Family tree of British monarchs facts for kids

This page shows a simplified family tree of the kings and queens who ruled England, Scotland, and later, Great Britain and the United Kingdom. It helps you see how these rulers were related to each other over many centuries.

This family tree starts with early Scottish kings and then shows the English monarchs, followed by the British ones. It covers a long period of history, from the 9th century all the way to today's royal family.

Early Scottish Kings: House of Alpin

The story begins with the House of Alpin, an early royal family in Scotland.

Alpín mac Echdach

• Alpín mac Echdach (died 834) was an early figure in this royal line.

Kenneth I MacAlpin and his Descendants

• Kenneth I MacAlpin (810–858) was a very important king. He ruled the Picts from 843 to 858. Many consider him the first king of what would become Scotland.
• Domnall I mac Ailpín (812–862) was Kenneth's brother. He ruled the Picts from 858 to 862.
• Causantín I mac Cináeda (died 877) was a King of the Picts from 862 to 877.
• Áed mac Cináeda (died 878) ruled the Picts from 877 to 878.
• Giric (circa 832–889) was King of the Picts from 878 to 889.
• Eochaid (ruled 878–889) was also a King of the Picts.
• Donald II mac Causantín (died 900) became King of Alba (an early name for Scotland) from 889 to 900.
• Constantine II (before 879–952) was a long-reigning King of Alba from 900 to 952.
• Malcolm I (circa 900–954) ruled Alba from 943 to 954.
• Indulf (died 962) was King of Alba from 954 to 962.
• Dub (circa 928–967) ruled Alba from 962 to 967.
• Cuilén (died 971) was King of Alba from 967 to 971.
• Amlaíb mac Ilduilb (died 977) was King of Alba from 973 to 977.
• Kenneth II (before 954–995) ruled Alba from 971 to 995.
• Constantine III (before 971–997) was King of Alba from 995 to 997.
• Kenneth III (circa 966–1005) ruled Alba from 997 to 1005.
• Malcolm II (circa 980–1034) became King of Scots from 1005 to 1034.

English Monarchs: House of Wessex

Meanwhile, in England, the House of Wessex was a powerful royal family.

Alfred the Great and his Successors

• Alfred the Great (849–899) was a famous King of Wessex from 871 to 899. He defended his kingdom against Viking attacks.
• Edward the Elder (circa 874/877–924) was King of the Anglo-Saxons from 899 to 924.
• Æthelstan (circa 894–939) was the first King of the English, ruling from 924 to 939. He united different kingdoms.
• Edmund I (921–946) was King of the English from 939 to 946.
• Eadred (923–955) ruled as King of the English from 946 to 955.
• Eadwig (circa 940–959) was King of the English from 955 to 959.
• Edgar the Peaceful (circa 943–975) was King of the English from 959 to 975.
• Edward the Martyr (circa 962–978) ruled as King of the English from 975 to 978.
• Æthelred the Unready (circa 968–1016) was King of the English from 978 to 1013 and again from 1014 to 1016.

Danish Kings of England: House of Knýtlinga

For a short time, England was ruled by Danish kings.

• Sweyn Forkbeard (963–1014) was King of the English from 1013 to 1014.
• Cnut the Great (circa 985/995–1035) was a powerful king who ruled England from 1016 to 1035. He also ruled Denmark and Norway.
• Harold I Harefoot (circa 1015–1040) was King of England from 1037 to 1040.
• Harthacnut (circa 1018–1042) ruled England from 1040 to 1042.

Return of Wessex and the Norman Conquest

The Wessex line returned briefly before a major change in English history.

• Edmund II Ironside (circa 990–1016) was King of the English in 1016.
• Edward the Confessor (circa 1003–1066) was King of the English from 1042 to 1066. He was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings.
• Harold II Godwinson (circa 1022–1066) was King of the English in 1066, but he was defeated at the Battle of Hastings.

Scottish Kings: House of Dunkeld and Moray

In Scotland, the royal line continued with the House of Dunkeld and the House of Moray.

