List of British monarchy records facts for kids

The United Kingdom has a long history of kings and queens, and over time, many interesting records have been set by these monarchs and their families. This article explores some of the most notable records, from the longest reigns to the tallest rulers, giving you a peek into the unique history of the British monarchy.

Longest and Shortest Reigns

Who Ruled the Longest?

The longest-reigning British monarch was Elizabeth II. She ruled for an amazing 70 years and 214 days, from 1952 to 2022. That's a very long time! Before her, Queen Victoria held the record, ruling for 63 years and 216 days (1837-1901). Queen Elizabeth II broke Victoria's record in 2015. The longest-reigning king was George III, who ruled for 59 years and 96 days (1760-1820).

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was married to Queen Elizabeth II for 69 years and 62 days. This makes him the longest-serving royal spouse. The queen who was married to a king for the longest time was Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, who was married to George III for 57 years.

Charles III holds the record for being the longest-serving heir-apparent (the person next in line to the throne). He was heir for 70 years and 214 days, from his mother Queen Elizabeth II's accession in 1952 until he became king in 2022.

Who Ruled the Shortest?

The shortest-reigning monarch was Lady Jane Grey, who ruled for only 9 days in July 1553. Her claim to the throne was disputed, and she was quickly removed from power.

The shortest reign for a king that we know for sure was Edgar the Ætheling. He ruled for 2 months and 12 days in 1066 before giving up his claim to William the Conqueror.

The queen who was married to a king for the shortest time was Yolande de Dreux. She was queen for only 154 days in 1285-1286.

Longest and Shortest Lives

Monarchs Who Lived the Longest

Elizabeth II also holds the record for being the longest-lived British monarch. She lived to be 96 years and 140 days old. Her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was the longest-lived male royal spouse, passing away at 99 years and 303 days old.

The longest-lived queen consort (a queen who is married to a king) was Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. She was the mother of Queen Elizabeth II and lived to be 101 years and 238 days old.

Monarchs Who Lived the Shortest

The youngest Scottish monarch to die was Margaret, Maid of Norway. She died at just 7 years old in 1290.

The youngest English monarch to die was Edward V. He was likely murdered when he was only 12 years and 10 months old.

Heirs Who Lived the Longest

Charles III was the oldest heir apparent before he became king, at 73 years and 298 days old. He was also the longest-serving heir apparent, waiting for 70 years and 214 days.

Sophia of Hanover was the oldest heir presumptive (someone who is expected to inherit the throne but could be replaced by a direct heir, like a child of the current monarch). She lived to be 83 years and 237 days old.

Age at the Start of Their Reign

Oldest Monarchs to Start Ruling

The oldest monarch to become king was Charles III, who was 73 years and 298 days old when he took the throne in 2022. Before him, William IV held this record, becoming king at 64 years and 308 days old in 1830.

The oldest female monarch to become queen was Mary I. She was 37 years and 151 days old when she became queen in 1553.

Queen Camilla, the wife of Charles III, was the oldest queen consort to take her title. She was 75 years old when she became queen consort in 2022.

Youngest Monarchs to Start Ruling

The youngest British monarch to become queen was Mary, Queen of Scots. She became queen when she was only 6 days old in 1542!

The youngest king was Henry VI, who was 8 months and 26 days old when he became king.

The youngest queen consort was Isabella of Valois. She was just 6 years old when she married Richard II and became queen consort in 1396.

Age Differences Between Monarchs

Biggest Age Gap

The biggest age difference between a monarch and their successor was 54 years and 217 days. This was between George II and his grandson George III. George III became king after his grandfather died.

Smallest Age Gap

The smallest age difference was 1 year and 171 days between Edward VIII and his brother George VI. George VI became king after Edward VIII chose to give up the throne.

Marriage Records

Most Marriages

Henry VIII holds the record for the most marriages for a British monarch, with six wives.

Mary, Queen of Scots was the queen who married the most times, with three husbands.

Never Married

Some monarchs never married during their lives. These include William II, Edward V, Edward VI, and Elizabeth I. Edward VIII was also unmarried during his short time as king.

Youngest to Marry

The youngest monarch to marry was David II. He was only 4 years old when he married Joan, the daughter of Edward II, in 1328.

The youngest female monarch to marry was Mary II. She was 15 years old when she married William III in 1677.

Oldest to Marry

The oldest monarch to marry for the first time was William IV. He was 52 years old when he married Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen in 1818.

When including second or later marriages, Edward I was the oldest king to marry. He was almost 60 years old when he married Margaret of France in 1299.

Queen Camilla was the oldest queen consort to marry. She was 57 years old when she married Charles III.

Longest and Shortest Marriages

The longest marriage of a British monarch was between Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. They were married for 73 years and 139 days.

The shortest marriage was between Alexander III of Scotland and Yolande of Dreux, lasting only 4 months and 19 days.

Children Records

Most Children

Henry I had the most children of any British monarch, with 29 children (though only 5 were legitimate, meaning born within marriage).

Edward I had the most legitimate children, with 19 children from his two wives.

Queen Victoria had 9 children, all of whom lived to adulthood.

Anne had the most pregnancies, with 17, but sadly only 5 of her children were born alive, and none survived to adulthood.

Age of Parents

The youngest king to become a father was Edward III. His son, Edward, the Black Prince, was born when Edward III was only 17 years old.

The youngest queen regnant to give birth was Mary II. She gave birth to a stillborn child at age 16, before she became queen.

The oldest king to become a father was Edward I. He fathered his last child when he was almost 67 years old.

Physical Attributes

Tallest Monarchs

The tallest British monarch we know of was Edward IV. His skeleton shows he was about 6 feet 4½ inches (1.94 meters) tall. That's very tall, especially for his time!

Mary, Queen of Scots and Mary II of England and Scotland were the tallest queens, both standing at 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 meters).

Shortest Monarchs

The shortest British monarch in adulthood was most likely Queen Victoria, who was only about 5 feet (1.52 meters) tall. The shortest king whose height is known was Charles I, who was 5 feet 4 inches (1.63 meters) tall.

Images for kids

• Henry VIII of England.jpg

  Henry VIII, who had six marriages.

• Mary, Queen of Scots.jpg

  Mary, Queen of Scots, who became queen at just 6 days old.

• Edward IV of England.jpg

  Edward IV, the tallest British monarch.

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  Queen Victoria, one of the longest-reigning monarchs and the shortest.