British history provides several opportunities for alternative claimants to the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

and later

British Crown The Crown is the state (polity), state in all its aspects within the jurisprudence of the Commonwealth realms and their subdivisions (such as the Crown Dependencies, British Overseas Territories, overseas territories, Provinces and territorie ...

to arise, and historical scholars have on occasion traced to present times the heirs of those alternative claims. Throughout this article, the names of "would-have-been" monarchs are in ''italics''.

Abdication of Richard II

Richard II Richard II (6 January 1367 – ), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, and Joan, Countess of Kent. Richard's father died ...

abdicated in favour of

Henry Bolingbroke Henry IV ( April 1367 – 20 March 1413), also known as Henry Bolingbroke, was King of England from 1399 to 1413. He asserted the claim of his grandfather King Edward III, a maternal grandson of Philip IV of France, to the Kingdom of Fran ...

on 29 September 1399. However, Henry was not next in the line to the throne; the heir presumptive was Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March, who descended from

Edward III Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring r ...

's second surviving son,

Lionel of Antwerp Lionel of Antwerp, Duke of Clarence, (; 29 November 133817 October 1368) was the third son, but the second son to survive infancy, of the English king Edward III and Philippa of Hainault. He was named after his birthplace, at Antwerp in the Duch ...

, whereas Henry's father,

John of Gaunt John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (6 March 1340 – 3 February 1399) was an English royal prince, military leader, and statesman. He was the fourth son (third to survive infancy as William of Hatfield died shortly after birth) of King Edward ...

, was Edward's third surviving son. Had Edmund inherited instead, the alternative succession would have been short-lived, for it re-united with the historical crown when

Edward IV Edward IV (28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 to 3 October 1470, then again from 11 April 1471 until his death in 1483. He was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars in England ...

was declared king in 1461. #

Edward III of England Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring ro ...

Edward, the Black Prince Edward of Woodstock, known to history as the Black Prince (15 June 1330 – 8 June 1376), was the eldest son of King Edward III of England, and the heir apparent to the English throne. He died before his father and so his son, Richard II, su ...

, first son of Edward III #

Richard II of England Richard II (6 January 1367 – ), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, and Joan, Countess of Kent. Richard's father die ...

, second son of Edward, the Black Prince #

Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence Lionel of Antwerp, Duke of Clarence, (; 29 November 133817 October 1368) was the third son, but the second son to survive infancy, of the English king Edward III and Philippa of Hainault. He was named after his birthplace, at Antwerp in the Duch ...

, third son (second son to survive infancy) of Edward III #

Philippa Plantagenet, 5th Countess of Ulster Philippa of Clarence (16 August 1355 – 5 January 1382) was a medieval English princess and the ''suo jure'' Countess of Ulster. Biography She was born at Eltham Palace in Kent on 16 August 1355, the only child of Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke ...

, only child of Lionel #

Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March Roger de Mortimer, 4th Earl of March, 6th Earl of Ulster (11 April 137420 July 1398) was an English nobleman. He was considered the heir presumptive to King Richard II, his mother's first cousin. Roger Mortimer's father, the 3rd Earl of Marc ...

, first son of Philippa # ''

Edmund Mortimer, 5th Earl of March Edmund Mortimer, 5th Earl of March, 7th Earl of Ulster (6 November 139118 January 1425), was an English nobleman and a potential claimant to the throne of England. A great-great-grandson of King Edward III of England, he was heir presumptive to ...

'', first son of Roger, died without issue #

Anne de Mortimer Anne de Mortimer, also known as Anne Mortimer (27 December 1388 – 22 September 1411), was a medieval English noblewoman who became an ancestor to the royal House of York, one of the parties in the fifteenth-century dynastic Wars of the Roses. ...

, first daughter of Roger, succeeded her childless brother Edmund # ''

Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York (21 September 1411 – 30 December 1460), also named Richard Plantagenet, was a leading English magnate and claimant to the throne during the Wars of the Roses. He was a member of the ruling House of Plantage ...

'', only son of Anne #

Edward IV of England Edward IV (28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 to 3 October 1470, then again from 11 April 1471 until his death in 1483. He was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars in England ...

, first son of Richard

Descendants of George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence

This line's claim to the Crown is based upon the

argument An argument is a statement or group of statements called premises intended to determine the degree of truth or acceptability of another statement called conclusion. Arguments can be studied from three main perspectives: the logical, the dialectic ...

that

was not the son of ''

'', and thus had no legitimate claim to the Crown. Therefore, when ''Richard'' was killed at the

Battle of Wakefield The Battle of Wakefield took place in Sandal Magna near Wakefield in northern England, on 30 December 1460. It was a major battle of the Wars of the Roses. The opposing forces were an army led by nobles loyal to the captive King Henry VI of ...

