An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an

heir apparent An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...

or a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question.

Overview

Depending on the rules of the monarchy, the heir presumptive might be the daughter of a monarch if males take preference over females and the monarch has no sons, or the senior member of a collateral line if the monarch is childless or the monarch's direct descendants cannot inherit (either because they are daughters and females are completely barred from inheriting, because the monarch's children are illegitimate, or because of some other legal disqualification, such as being descended from the monarch through a morganatic line or the descendant's refusal or inability to adopt a religion the monarch is required to profess). The subsequent birth of a legitimate child to the monarch may displace the former heir presumptive by creating an heir apparent or a more eligible heir presumptive. It is not assumed that the monarch and his or her consort are incapable of having further children; on the day before Queen

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

ascended the throne, her father

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of I ...

was gravely ill and her mother was 51 years old, but Elizabeth was still considered the heir presumptive rather than the heir apparent. An heir presumptive's position may not even be secure after they ascend their throne, as a posthumous child of the previous monarch could have a superseding claim.

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previ ...

's accession proclamation noted her accession was only permanent so long as William IV's widow,

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater A ...

, was not pregnant, even though Adelaide was 44 years old and had last been pregnant 17 years earlier. Such a situation occurred in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' ( Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

in 1885, when King Alfonso XII died and left behind a widow who was three months pregnant. His five-year-old daughter and heir presumptive,

María de las Mercedes María de las Mercedes, often shortened to simply Mercedes, is a Spanish given name. It refers to the Virgin of Mercy (Spanish: La Virgen de la Merced or Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes), one of the titles of Mary Mary, the mother of Jesus in Ch ...

, was not declared queen because she would be displaced if a son was born, and instead there was a six month

interregnum An interregnum (plural interregna or interregnums) is a period of discontinuity or "gap" in a government, organization, or social order. Archetypally, it was the period of time between the reign of one monarch and the next (coming from Latin '' ...

until the birth of her brother

Alfonso XIII Alfonso XIII (17 May 1886 – 28 February 1941), also known as El Africano or the African, was King of Spain from 17 May 1886 to 14 April 1931, when the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed. He was a monarch from birth as his father, A ...

, who assumed the throne as king immediately upon birth. Had the pregnancy been lost or resulted in another daughter, Mercedes would have become queen regnant and been retroactively recognized as such during the interregnum. Heir presumptive, like heir apparent, is not a title or position ''per se''. Rather, it is a general term for a person who holds a certain place in the

order of succession An order of succession or right of succession is the line of individuals necessitated to hold a high office when it becomes vacated such as head of state or an honour such as a title of nobility.ipso facto'', a specific title and rank (e.g., Denmark, Netherlands, United Kingdom), this also sometimes being the case for noble titleholders (e.g., Spain, United Kingdom), but the heir presumptive does not bear that title. In other monarchies (e.g., Monaco, Spain) the first in line to the throne bears a specific title (i.e., "Hereditary Prince/Princess of Monaco", "Prince/Princess of Asturias") by right, regardless of whether she or he is heir apparent or heir presumptive.

Simultaneous heirs presumptive

In the English and Welsh common law of inheritance, there is no seniority between sisters; where there is no son to inherit, any number of daughters share equally. Therefore, certain hereditary titles can have multiple simultaneous heirs presumptive. Since the title cannot be held by two people simultaneously, two daughters (without a brother) who inherit in this way would do so as co-parceners and before they inherit, both would be heirs presumptive. In these circumstances, the title would in fact be held in abeyance until one person represents the claim of both, or the claim is renounced by one or the other for herself and her heirs, or the abeyance is ended by the Crown. There are special procedures for handling doubtful or disputed cases.

Heirs presumptive as of

* Crown Prince Fumihito is the heir presumptive (皇嗣, ''Kōshi'') to his elder brother, Emperor Naruhito of Japan. Historically, the succession to the Chrysanthemum Throne has normally passed to descendants in male line from the imperial lineage. If Naruhito were to have a legitimate son, he would become heir apparent and Prince Fumihito would move back one place in the line of succession. * Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti is the heir presumptive to his father, King Vajiralongkorn of

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

. In accordance with the 1924 Palace Law of Succession, the reigning king has absolute power to name any royal male as heir apparent, and upon being announced publicly, the "position of such heir is secure and indisputable". *

Leonor, Princess of Asturias (Leonor de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Ortiz; born 31 October 2005) is the heir presumptive to the throne of Spain as the elder daughter of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia. In addition to the official title of Princess of Asturias, she bears th ...

, is the heir presumptive to her father, King

Felipe VI Felipe VI (;, * eu, Felipe VI.a, * ca, Felip VI, * gl, Filipe VI, . Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Grecia; born 30 January 1968) is King of Spain. He is the son of former King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía, an ...

