official Royal Family's historical overview explains that from the end of the seventeenth century monarchs increasingly lost executive power and became subject to Parliament.
Today, the monarch is head of state, while elected government exercises political authority.
The sovereign performs constitutional, ceremonial, diplomatic and representative functions but does not govern Britain as medieval and early-modern kings once did.
Important Note About the Word "Scandal"
Historical articles about royalty should distinguish among:
Documented events — events established through historical records.
Controversies — events that generated political, social or public criticism.
Allegations — claims that may be disputed or unproven.
Rumours — stories for which reliable historical evidence may be inadequate.
For example, Edward VIII's abdication is a documented constitutional event. His 1937 visit to Nazi Germany is documented, but broader claims about his motives and loyalties require careful historical interpretation.
Likewise, Queen Victoria's closeness to John Brown is well documented, while some sensational claims about their relationship remain unproven.
This distinction is particularly important when writing about living members of the Royal Family.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Who is the current King of the United Kingdom?
King Charles III is the current monarch. He became king on 8 September 2022 following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
2. Who was monarch when the United Kingdom was created in 1801?
King George III was monarch when the Kingdom of Great Britain and Kingdom of Ireland united in 1801.
3. Why doesn't this list begin with William the Conqueror?
William I became King of England in 1066, not King of the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom did not yet exist.
The Royal Family maintains a broader chronology of kings and queens from 1066 for readers interested in English and later British monarchs.
4. Who was the longest-reigning British monarch?
Queen Elizabeth II, who reigned for more than 70 years.
5. Who held the record before Elizabeth II?
Queen Victoria, who reigned from 1837 until 1901.
6. Who had the shortest reign among modern UK monarchs?
Edward VIII, whose reign lasted 327 days in 1936.
7. Why did Edward VIII abdicate?
The immediate constitutional crisis arose from his determination to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee. Facing political and religious opposition, Edward chose abdication.
8. Did Edward VIII have children?
No. Edward VIII had no children.
9. Did Queen Elizabeth II have children?
Yes. She had four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward.
10. How many children does King Charles III have?
Charles III has two sons: Prince William and Prince Harry.
11. Who was Queen Victoria's husband?
Queen Victoria married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1840.
12. How many children did Victoria and Albert have?
They had nine children.
13. Why is Queen Victoria called the "Grandmother of Europe"?
Many of Victoria's nine children and their descendants married members of European royal families, connecting her descendants with numerous European dynasties.
14. Who was Edward VII's wife?
Edward VII married Alexandra of Denmark in 1863.
15. Was Edward VII involved in scandals?
Before becoming king, Edward was famous for his fashionable social life and relationships with women. He was also involved as a witness in the Tranby Croft gambling scandal.
16. Who changed the Royal Family's name to Windsor?
King George V changed the name of the royal house to Windsor in 1917 amid anti-German sentiment during World War I.
17. What was the Royal Family called before Windsor?
Immediately before Windsor, the royal house was known as Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
18. Did William IV have children?
Yes, but the answer needs qualification. He had no surviving legitimate heir with Queen Adelaide. Before his marriage, however, he had ten children with Dorothea Jordan.
19. Who succeeded William IV?
His niece Queen Victoria succeeded him in 1837.
20. Who succeeded Queen Victoria?
Her son Edward VII succeeded her in 1901.
21. Who succeeded Edward VII?
His son George V became king in 1910.
22. Who succeeded George V?
His eldest son became Edward VIII in January 1936.
23. Who succeeded Edward VIII?
After Edward's abdication, his younger brother George VI became king.
24. Who succeeded George VI?
His elder daughter became Queen Elizabeth II in 1952.
25. Who succeeded Queen Elizabeth II?
Her eldest son became King Charles III immediately upon her death on 8 September 2022.
26. Who will succeed Charles III?
Under the present line of succession, the heir apparent is William, Prince of Wales. Succession is governed by descent together with relevant legislation.
27. Is Camilla the Queen?
Yes. Camilla became queen consort upon Charles III's accession and is styled Queen Camilla.
28. Was Princess Diana ever Queen?
No. Diana was Princess of Wales while married to Charles when he was Prince of Wales. They divorced in 1996, years before Charles became king.
29. Was Prince Philip a king?
No.
Prince Philip was the husband, or consort, of Queen Elizabeth II but was not King of the United Kingdom.
A royal consort is the spouse of a reigning monarch and does not acquire the monarch's constitutional position simply through marriage.
30. Why is a king's wife usually called Queen but a queen's husband is not automatically King?
British royal titles follow historical conventions. A king's wife can be a queen consort, whereas the husband of a reigning queen does not automatically become king because the title "King" historically denotes a sovereign rather than merely the male spouse of a sovereign.
31. How many British monarchs have there been since the 1707 union?
There have been 13 British monarchs since the 1707 Acts of Union, beginning with Queen Anne and continuing to Charles III.
32. Why does this article list only ten?
Because this article uses 1801 — the creation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland — as its starting point.
Queen Anne, George I and George II therefore fall into the earlier Kingdom of Great Britain period. George III appears because he was reigning when the United Kingdom was created.
33. Was the British monarch once politically powerful?
Yes. Earlier monarchs exercised considerably more direct political authority. Over centuries, parliamentary government and constitutional conventions progressively limited royal power.
34. Can the King make laws himself today?
No. Modern Britain is a constitutional monarchy operating through Parliament and elected government. The monarch has important formal constitutional functions but does not personally legislate or govern the country.
35. What is the difference between a queen regnant and a queen consort?
A queen regnant is the sovereign herself — for example Queen Victoria or Queen Elizabeth II.
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king — for example Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth (wife of George VI) or Queen Camilla.
Conclusion
The history of the United Kingdom's monarchy since 1801 is not simply a succession of kings and queens. It is also the history of Britain's transformation from an imperial power governed within a very different political system into a modern parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarch.
George III witnessed the creation of the United Kingdom itself. George IV became notorious for extravagance and marital conflict. William IV presided over an important period of parliamentary reform. Victoria became the symbol of an entire age. Edward VII brought a new social style to the monarchy. George V guided the Crown through World War I and created the Windsor name. Edward VIII sacrificed his throne during the abdication crisis. George VI became a symbol of national determination during World War II. Elizabeth II provided continuity through more than seven decades of enormous political, technological and social change. Charles III now represents the latest chapter in that continuing constitutional institution.
The monarchy has survived not because it has remained unchanged, but largely because its political role has changed dramatically over time. The modern sovereign reigns within a parliamentary constitutional system rather than personally governing the country.
When studying royal scandals and controversies, it is equally important to separate documented historical facts from allegations, gossip and later speculation. Royal history has always attracted sensational stories, but responsible historical writing requires a clear distinction between what is known, what is disputed and what remains unproven.
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