, his claim passed first to his eldest legitimate son, ''

Edmund, Earl of Rutland Edmund, Earl of Rutland (17 May 1443 – 30 December 1460) was the fourth child and second surviving son of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, and Cecily Neville. He was a younger brother of Edward, Earl of March, the future King Edward ...

'', who was executed shortly after the battle, and then to ''

George, Duke of Clarence George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence (21 October 144918 February 1478), was the 6th son of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, and Cecily Neville, and the brother of English kings Edward IV and Richard III. He played an important role in th ...

''. Another point is that Henry VI passed a law in 1470 that should both he and his son

Edward of Westminster Edward of Westminster (13 October 1453 – 4 May 1471), also known as Edward of Lancaster, was the only son of King Henry VI of England and Margaret of Anjou. He was killed aged seventeen at the Battle of Tewkesbury. Early life Edward was born ...

die without further legitimate male issue, the crown was to pass to ''Clarence'', as Henry had placed an attainder upon Edward IV. When Henry VI and Edward both died in 1471, ''Clarence'' became the legal heir of the

House of Lancaster The House of Lancaster was a cadet branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. The first house was created when King Henry III of England created the Earldom of Lancasterfrom which the house was namedfor his second son Edmund Crouchback in 126 ...

. The current descendant of this line is ''

Simon Abney-Hastings, 15th Earl of Loudoun Simon Michael Abney-Hastings, 15th Earl of Loudoun (born 29 October 1974), styled as Lord Mauchline until 2012, is a British aristocrat living in Australia who is the current holder of the ancient Scottish noble title of Earl of Loudoun. Based o ...

''. The line of succession is as follows: # ''

George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence (21 October 144918 February 1478), was the 6th son of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, and Cecily Neville, and the brother of English kings Edward IV and Richard III. He played an important role in t ...

'', third son (second "legitimate" son) of

Richard, 3rd Duke of York Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York (21 September 1411 – 30 December 1460), also named Richard Plantagenet, was a leading English magnate and claimant to the throne during the Wars of the Roses. He was a member of the ruling House of Plantage ...

# ''

Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick (25 February 1475 – 28 November 1499) was the son of Isabel Neville and George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence, and a potential claimant to the English throne during the reigns of both his uncle, ...

'', first son of George #

Margaret Pole, 8th Countess of Salisbury Margaret Plantagenet, Countess of Salisbury (14 August 1473 – 27 May 1541), also called Margaret Pole, as a result of her marriage to Sir Richard Pole, was the only surviving daughter of George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence, a brother of ...

, daughter of George, succeeded her childless brother Edward # ''

Henry Pole, 1st Baron Montagu Henry Pole, 1st Baron Montagu (also written Montague or Montacute; circa 1492 – January 1539), was an English nobleman, the only holder of the title Baron Montagu under its 1514 creation, and one of the relatives whom King Henry VIII of E ...

'', first son of Margaret # ''Henry Pole'', second son of Henry, his elder brother Thomas died in childhood # Catherine Hastings, first daughter, succeeded her childless brother Henry # ''

Henry Hastings, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon Henry Hastings, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon, KG, KB (c. 153514 December 1595) was an English Puritan nobleman. Educated alongside the future Edward VI, he was briefly imprisoned by Mary I, and later considered by some as a potential successor to E ...

'', first son of Catherine # ''

George Hastings, 4th Earl of Huntingdon George Hastings, 4th Earl of Huntingdon (1540 – 30 December 1604) was an English nobleman. He was a son of Francis Hastings, 2nd Earl of Huntingdon and Catherine Pole, daughter of Henry Pole, 1st Baron Montagu and Jane Neville. He was a youn ...

'', second son of Catherine, succeeded his childless brother Henry # Francis Hastings, first son of George # ''

Henry Hastings, 5th Earl of Huntingdon Henry Hastings, 5th Earl of Huntingdon (24 April 1586 – 14 November 1643), was a prominent English nobleman and literary patron in England during the first half of the seventeenth century. Life He was born at Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicesters ...

'', only son of Francis # ''

Ferdinando Hastings, 6th Earl of Huntingdon Ferdinando Hastings, 6th Earl of Huntingdon (18 January 1609 – 13 February 1656), was the son of Henry Hastings, 5th Earl of Huntingdon, and Lady Elizabeth Stanley, the daughter of Ferdinando Stanley, 5th Earl of Derby, and Alice Spencer. He m ...

