Home > Heir presumptive

Depending on the rules of the monarchy in question, the heir presumptive might be the daughter of a monarch (if males take priority over females and the monarch has no sons), or the senior member of a collateral line (if the monarch is childless).

If an heir apparent is born, he becomes first-in-line to the throne, with all of his descendants taking priority over the heir presumptive in the Line of Succession. In the event of there being an heir apparent, the title "heir presumptive" lapses and is not used to describe the most senior person in the Line of Succession who is not a direct male descendant of the monarch. A woman who is in the same position is called the heiress presumptive.

1 Examples of Heirs Presumptive who inherited thrones

• Queen Mary I of England, who succeeded her half-brother King Edward VI of England
• Queen Elizabeth I of England, who succeeded her half-sister Queen Mary I of England
• King James I of England (who was James VI of Scotland), who succeeded his distant cousin Queen Elizabeth I of England
• Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, who succeeded her uncle King William IV of the United Kingdom
• King George VI of the United Kingdom, who succeeded his brother King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom
• Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, who succeeded her father King George VI of the United Kingdom
• King Albert II of the Belgians, who succeeded his brother King Baudouin of the Belgians
• King Paul of Greece, who succeeded his brother King George II of Greece
• King Oscar II of SwedenKing Oscar II of Sweden and Norway Oscar Fredrik ( January 21, 1829 December 8, 1907) was the third son of King Oscar I of Sweden and Norway. At birth he was created Duke of Ostrogothia. He entered the navy at the age of eleven, and was appointed junior l, who succeeded his brother King Charles XV of SwedenKing Charles XV of Sweden, Charles IV of Norway Carl Ludvig Eugen ( May 3, 1826 August 19, 1872), was the eldest son of King Oscar I of Sweden and Norway, and Josephine of Leuchtenberg. On June 19, 1851 he married Louise of the Netherlands, granddaughter
• Queen Ulrike Eleonora of Sweden, who succeeded her brother King Charles XII of SwedenCharles XII Karl XII or Carolus Rex ( June 17, 1682 November 30, 1718) was a King of Sweden ( 1697 1718). He came to the throne at the age of fifteen and left the country three years later to embark on a series of battles overseas, that briefly made Swede
• King Charles X of SwedenCharles X or Karl X Gustav ( 1622- 1660), king of Sweden, son of John Casimir, Margrave of Pfalz-Zweibrucken, and Catherine, sister of Gustavus Adolphus, was born at the Castle of Nykoping on November 8, 1622. He reigned as king of Sweden from 1654-1660., who succeeded his cousin Queen Christina of SwedenChristina (1626-1689) or Kristina later known as Maria Christina Alexandra and sometime Count Dohna was Queen of Sweden from 1632 to 1654, was the daughter of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden. As the heiress presumptive she succeeded her father to the thr
• King John III of Sweden, who succeeded his brother King Eric XIV of Sweden
• Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, who succeeded her father King Frederik IX of Denmark (since he produced no male heir to the throne)