With Harry and Meghan Stepping Back, Who's Officially in Line for the Throne?
On Wednesday, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced that they are “stepping back” from senior royal duties, sending the world into a frenzy.
Questions about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s new royal status abound, including, what happens to Harry’s place in the line to the throne?
Prince Harry, who is currently sixth in line, falls between Prince Louis and baby Archie, and unless deemed different by Parliament, he will stay there.
If you slept through yesterday, let us catch you up: The world is royally shook. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced that they are ditching their duties as senior members of the royal family. The news, which comes just one day after the pair resurfaced from their Christmas break spent with Meghan’s mom, Doria Ragland, has the royal family “disappointed”—and the rest of the world giving the panic emoji a workout it never asked for (the Twitter reactions are wild).
The hysteria comes after an Instagram post on the official Sussex Royal account, in which Meghan and Harry wrote in part, “After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution. We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen.”
The post, which mentions that the couple will be splitting their time between the United Kingdom and North America, continues, “This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity.”
A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Jan 8, 2020 at 10:33am PST
It’s a lengthy explanation, but still, there is no mention of what will happen with HRH’s place in line to the throne. The queen, who shares four children—Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward—with her husband, Prince Philip, has reigned over England since 1953, her coronation featured prominently in the Netflix period drama The Crown. Unlike another wildly popular series, Games of Thrones, the journey to the highest British chair comes without surprise endings … or dragons. Rather, succession is done in a very particular order—one that starts with the eldest son of the queen and trickles down from there.
But what does Harry and Meghan’s exit mean for the royal hierarchy? Does it change the order of succession? And what happens to baby Archie’s place in line? In a word, nothing. But for a lengthier explanation and more answers to your burning questions, read on.
First in line: Prince Charles
The eldest child of Queen Elizabeth II, Charles, the Prince of Wales, is patiently waiting to assume his seat on the throne (just curious: How much literal throne sitting actually happens in the palace?). Now 71 years old, Charles is on course to be the oldest monarch ever crowned.
Second: Prince William
The eldest child of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, is number two in line. A little math (Will’s only 37) and a glance at the average life expectancy (about 73 worldwide) is enough to justify believing that we will one day see William assume the crown.
Third: Prince George
The eldest child of Prince William and his wife, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George is enjoying a youthful six years old. When he’s not making funny faces, the pint-size future king is busy with tennis lessons from Roger Federer and cheering on Dad at polo matches.
Fourth: Princess Charlotte
Four-year-old Princess Charlotte, William and Kate’s second child, is an interesting curveball in the British game of thrones. Thanks to the queen’s Succession to the Crown Act, which ends the previous system of male primogeniture—meaning a younger son can no longer displace an older daughter in the line of succession—Charlotte is number four, and the first to enjoy the act’s perks.
Fifth: Prince Louis
William and Kate’s third and youngest child, 1-year-old Prince Louis, has the world looking forward to his second birthday this spring. As for the tiny royal’s king status, we’re thinking these photos of Prince Louis bonding with Prince Charles are proof he’s got the nearest future king wrapped around his tiny finger.
Sixth: Prince Harry
Ah, we’ve reached the snag. What happens now that Charles’s other son wants out of royal responsibilities? Sorry to disappoint, but Harry’s desire to live a “common” life does essentially nothing to the line of succession. According to Royal Central, who chatted with historian and author Marlene Koenig, “Succession to the throne is based on legislation including the Succession to the Crown Act, which includes the Act of Settlement. It would take an act of Parliament to remove a person from the line of succession.” So, once in line, always in line ’til Par says otherwise.
Seventh: Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor
We have to assume the same goes for Meghan and Harry’s first and only son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. A little nugget whose passport book is stamped with Canada, the United States, and southern Africa all before the ripe age of 1, Archie can also look forward to a future that leads to the throne. For now, anyway.
Eighth: Prince Andrew
Prince Andrew, Duke of York, is the queen and Prince Philip’s third-oldest child; he’s 59. He trumps Princess Anne, 69, in hierarchy because the Succession to the Crown Act applies only to those born after October 28, 2011. But even though Andrew has leap-frogged a few spots over his sister (she’s 14th)—and despite the probability that he won’t live long enough to see the throne—we’re betting his devastating connection to alleged sex trafficker Jeffery Epstein is his undoing.
Ninth: Princess Beatrice
Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York (known lovingly to the world as Fergie), share two children, both daughters. The eldest, Princess Beatrice of York, 31, is ninth in line to the throne. You may remember that Prince Beatrice got engaged last September, but word has it her nuptials will not be getting the Kate, Pippa, and Meghan treatment. Read: no TV time. Boo.
Tenth: Princess Eugenie
At 29 years old, Princess Eugenie of York, who is Andrew and Fergie’s youngest, currently rounds out the top 10 royals in line to the throne. However, should either William or Harry have another baby, with the rules as they stand now, Eugenie could be ousted from the top deca-tier. It may be a hard truth, but who doesn't love royal baby news?
The list goes on. And on. The royal family is vast. But what will come of these recent hiccups remains a bit of a mystery for right now. What is for sure: These bombshells would make for excellent fodder for future seasons of The Crown—though the series sadly won't develop that far into the future. Unfortunately, our wishes that Markle—now resigned from royal life—would play herself on the hit Netflix show will likely never see the light of day.
For more stories like this, sign up for our newsletter.