'', first son of Henry # ''

Theophilus Hastings, 7th Earl of Huntingdon Theophilus Hastings, 7th Earl of Huntingdon (10 December 165030 May 1701) was a 17th-century English politician and Jacobite. One of the few non-Catholics to remain loyal to James II of England after November 1688, on the rare occasions he is m ...

'', only son of Ferdinando # ''

George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon (22 March 1677 – 22 February 1705) was the son of Theophilus Hastings, 7th Earl of Huntingdon and his first wife Elizabeth Lewis; he succeeded his father in 1701. He served briefly in the War of the Spani ...

'', second son of Theophilus, his elder brother died in childhood # ''

Theophilus Hastings, 9th Earl of Huntingdon Theophilus Hastings, 9th Earl of Huntingdon (12 November 1696 – 13 October 1746) was the son of Theophilus Hastings, 7th Earl of Huntingdon and Mary Frances Fowler. Hastings married Lady Selina Shirley, daughter of Washington Shirley, 2nd Earl ...

'', third son of Theophilus, his elder brother George had no legitimate children # ''

Francis Hastings, 10th Earl of Huntingdon Francis Hastings, 10th Earl of Huntingdon PC (13 March 1729 – 2 October 1789) was a British peer and politician. Life He was the eldest of seven children of the 9th Earl of Huntingdon and his wife, Lady Selina, a leader of the Methodi ...

'', first son of Theophilus, 9th Earl #

Elizabeth Rawdon, 16th Baroness Botreaux Elizabeth Rawdon, Countess of Moira in the Peerage of Ireland (23 March 1731 – 11 April 1808) was a literary patron and antiquarian; she also held five English peerages in her own right. She was born at Donington Park, Leicestershire, England a ...

, daughter of Theophilus, her brother Francis had no legitimate children # ''

Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings Francis Edward Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings, (9 December 175428 November 1826), styled The Honourable Francis Rawdon from birth until 1762, Lord Rawdon between 1762 and 1783, The Lord Rawdon from 1783 to 1793 and The Earl of Moira b ...

'', first son of Elizabeth # ''

George Rawdon-Hastings, 2nd Marquess of Hastings George Augustus Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 2nd Marquess of Hastings (4 February 1808 – 13 January 1844), styled Lord Rawdon from birth until 1817 and Earl of Rawdon from 1817 to 1826, was a British peer and courtier. Early life Rawdon was born ...

'', eldest legitimate son of Francis # ''Paulyn Rawdon-Hastings, 3rd Marquess of Hastings'', first son of George # ''

Henry Rawdon-Hastings, 4th Marquess of Hastings Henry Weysford Charles Plantagenet Rawdon-Hastings, 4th Marquess of Hastings and 9th Earl of Loudoun (22 July 1842 – 10 November 1868), styled Lord Henry Rawdon-Hastings from birth until 1851, was a British peer. He was also, starting from most ...

'', second son of George, his brother Paulyn died in childhood #

Edith Rawdon-Hastings, 10th Countess of Loudoun Edith Maud Rawdon-Hastings, 10th Countess of Loudoun (10 December 1833 – 23 January 1874) was a Scottish peer. She died aged 40 after caring for Rowallan Castle. Sir George Gilbert Scott designed an Eleanor Cross style monument to her which w ...

, first daughter of George, succeeded her childless brother Henry # ''

Charles Rawdon-Hastings, 11th Earl of Loudoun Charles Edward Rawdon-Hastings, 11th Earl of Loudoun (5 January 1855 – 17 May 1920) was a Scottish peer. Early life At his birth on 5 January 1855, he was given the name Charles Edward Abney-Hastings. He was the eldest son of Charles Abney-H ...

'', first son of Edith, died without issue # Paulyn Abney-Hastings, second son of Edith, succeeded his childless brother Charles #

Edith Maud Abney-Hastings, 12th Countess of Loudoun } Edith Maud Abney-Hastings, 12th Countess of Loudoun (13 May 1883 – 24 February 1960) was a British peerage, peeress. Family She was the first daughter and coheir of Hon. Paulyn Abney-Hastings (the second son of Charles Abney-Hastings, 1st ...