. If her father has a legitimate son, he would be heir apparent and Leonor would lose her titles and move back one place in the line of succession.

Past heirs presumptive who did not inherit thrones

The list is limited to heirs presumptive who did not succeed due to death, abolition of monarchies, or change in succession law. * Marcus Claudius Marcellus was heir presumptive to his uncle and father-in-law

Augustus Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pr ...

until his death in 23 BC. *

Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa (; BC – 12 BC) was a Roman general, statesman, and architect who was a close friend, son-in-law, and lieutenant to the Roman emperor Augustus. He was responsible for the construction of some of the most notable build ...

was heir presumptive to his father-in-law

until his death in 12 BC. * Marcus Aemilius Lepidus was heir presumptive to his brother-in-law

Caligula Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (31 August 12 – 24 January 41), better known by his nickname Caligula (), was the third Roman emperor, ruling from 37 until his assassination in 41. He was the son of the popular Roman general Germanic ...

until his death in 38. * Britannicus was heir presumptive to his stepbrother

Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68), was the fifth Roman emperor and final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 unt ...

until his death in 55. *

Marwan ibn Abd al-Malik Marwān ibn ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Marwān () (d. 715/16 or 716/17), referred to as Marwān al-Akbar () to distinguish him from his younger half-brother with the same name, was an Umayyad prince, son of Caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, () and one-time ...

was heir presumptive to his brother

Al-Walid I Al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan ( ar, الوليد بن عبد الملك بن مروان, al-Walīd ibn ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Marwān; ), commonly known as al-Walid I ( ar, الوليد الأول), was the sixth Umayyad caliph, ruling from ...

until his death circa 715. * Prince Sawara was heir presumptive to his brother Emperor Kanmu until his death in 785. * Robert Curthose was heir presumptive to his brother William II of England until he was disinherited for rebellion in 1088. * Edmund of Scotland was heir presumptive to his uncle Donald III of Scotland until his uncle's overthrow in 1097. *

Empress Matilda Empress Matilda ( 7 February 110210 September 1167), also known as the Empress Maude, was one of the claimants to the English throne during the civil war known as the Anarchy. The daughter of King Henry I of England, she moved to Germany as ...

was heir presumptive to her father

Henry I of England Henry I (c. 1068 – 1 December 1135), also known as Henry Beauclerc, was King of England from 1100 to his death in 1135. He was the fourth son of William the Conqueror and was educated in Latin and the liberal arts. On William's death in ...

but upon Henry's death in 1135, Matilda's cousin Stephen, King of England took the throne instead. * Arthur I, Duke of Brittany, was heir presumptive to his uncle

Richard I of England Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199) was King of England from 1189 until his death in 1199. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Aquitaine and Duchy of Gascony, Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, and Count of Poitiers, Co ...

but upon Richard's death in 1199, Arthur's uncle John, King of England took the throne instead. * Peter I, Count of Urgell, was heir presumptive to his nephew Afonso III of Portugal until his death in 1258. * Margaret of Scotland, Queen of Norway, was heir presumptive to her father Alexander III of Scotland until her death in 1283. * Uzana of Bassein was heir presumptive to his father Narathihapate until he was assassinated in 1287. * Edward Bruce was heir presumptive to his brother

Robert I of Scotland Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (Scottish Gaelic: ''Raibeart an Bruis''), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. One of the most renowned warriors of his generation, Robert eventual ...

until he claimed the throne of Ireland. * Marjorie Bruce was heir presumptive to her father

until her death in 1316. * Charles, Count of Valois, was heir presumptive to his nephew Charles IV of France twice until his death in 1325. * Binnya E Laung was heir presumptive to his father Binnya E Law until his death. * Maria of Calabria was heir presumptive to her sister Joanna I of Naples until her death in 1366. *

Beatrice of Portugal Beatrice ( pt, Beatriz, ; 7–13 February 1373 – ) was the only surviving legitimate child of King Ferdinand I of Portugal and his wife, Leonor Teles. She became Queen consort of Castile by marriage to King John I of Castile. Following her f ...

was heir presumptive to her father Ferdinand I of Portugal but upon Ferdinand's death in 1383, Beatrice's half-uncle John I of Portugal took the throne instead. * John of Gaunt was heir presumptive to his nephew

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 died ...

until the succession law was changed in 1386. * Bawlawkyantaw was heir presumptive to his father Razadarit until his execution in 1390. * Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March, was heir presumptive to Richard II after the change in succession until his death in 1398. * Edmund Mortimer, 5th Earl of March, was heir presumptive to Richard II until Richard's forced abdication in 1399. * Theiddat was heir presumptive to his brother Minkhaung I until his nephew Minye Kyawswa was made heir instead. * Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany, was heir presumptive to his nephew