• Duncan I (circa 1001–1040) was King of Alba from 1034 to 1040.
• Macbeth (1005–1057) was King of Alba from 1040 to 1057. He is famous from Shakespeare's play.
• Lulach (before 1033–1058) was King of Alba from 1057 to 1058.
• Malcolm III Canmore (circa 1031–1093) was King of Scots from 1058 to 1093.
• Donald III Bane (circa 1039–1099) was King of Scots from 1093 to 1094 and again from 1094 to 1097.
• Duncan II (circa 1060–1094) was King of Scots in 1094.
• Edgar (circa 1074–1107) ruled as King of Scots from 1097 to 1107.
• Alexander I (circa 1078–1124) was King of Scots from 1107 to 1124.
• David I (1084–1153) was King of Scots from 1124 to 1153. He was a very important king who made many changes.
• Malcolm IV (1141–1165) was King of Scots from 1153 to 1165.
• William I the Lion (circa 1143–1214) was King of Scots from 1165 to 1214. He was a long-reigning monarch.
• Alexander II (1198–1249) was King of Scots from 1214 to 1249.
• Alexander III (1241–1286) was King of Scots from 1249 to 1286. His death led to a crisis over who would rule next.
• Margaret, Maid of Norway (1283–1290) was Queen of Scots from 1286 to 1290, but she died young.

English Monarchs: House of Normandy and Blois

After the Norman Conquest, new royal families ruled England.

• William I the Conqueror (circa 1028–1087) became King of England in 1066 after winning the Battle of Hastings. He was a Norman duke.
• William II (circa 1056–1100) was King of England from 1087 to 1100.
• Henry I (circa 1068–1135) ruled as King of England from 1100 to 1135.
• Stephen of Blois (circa 1092/1096–1154) was King of England from 1135 to 1141 and again from 1141 to 1154. His reign was a period of civil war.
• Empress Matilda (1102–1167) was a Queen of England in 1141, but her claim was disputed.

English Monarchs: House of Plantagenet

The House of Plantagenet ruled England for a long time.

• Henry II (1133–1189) was King of England from 1154 to 1189. He was the first Plantagenet king.
• Richard I (1157–1199) was King of England from 1189 to 1199, known as "Richard the Lionheart."
• John (1166–1216) was King of England from 1199 to 1216. He signed the Magna Carta.
• Henry III (1207–1272) ruled as King of England from 1216 to 1272.
• Edward I (1239–1307) was King of England from 1272 to 1307, known as "Longshanks."
• Edward II (1284–1327) was King of England from 1307 to 1327.
• Edward III (1312–1377) ruled as King of England from 1327 to 1377. His reign saw the start of the Hundred Years' War.
• Richard II (1367–1400) was King of England from 1377 to 1399.

Scottish Kings: House of Balliol and Bruce

After a period of uncertainty, the House of Balliol and then the Clan Bruce took the Scottish throne.

• John Balliol (circa 1249–1314) was King of Scots from 1292 to 1296.
• Robert I the Bruce (1274–1329) was a hero of Scottish independence, ruling as King of Scots from 1306 to 1329.
• David II (1324–1371) was King of Scots from 1329 to 1371.

English Monarchs: Houses of Lancaster and York

The House of Lancaster and House of York fought for the English throne in the Wars of the Roses.

• Henry IV (1367–1413) was the first Lancastrian King of England, ruling from 1399 to 1413.
• Henry V (1386–1422) was King of England from 1413 to 1422, famous for the Battle of Agincourt.
• Henry VI (1421–1471) was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471.
• Edward IV (1442–1483) was the first Yorkist King of England, ruling from 1461 to 1470 and from 1471 to 1483.
• Edward V (1470–1483) was King of England in 1483, but he disappeared young.
• Richard III (1452–1485) was King of England from 1483 to 1485, the last Plantagenet king.

Scottish Kings: House of Stewart

The House of Stewart (later spelled Stuart) became the ruling family in Scotland.