, first daughter of Paulyn # ''Ian Huddleston Abney-Hastings, Lord Mauchline'', only son of Edith, died in World War II without issue #

Barbara Abney-Hastings, 13th Countess of Loudoun Barbara Huddleston Abney-Hastings, 13th Countess of Loudoun (3 July 19191 November 2002), was a Scottish countess in her own right, and a member of the House of Lords. Lady Loudoun was the oldest daughter of Reginald Mowbray Chichester Huddlest ...

, first daughter of Edith, succeeded her childless brother Ian # ''

Michael Abney-Hastings, 14th Earl of Loudoun Michael Edward Abney-Hastings, 14th Earl of Loudoun (born Michael Edward Lord; 22 July 194230 June 2012), was a British-Australian farmer, who is most noted because of the 2004 documentary ''Britain's Real Monarch'', which alleged he was the ri ...

'', eldest son of Barbara # ''

'', eldest son of Michael

Descendants of Mary Tudor, Queen of France

Henry VIII's

Third Succession Act The Third Succession Act of King Henry VIII's reign, passed by the Parliament of England in July 1543, returned his daughters Mary and Elizabeth to the line of the succession behind their half-brother Edward. Born in 1537, Edward was the son of ...

granted Henry the right to bequeath the Crown in his Will. His Will specified that, in default of heirs to his children, the throne was to pass to the children of the daughters of his younger sister

Mary Tudor, Queen of France Mary Tudor (; 18 March 1496 – 25 June 1533) was an English princess who was briefly Queen of France as the third wife of King Louis XII. Louis was more than 30 years her senior. Mary was the fifth child of Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of ...

, bypassing the line of his elder sister

Margaret Tudor Margaret Tudor (28 November 1489 – 18 October 1541) was Queen of Scotland from 1503 until 1513 by marriage to King James IV. She then served as regent of Scotland during her son's minority, and successfully fought to extend her regency. Marg ...

, represented by the Catholic

Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legitimate child of James V of Scot ...

Edward VI Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death in 1553. He was crowned on 20 February 1547 at the age of nine. Edward was the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour and the first E ...

confirmed this by

letters patent Letters patent ( la, litterae patentes) ( always in the plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, president or other head of state, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, titl ...

. The legitimate and legal heir of Elizabeth I was therefore ''

Anne Stanley, Countess of Castlehaven Anne Stanley (May 1580 – c. 8 October 1647) was an English noblewoman. She was the eldest daughter of the Earl of Derby and, through her two marriages, became Baroness Chandos and later Countess of Castlehaven. She was a distant relative o ...

'' (the marriage of

Lady Katherine Grey Katherine Seymour, Countess of Hertford (formerly Katherine Herbert, Lady Herbert, born Lady Katherine Grey; 25 August 1540 – 27 January 1568), was a younger sister of Lady Jane Grey. A granddaughter of Henry VIII's sister Mary, she emerged ...

having been annulled, and her children declared illegitimate, by Elizabeth I). Her succession, under this theory, follows: #

Henry VIII of England Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...

Edward VI of England Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death in 1553. He was crowned on 20 February 1547 at the age of nine. Edward was the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour and the first En ...

, only son of Henry VIII #

Mary I of England Mary I (18 February 1516 – 17 November 1558), also known as Mary Tudor, and as "Bloody Mary" by her Protestant opponents, was Queen of England and Ireland from July 1553 and Queen of Spain from January 1556 until her death in 1558. Sh ...

, eldest daughter of Henry VIII #

Elizabeth I of England Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is ...

, second daughter of Henry VIII #

, second daughter of Henry VII #

Lady Eleanor Brandon Eleanor Clifford, Countess of Cumberland (née Lady Eleanor Brandon; 1519 – 27 September 1547) was the third child and second daughter of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk and Princess Mary Tudor, the Dowager Queen consort of France. S ...

, second daughter, third line of Mary #

Lady Margaret Clifford Margaret Stanley, Countess of Derby (née Lady Margaret Clifford; 1540 – 28 September 1596) was the only surviving daughter of Henry Clifford, 2nd Earl of Cumberland and Lady Eleanor Brandon. Her maternal grandparents were Charles Brandon, 1s ...

, only daughter, third line of Eleanor #

Ferdinando Stanley, 5th Earl of Derby Ferdinando Stanley, 5th Earl of Derby (1559 – 16 April 1594), was an English nobleman and politician. He was the son of Henry Stanley, 4th Earl of Derby, and Lady Margaret Clifford. Ferdinando had a place in the line of succession to Elizabe ...