James I of Scotland James I (late July 139421 February 1437) was King of Scots from 1406 until his assassination in 1437. The youngest of three sons, he was born in Dunfermline Abbey to King Robert III and Annabella Drummond. His older brother David, Duke of R ...

until his death in 1420. * Thomas of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Clarence, was heir presumptive to his brother

Henry V of England Henry V (16 September 1386 – 31 August 1422), also called Henry of Monmouth, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1413 until his death in 1422. Despite his relatively short reign, Henry's outstanding military successes in the H ...

from his brother's succession in 1413 to his death in 1421. * Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany, was heir presumptive to his cousin

until he was attained and executed in 1425. * John of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Bedford, was heir presumptive to his nephew

Henry VI of England Henry VI (6 December 1421 – 21 May 1471) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. The only child of Henry V, he succeeded to the English throne ...

until his death in 1435. * Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl, was heir presumptive to his grandnephew James II of Scotland until he was executed in 1437 for his part in killing the previous king James I. * Margaret Stewart, Dauphine of France, was heir presumptive to her brother James II of Scotland until her death in 1445. * Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, was heir presumptive to his nephew Henry VI until his death in 1447. * Joanna la Beltraneja was heir presumptive to her father Henry IV of Castile until he named his brother Alfonso as heir instead. * Alfonso, Prince of Asturias, was heir presumptive to his half-brother Henry IV of Castile until his death in 1468. *

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 th ...

, was heir presumptive to his brother Edward IV of England until he fled after rebelling against him in 1470. * Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick, was heir presumptive to his uncle Richard III of England until he was removed from the succession in 1485. * John de la Pole, 1st Earl of Lincoln, was heir presumptive to his uncle Richard III until the king was killed in

battle A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...

in 1485. * Isabella of Aragon, Queen of Portugal, was heir presumptive to her parents

Isabella I of Castile Isabella I ( es, Isabel I; 22 April 1451 – 26 November 1504), also called Isabella the Catholic (Spanish: ''la Católica''), was Queen of Castile from 1474 until her death in 1504, as well as Queen consort of Aragon from 1479 until 1504 by ...

and Ferdinand II of Aragon until her death in 1498. *

Miguel da Paz, Prince of Portugal Miguel da Paz, Hereditary Prince of Portugal and Prince of Asturias ( pt, Miguel da Paz de Trastâmara e Avis, ; es, Miguel de la Paz de Avís y Trastámara, "Michael of Peace") (23 August 1498 – 19 July 1500) was a Portuguese royal princ ...

, in addition to being heir apparent to his father

Manuel I of Portugal Manuel I (; 31 May 146913 December 1521), known as the Fortunate ( pt, O Venturoso), was list of Portuguese monarchs, King of Portugal from 1495 to 1521. A member of the House of Aviz, Manuel was Duke of Beja and Duke of Viseu, Viseu prior to su ...

, was heir presumptive to grandparents Isabella and Ferdinand until his death in 1500. * James Stewart, Duke of Ross, was heir presumptive to his brother

James IV of Scotland James IV (17 March 1473 – 9 September 1513) was King of Scotland from 11 June 1488 until his death at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. He inherited the throne at the age of fifteen on the death of his father, James III, at the Battle of Sauc ...

until his death in 1504. * Alexander Stewart, Duke of Ross, was heir presumptive to his brother

James V of Scotland James V (10 April 1512 – 14 December 1542) was King of Scotland from 9 September 1513 until his death in 1542. He was crowned on 21 September 1513 at the age of seventeen months. James was the son of King James IV and Margaret Tudor, and dur ...

until his death in 1515. * John Stewart, Duke of Albany, was heir presumptive to his cousin

until his death in 1536. * Carlos, Prince of Asturias, in addition to being heir apparent to his father

Philip II of Spain Philip II) in Spain, while in Portugal and his Italian kingdoms he ruled as Philip I ( pt, Filipe I). (21 May 152713 September 1598), also known as Philip the Prudent ( es, Felipe el Prudente), was King of Spain from 1556, King of Portugal fro ...