• Robert II (1316–1390) was the first Stewart King of Scots, ruling from 1371 to 1390.
• Robert III (1337–1406) was King of Scots from 1390 to 1406.
• James I (1394–1437) was King of Scots from 1406 to 1437.
• James II (1430–1460) was King of Scots from 1437 to 1460.
• James III (1451–1488) was King of Scots from 1460 to 1488.
• James IV (1473–1513) was King of Scots from 1488 to 1513.
• James V (1512–1542) was King of Scots from 1513 to 1542.
• Mary I, Queen of Scots (1542–1587) was Queen of Scots from 1542 to 1567. She is one of the most famous Scottish monarchs.

English Monarchs: House of Tudor

The House of Tudor took the English throne after the Wars of the Roses.

• Henry VII (1457–1509) was the first Tudor King of England, ruling from 1485 to 1509.
• Henry VIII (1491–1547) was King of England from 1509 to 1547, famous for his six wives and for starting the Church of England.
• Edward VI (1537–1553) was King of England from 1547 to 1553, but he was very young when he ruled.
• Lady Jane Grey (1536/1537–1554) was Queen of England for a very short time in 1553, but her claim was disputed.
• Mary I (1516–1558) was Queen of England from 1553 to 1558. She was the first queen to rule England in her own right.
• Philip II of Spain (1527–1598) was King of England from 1554 to 1558, as Mary I's husband.
• Elizabeth I (1533–1603) was Queen of England from 1558 to 1603, known as the "Virgin Queen" and a very powerful ruler.

British Monarchs: House of Stuart

The Scottish and English crowns united under the House of Stuart.

• James VI and I (1566–1625) was King of Scots from 1567 to 1625 and King of England from 1603 to 1625. He was the first king to rule both countries.
• Charles I (1600–1649) was King of England and Scotland from 1625 to 1649. His reign led to the English Civil War.
• Charles II (1630–1685) was King of Scotland from 1649 to 1651, and then King of England and Scotland from 1660 to 1685 after the monarchy was restored.
• James II & VII (1633–1701) was King of England and Scotland from 1685 to 1688.
• William III & II (1650–1702) was King of England and Scotland from 1689 to 1702. He ruled jointly with his wife, Mary II.
• Mary II (1662–1694) was Queen of England and Scotland from 1689 to 1694.
• Anne (1665–1714) was Queen of England and Scotland, then Great Britain, from 1702 to 1714. During her reign, England and Scotland formally united to form Great Britain in 1707.

British Monarchs: House of Hanover

The House of Hanover came to the throne after the Stuarts.

• George I (1660–1727) was the first Hanoverian King of Great Britain, ruling from 1714 to 1727.
• George II (1683–1760) was King of Great Britain from 1727 to 1760.
• George III (1738–1820) was King of Great Britain, then the United Kingdom, from 1760 to 1820. During his reign, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was formed in 1801.
• George IV (1762–1830) was King of the United Kingdom from 1820 to 1830, after serving as regent for many years.
• William IV (1765–1837) was King of the United Kingdom from 1830 to 1837.
• Victoria (1819–1901) was a very long-reigning Queen of the United Kingdom from 1837 to 1901. Her time on the throne is known as the Victorian Era.

British Monarchs: House of Windsor

The current royal family is the House of Windsor.

• Edward VII (1841–1910) was King of the United Kingdom from 1901 to 1910.
• George V (1865–1936) was King of the United Kingdom from 1910 to 1936. He changed the royal family's name to Windsor.
• Edward VIII (1894–1972) was King of the United Kingdom in 1936 for a short time.
• George VI (1895–1952) was King of the United Kingdom from 1936 to 1952. He led the country during World War II.
• Elizabeth II (1926–2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom from 1952 to 2022, becoming the longest-reigning British monarch.
• Charles III (born 1948) became King of the United Kingdom in 2022 and is the current monarch.
• William, Prince of Wales (born 1982) is the heir to the throne.
• Prince George of Wales (born 2013) is next in line after his father, William.

See also

• Family tree of English monarchs (more detailed)
• Family tree of the British royal family (more detailed)
• Lists of monarchs in the British Isles