, first son of Margaret # ''

'', first daughter of Ferdinando # ''

George Brydges, 6th Baron Chandos George Brydges, 6th Baron Chandos (1620–1654), was the son of Grey Brydges, 5th Baron Chandos (c. 1580 – 10 August 1621) and Anne Stanley, Countess of Castlehaven, Lady Anne Stanley, a descendant of Henry VIII, King Henry VIII's sister, Pri ...

'', first son of Anne # ''Margaret Brydges'', first daughter of George # ''George Brydges Skipwith'', first son of Margaret # ''Elizabeth Brownlow'', first daughter of Margaret, succeeded their childless brother George # ''George Brownlow Doughty'', first son of Elizabeth # ''Henry Doughty'', only child of George # ''Henry Doughty'', only son of Henry # ''Elizabeth Doughty'', only daughter of Henry Doughty Sr Since ''Lady Anne Stanleys line is thought to have become extinct with the death of ''Elizabeth Doughty'', the line then passes to the descendants of Lady Anne's sister, Lady Frances Stanley: #

Lady Frances Stanley, second daughter of Ferdinando

John Egerton, 2nd Earl of Bridgewater John Egerton, 2nd Earl of Bridgewater PC (30 May 1623 – 26 October 1686) was an English nobleman from the Egerton family. Life He was a son of John Egerton, 1st Earl of Bridgewater and his wife Lady Frances Stanley. His maternal grandpar ...

, first son of Frances #

John Egerton, 3rd Earl of Bridgewater John Egerton, 3rd Earl of Bridgewater KB PC (9 November 1646 – 19 March 1701) was a British nobleman from the Egerton family. He was the eldest son of John Egerton, 2nd Earl of Bridgewater and his wife Elizabeth Cavendish. His maternal gran ...

, first son of John # Scroop Egerton, 1st Duke of Bridgewater, third son of John # Lady Anne Egerton, first daughter of Scroop #

George Villiers, 4th Earl of Jersey George Bussy Villiers, 4th Earl of Jersey, PC (9 June 173522 August 1805, Tunbridge Wells) was an English nobleman, peer, politician and courtier at the court of George III. He was the oldest surviving son of William Villiers, 3rd Earl of Jer ...

, only child of Anne # ''

George Child Villiers, 5th Earl of Jersey George Child Villiers, 5th Earl of Jersey, GCH, PC (19 August 1773 – 3 October 1859), previously George Villiers and styled Viscount Villiers until 1805, was a British courtier and Conservative politician from the Villiers family. He added ...

'', first son of George, 4th Earl of Jersey # ''

George Child Villiers, 6th Earl of Jersey George Augustus Frederick Child Villiers, 6th Earl of Jersey (4 April 1808 – 24 October 1859), styled Viscount Villiers until 1859, was an English peer and politician from the Villiers family. Life Villiers was born on 4 April 1808 in London, t ...

'', first son of George, 5th Earl of Jersey # ''

Victor Child Villiers, 7th Earl of Jersey Victor Albert George Child Villiers, 7th Earl of Jersey, (20 March 1845 – 31 May 1915) was a British banker, Conservative politician and colonial administrator from the Villiers family. He served as Governor of New South Wales between 1891 and ...

'', only son of George, 6th Earl of Jersey # ''

George Child Villiers, 8th Earl of Jersey George Henry Robert Child Villiers, 8th Earl of Jersey DL (2 June 1873 – 31 December 1923), was a British peer and Conservative politician from the Villiers family. Villiers was the son of Victor Child Villiers, 7th Earl of Jersey, and the Ho ...

'', first son of Victor, 7th Earl of Jersey # ''

George Child Villiers, 9th Earl of Jersey George Francis Child-Villiers, 9th Earl of Jersey (15 February 1910 – 9 August 1998), was an English peer and banker from the Villiers family. Lord Jersey gave one of the family seats, Osterley Park, to the British nation in the late 1940s ...

'', first son of George, 8th Earl of Jersey # ''Lady Caroline Child Villiers'', only child of George's first marriage Lady Caroline's heir-apparent is her son

Timothy Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 7th Earl of Minto (Gilbert) Timothy Lariston Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 7th Earl of Minto (; born 1 December 1953), styled Viscount Melgund between 1975 and 2005, is the chief executive of British stationery company Paperchase. He is the son of the late Gilbert El ...

