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In the context of a royal line of succession, the health status of individuals within a family can be crucial when it comes to the continuity of the monarchy.
Just this year, two integral members of the British royal family revealed that they are currently undergoing treatment for cancer.
On March 22, Catherine, Princess of Wales, disclosed that she was undergoing chemotherapy after tests determined that she had cancer.
The announcement came nearly two months after Buckingham Palace revealed that her father-in-law, King Charles, 75, was also seeking treatment for cancer. The monarch shared at the time that tests detected “a form of cancer” after he underwent a hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, palace. A “separate issue of concern” was found by doctors, and subsequent tests identified a form of cancer.
The news soon brought attention back to the line of succession, which has undergone various shifts since Charles’ ascension.
According to the royal family’s website, the rules of order have been determined by both descent and Parliamentary statutes since the 17th century. However, the rules around succession have been altered over time. Changes to guidelines and the births of new family members have also affected who is in line.
The Perth Agreement passed in 2013 and was put into full effect in 2015. This agreement equalizes the rights of sons and daughters in the British royal line of succession, meaning male heirs are no longer entitled to pass daughters in line to the throne.
Here’s a closer look at the royals and their current place in line to the throne.
King Charles III — monarch
Charles ascended as king after his mother died and a coronation ceremony was held in May 2023.
As Elizabeth’s oldest child, Charles had been at the very front of the line of succession since his birth in 1948. After being named heir apparent in 1952 following his mother becoming queen, Charles obtained many titles.
In addition to being the Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, and Duke of Rothesay, on April 9, 2021, he became the Duke of Edinburgh after the death of his father, Prince Philip. Shortly after his mother’s death, a spokesperson for the king told TODAY that he would be King Charles III.
As a royal family member and son of the queen, Charles has spent a great deal of his life in the public eye. His marriage to Princess Diana — whom he married on July 29, 1981 — garnered international attention and then ire when his affair with Camilla Parker Bowles came to light.
Camilla, queen — monarch’s spouse
In May, the official palace website changed Camilla’s title from queen consort to queen.
It took time for the public to warm up to Camilla for her part in the dramatic royal love triangle that dominated headlines in the ’80s and ’90s. Nearly three decades after their affair first began, Charles and Camilla became official when he declared that their relationship was “non-negotiable.”
It took time, but Camilla began to gain public approval. In April 2005, the two were married, and she became Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
Though she is not in the line of succession, Elizabeth determined in February 2022 that Camilla would become queen consort when Charles takes the throne. As mentioned, she is now listed as queen.
Prince William — first in line of succession
Born on June 21, 1982, Prince William is Charles and Diana’s firstborn child, which makes him first in line to the throne. His marriage to Kate Middleton, with whom he has three children, was an all-out royal event viewed live by tens of millions around the globe. Upon their marriage, William was made Duke of Cambridge and Kate became the Duchess of Cambridge.
Will and Kate’s titles, however, changed following Elizabeth’s death and Charles’ ascension. They’re now the Prince and Princess of Wales, titles held for the heir apparent.
Today, William performs various royal duties on behalf of the monarchy.
Prince George — second in line of succession
Born George Alexander Louis on July 22, 2013, the 10-year-old prince is the oldest child to William and Kate, making him second in line to the throne. His rank in the line of succession means that he will likely become head of the British monarchy one day.
George has been hailed as a style icon for children. A 2017 piece by Vogue highlighted his influence on children’s clothing sales as a 4-year-old, noting how “anything Prince George wears, we will see demand for those items increase quite considerably.”
Princess Charlotte — third in line of succession
Named after her great-grandmother, the queen, as well as her late grandmother, Diana, Charlotte Elizabeth Diana was born on May 2, 2015. The young princess is third in line to the throne, and because of the Perth Agreement, she became the first female in the royal family to not be moved down the line of succession after the birth of her younger brother.
Prince Louis — fourth in line of succession
Louis Arthur Charles was born on April 23, 2018, and is the youngest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales. As mentioned above, his rank in line of succession is a major milestone of the modern age and equality for women as he stands behind his older sister, Charlotte.
Louis has become known for making funny faces (even at the coronation) and made his first official royal appearance in May.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex — fifth in line of succession
As the youngest son of Charles and Diana, Prince Harry, known as the Duke of Sussex on the royal family’s official website, has slowly been moved down the line of succession with the birth of each of his oldest brother’s children. As of 2024, he is fifth in line to the throne.
In 2018, Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal wedding was a global sensation, with nearly 30 million American viewers tuning in. Meghan became the second American to ever marry into the British royal family, and after the wedding, she became the Duchess of Sussex.
Two years later, the increasing media scrutiny of Meghan and the couple’s every move came to a head. In January 2020, Harry and Meghan announced that they would “step back” from their royal duties, which they officially confirmed in February 2021. Today, they live in Montecito, California.
In May, the couple endured a “near catastrophic car chase,” according to a spokesman for them, after the paparazzi followed them in New York City. Harry has also continued to speak out against the paparazzi.
Prince Archie — sixth in line of succession
Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, the eighth great-grandchild of Elizabeth, and son of Harry and Meghan, was born on May 6, 2019, and is sixth in line to the throne. At birth, he was named Master Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. In 2023, he and his younger sister, Lilibet, received prince and princess titles.
Princess Lilibet — seventh in line of succession
Archie’s sister is the eleventh great-grandchild of Elizabeth. Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor was born on June 4, 2021, to Harry and Meghan. Like Charlotte, Lilibet’s name is a nod to both her great-grandmother and grandmother. Instead of “Elizabeth,” however, Lilibet’s name was inspired by the queen’s childhood nickname.
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