. Although the ''9th Earl of Jersey'' had sons from a third marriage, he had been divorced from his first wife, who was still alive when he married his third. Under a strict adherence to the succession laws and customs as they existed in 1603 (for it is argued that no laws passed by Parliament since 1603 are legitimate, as the heirs did not summon those Parliaments, nor did those laws receive the royal assent to become law), the 9th Earl of Jersey's divorce was not valid, and therefore both his remarriage during his ex-wife's lifetime was null and void, and the children of his third marriage illegitimate. Consequently, the current holder of the Stanley claim to the throne of England is the only child of the 9th Earl's first marriage, ''Lady Caroline Ogilvy'' (née Child Villiers).

Descendants of Edward Seymour, Viscount Beauchamp

There is doubt of the legitimacy of

Edward Seymour, Viscount Beauchamp Edward Seymour, Lord Beauchamp of Hache (21 September 1561 – 21 July 1612) was an English nobleman who had a theoretically strong claim to the throne of England through his mother, Lady Katherine Grey, but his legitimacy was questioned. He was ...

. Certainly

James I James I may refer to: People *James I of Aragon (1208–1276) *James I of Sicily or James II of Aragon (1267–1327) *James I, Count of La Marche (1319–1362), Count of Ponthieu *James I, Count of Urgell (1321–1347) *James I of Cyprus (1334–13 ...

regarded the Seymour line as legitimate, and based his own succession on his right by primogeniture, ignoring the

Will of Henry VIII The will of Henry VIII of England was a significant constitutional document, or set of contested documents created in the 1530s and 1540s, affecting English and Scottish politics for the rest of the 16th century. In conjunction with legislation pass ...

. However, the Seymours were placed ahead of the Stanleys in James's line of succession. In 2012,

Mary Freeman-Grenville, 12th Lady Kinloss Beatrice Mary Grenville Freeman-Grenville, 12th Lady Kinloss (18 August 1922 – 30 September 2012) was a British peer. The eldest of the three daughters of Luis Chandos Francis Temple Morgan-Grenville and Katherine Beatrice MacKenzie Jackman, ...

was listed as the heir to the Mary Tudor claim rather than Frances Stanley's descendants. Her succession follows: #

, only son of Henry #

, eldest daughter of Henry #

, second daughter of Henry #

, third daughter of Henry VII of England, younger sister of Henry VIII of England #

Lady Frances Brandon Frances Grey, Duchess of Suffolk (née Lady Frances Brandon; 16 July 1517 – 20 November 1559), was an English noblewoman, the second child and eldest daughter of King Henry VIII's younger sister, Princess Mary, and Charles Brandon, 1st Duke ...

, first daughter of Mary #

Lady Catherine Grey Katherine Seymour, Countess of Hertford (formerly Katherine Herbert, Lady Herbert, born Lady Katherine Grey; 25 August 1540 – 27 January 1568), was a younger sister of Lady Jane Grey. A granddaughter of Henry VIII's sister Mary, she emerged ...

, second daughter of Frances # ''

'', first son of Catherine # ''

William Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset William Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset, (158824 October 1660) was an English nobleman and Royalist commander in the English Civil War. Origins Seymour was the son of Edward Seymour, Lord Beauchamp (who predeceased his own father) by his wif ...

'', second son of Edward, succeeded their childless brother Edward #

Henry Seymour, Lord Beauchamp Henry Seymour, Lord Beauchamp (c. 1626 – 14 March 1654) was an English nobleman, third son of William Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset.''The Complete Peerage'', vol. 12, 1953, "Somerset", p. 74. He had two elder brothers, but they both died unmarr ...

, third son of William, his elder brothers William and Robert died in childhood # ''Lady Elizabeth Seymour'', only daughter of Henry # ''

Charles Bruce, 3rd Earl of Ailesbury Charles Bruce, 3rd Earl of Ailesbury (later styled Aylesbury) and 4th Earl of Elgin (29 May 1682 – 10 February 1747), of Ampthill, Bedfordshire and Savernake Park, Wiltshire, styled Viscount Bruce of Ampthill from 1685 to 1741, was a British ...

'', second son of Elizabeth, his elder brother Robert died in childhood # Lady Mary Bruce, first daughter, succeeded their childless brothers Robert and George # ''

James Brydges, 3rd Duke of Chandos James Brydges, 3rd Duke of Chandos PC (27 December 1731 – 29 September 1789), styled Viscount Wilton from birth until 1744 and Marquess of Carnarvon from 1744 to 1771, was a British peer and politician. Background Chandos was the onl ...

'', only son of Mary # '' Lady Anne Elizabeth Brydges'', only child of James # ''

Richard Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos Richard Plantagenet Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, (11 February 1797 – 29 July 1861), styled Viscount Cobham from birth until 1813, Earl Temple between 1813 and 1822 and Marquess of Chand ...

'', first son of Anne # ''

Richard Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 3rd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos Richard Plantagenet Campbell Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 3rd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos (10 September 1823 – 26 March 1889), styled Earl Temple until 1839 and Marquess of Chandos from 1839 to 1861, was a British soldier, poli ...

'', only son of Richard # ''

Mary Morgan-Grenville, 11th Lady Kinloss Mary Elizabeth Morgan-Grenville, 11th Lady Kinloss (''née'' Lady Mary Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville; 30 September 1852 – 17 October 1944) was a British peeress. Biography The eldest of the three daughters of Richard Temple-Nu ...

'', first daughter of Richard # Luis Chandos Francis Temple Morgan-Grenville, second son of Mary, succeeded their childless brother Richard # ''

'', first daughter of Luis # ''

Teresa Freeman-Grenville, 13th Lady Kinloss Teresa Mary Nugent Freeman-Grenville, 13th Lady Kinloss (born 20 July 1957) is a Scottish peer. She is the heir-general of Edward Seymour, Viscount Beauchamp, the older son of Lady Catherine Grey (sister of Lady Jane Grey, briefly Queen of E ...

'', first daughter of Mary Lady Kinloss's heir-presumptive is her sister Hester Josephine Anne Freeman-Grenville, who is married to Peter Haworth and has three sons.

Continuation of the House of Stuart

The Catholic heirs of the deposed

James II of England James VII and II (14 October 1633 16 September 1701) was King of England and King of Ireland as James II, and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II, on 6 February 1685. He was deposed in the Gloriou ...

were passed over by the

Act of Settlement 1701 The Act of Settlement is an Act of the Parliament of England that settled the succession to the English and Irish crowns to only Protestants, which passed in 1701. More specifically, anyone who became a Roman Catholic, or who married one, bec ...

. #

Charles I of England Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until Execution of Charles I, his execution in 1649. He was born into the House of Stuart as the second son of King James VI of ...

, second son of Charles I # ''

James Francis Edward Stuart James Francis Edward Stuart (10 June 16881 January 1766), nicknamed the Old Pretender by Whigs, was the son of King James II and VII of England, Scotland and Ireland, and his second wife, Mary of Modena. He was Prince of Wales from ...

'', only son of James II; called "James III" by Jacobites. # ''

Charles Edward Stuart Charles Edward Louis John Sylvester Maria Casimir Stuart (20 December 1720 – 30 January 1788) was the elder son of James Francis Edward Stuart, grandson of James II and VII, and the Stuart claimant to the thrones of England, Scotland and ...

'', elder son of James Francis. He had no legitimate issue by his wife. He had an illegitimate daughter who has descendants, but they have no succession rights. Also known as "Charles III" by Jacobites or as "Bonnie Prince Charlie" more widely. # ''

Henry Benedict Stuart Henry Benedict Thomas Edward Maria Clement Francis Xavier Stuart, Cardinal Duke of York (6 March 1725 – 13 July 1807) was a Roman Catholic cardinal, as well as the fourth and final Jacobite heir to publicly claim the thrones of Great Brit ...

'', younger son of James Francis. He was a Cardinal of the Catholic Church and had no issue. Called "Henry IX" by Jacobites. At Henry's death the claim passed to his second cousin twice removed, ''

Charles Emmanuel IV of Sardinia Charles Emmanuel IV (Carlo Emanuele Ferdinando Maria; 24 May 1751 – 6 October 1819) was King of Sardinia from 1796 to 1802. He abdicated in favour of his brother Victor Emmanuel I. Biography Carlo Emanuele Ferdinando Maria di Savoia was b ...

'', and then to his brother ''

Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia Victor Emmanuel I (Vittorio Emanuele; 24 July 1759 – 10 January 1824) was the Duke of Savoy and King of Sardinia (1802–1821). Biography Victor Emmanuel was the second son of King Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia and Maria Antonia Ferdinanda o ...

''. Charles Emmanuel and Victor Emmanuel were great-great-great-grandsons of King Charles I. #

Henrietta Anne Stuart Henrietta Anne of England (16 June 1644 O.S. N.S.">New_Style.html" ;"title="6 June 1644 New Style">N.S.– 30 June 1670) was the youngest daughter of King Charles I of England and Queen Henrietta Maria. Fleeing England with her mother and go ...

, youngest daughter of Charles #

Anne Marie d'Orléans Anne Marie d'Orléans (27 August 1669 – 26 August 1728) was Queen of Sardinia by marriage to Victor Amadeus II of Savoy. She served as regent of Savoy during the absence of her spouse in 1686 and during the War of the Spanish Succession. ...

, second daughter of Henrietta Anne #

Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia Charles Emmanuel III (27 April 1701 – 20 February 1773) was Duke of Savoy and King of Sardinia from 1730 until his death. Biography He was born in Turin to Victor Amadeus II of Savoy and his first wife the French Anne Marie d'Orléans. Hi ...

, second son of Anne Marie #

Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia Victor Amadeus III (Vittorio Amadeo Maria; 26 June 1726 – 16 October 1796) was King of Sardinia from 1773 to his death. Although he was politically conservative, he carried out numerous administrative reforms until he declared war on Revolut ...

, second son of Charles Emmanuel # ''

'', eldest son of Victor Amadeus # ''

'', second son of Victor Amadeus # ''

Maria Beatrice of Savoy Maria Beatrice of Savoy (Maria Beatrice Vittoria Giuseppina; 6 December 1792 – 15 September 1840) was Duchess of Modena by marriage to Francis IV, Duke of Modena. Biography Early life She was the eldest daughter of Victor Emmanuel, Duke of Aos ...

'', eldest daughter of Victor Emmanuel #''

Francis V, Duke of Modena Francis may refer to: People *Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State and Bishop of Rome *Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Francis (surname) Places * Rural M ...

'', elder son of Maria Beatrice #

Archduke Ferdinand Karl Viktor of Austria-Este Ferdinand Karl Viktor (20 July 1821 – 15 December 1849) was Archduke of Austria-Este and Prince of Modena. Biography Born in Modena, he was the second son of Francis IV of Modena and his niece-consort Maria Beatrice of Savoy. His paternal ...

, younger son of Maria Beatrice, succeeded their elder brother Francis who had no surviving adult children # '' Maria Theresa of Austria-Este'', only child of Ferdinand # ''

Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria, Duke of Bavaria, Franconia and in Swabia, Count Palatine by (the) Rhine (''Rupprecht Maria Luitpold Ferdinand''; English: ''Robert Maria Leopold Ferdinand''; 18 May 1869 – 2 August 1955), was the last hei ...

'', eldest son of Maria Theresia # ''

Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria (Albrecht Luitpold Ferdinand Michael; 3 May 1905 – 8 July 1996) was the son of the last crown prince of Bavaria, Rupprecht, and his first wife, Duchess Marie Gabrielle in Bavaria. He was the only child from that ...

'', second son of Rupprecht, his elder brother Luitpold died in childhood # ''

Franz, Duke of Bavaria Franz Bonaventura Adalbert Maria Herzog von Bayern (born 14 July 1933), commonly known by the courtesy title Duke of Bavaria, is the head of the House of Wittelsbach, the former ruling family of the Kingdom of Bavaria. His great-grandfather Ki ...

'', elder son of Albrecht When Franz dies, his claim on the English and Scottish crownsThe Jacobite claim is to the thrones held and claimed by

James II and VII James VII and II (14 October 1633 16 September 1701) was King of England and King of Ireland as James II, and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II, on 6 February 1685. He was deposed in the Glorious Re ...

; as king of England, Scotland, France (claimed by English monarchs since the

Hundred Years' War The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a series of armed conflicts between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France during the Late Middle Ages. It originated from disputed claims to the French Crown, ...

), and Ireland. The Acts of Union that created Great Britain and the United Kingdom are considered invalid by those who believe that the monarchs who gave the Acts the Royal Assent were not the legitimate occupants of the throne. Cf. ''The Legitimist Kalendar for the Year of Our Lord 1895 (London: Henry, 1895), p.22. will pass to his younger brother Prince Max. And after Max's death, this theoretical claim most likely will be inherited by the

Prince of Liechtenstein The prince regnant of Liechtenstein (german: Fürst von und zu Liechtenstein) is the monarch and head of state of Liechtenstein.Principality of Liechtenstein Family - Die fürstliche Familie (in German) The Liechtenstein family, after which t ...

through

Sophie, Hereditary Princess of Liechtenstein Sophie, Hereditary Princess of Liechtenstein, Countess of Rietberg (born Duchess Sophie in Bavaria; 28 October 1967) was born a member of the House of Wittelsbach, with the courtesy title of Duchess in Bavaria, and second in line for the Jacobit ...

, daughter of Prince Max.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alternate Successions of the English Crown British monarchs Heirs to the English throne Succession to the British crown Rival successions