, was also heir presumptive to his cousin Sebastian of Portugal until his death in 1568. * James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran, was heir presumptive to

James VI of Scotland James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until h ...

until his death in 1575. * Ranuccio I Farnese, Duke of Parma, was heir presumptive to his granduncle Henry, King of Portugal until the succession crisis that emerged after Henry's death in 1580. * Francis, Duke of Anjou, was heir presumptive to his brother

Henry III of France Henry III (french: Henri III, né Alexandre Édouard; pl, Henryk Walezy; lt, Henrikas Valua; 19 September 1551 – 2 August 1589) was King of France from 1574 until his assassination in 1589, as well as King of Poland and Grand Duke o ...

until his death in 1584. * Charles de Bourbon was heir presumptive to his nephew

Henry IV of France Henry IV (french: Henri IV; 13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), also known by the epithets Good King Henry or Henry the Great, was King of Navarre (as Henry III) from 1572 and King of France from 1589 to 1610. He was the first monarc ...

until his death in 1590. * Dmitry of Uglich was heir presumptive to his half-brother Feodor I of Russia until his death in 1591. * Dmitry Shuisky was heir presumptive to his brother Vasili IV of Russia until his brother was overthrown in 1610. *

Sigismund III Vasa Sigismund III Vasa ( pl, Zygmunt III Waza, lt, Žygimantas Vaza; 20 June 1566 – 30 April 1632 Adoption of the Gregorian calendar, N.S.) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1587 to 1632 and, as Sigismund, King of Sweden and ...

was heir presumptive of Russia to his son Vladislav until his son's overthrow in 1613. *

Monsieur d'Orléans Monsieur d'Orléans (16 April 1607 – 17 November 1611) was the second son and fourth child of Henry IV of France and his consort, Marie de' Medici. Commonly ascribed the names Nicolas or Nicolas Henri and the title Duke of Orléans, he was neith ...

, was heir presumptive to his brother

Louis XIII of France Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown. ...

until his death in 1611. * Charles Philip, Duke of Södermanland, was heir presumptive to his brother Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden until his death in 1622. * Catherine of Sweden, Countess Palatine of Kleeburg, was heir presumptive to her niece Christina, Queen of Sweden, until her death in 1638. * Margaret Theresa of Spain was heir presumptive to her brother Charles II of Spain until her death in 1673. * Maria Antonia of Austria was heir presumptive to her uncle Charles II until her death in 1692. *

Joseph Ferdinand, Electoral Prince of Bavaria Joseph Ferdinand Leopold of Bavaria (28 October 1692 – 6 February 1699) was the son of Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria (1679–1705, 1714–1726) and his first wife, Maria Antonia of Austria, daughter of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor ...

, in addition to being heir apparent to his father Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria, was heir presumptive to his granduncle Charles II until his death in 1699. *

Sophia, Electress of Hanover Sophia of Hanover (born Princess Sophia of the Palatinate; 14 October 1630 – 8 June 1714) was the Electress of Hanover by marriage to Elector Ernest Augustus and later the heiress presumptive to the thrones of England and Scotland (later Grea ...

, was declared heir presumptive to the British thrones by the Act of Settlement 1701, but died before acceding to the throne of her distant cousin, Queen Anne. * Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, was heir presumptive to

Louis XV of France Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...

until his death in 1723. * Duke Charles Louis Frederick of Mecklenburg was heir presumptive to his half-brother Adolphus Frederick III, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, until his death a few months before his brother in 1752. * Prince Augustus William of Prussia was heir presumptive to his brother

Frederick II of Prussia Frederick II (german: Friedrich II.; 24 January 171217 August 1786) was King in Prussia from 1740 until 1772, and King of Prussia from 1772 until his death in 1786. His most significant accomplishments include his military successes in the S ...

until his death in 1758. * Duke Louis of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was heir presumptive to his brother

Frederick II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin , house =House of Mecklenburg , father = Christian Ludwig II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin , mother =Duchess Gustave Caroline of Mecklenburg-Strelitz , birth_date = , birth_place =Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Schwerin , death_date ...

, until his death in 1778. * Prince Joseph of Saxe-Hildburghausen was heir presumptive to his great-grandnephew Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen until his death in 1787. * Inthraphithak was heir presumptive to his father Taksin until Taksin was overthrown and both were executed in 1802. * Prince Louis of Anhalt-Köthen was heir presumptive to his brother Augustus Christian Frederick, Duke of Anhalt-Köthen until his death in 1802. *

Maha Sura Singhanat Somdet Phra Bawornrajchao Maha Sura Singhanat ( th, สมเด็จพระบวรราชเจ้ามหาสุรสิงหนาท; , lit: ''His Royal Highness, Maharurasinghanat, Prince of Front Palace'') (1 November 1744 – ...

was heir presumptive to his brother Phutthayotfa Chulalok until his death in 1803. * Anurak Devesh was heir presumptive to his uncle Phutthayotfa Chulalok until his death in 1806. *

Maha Senanurak Maha Senanurak ( th, สมเด็จพระบวรราชเจ้ามหาเสนานุรักษ์; March 29, 1773 – July 16, 1817) was a Viceroy appointed by Buddha Loetla Nabhalai as the titular heir to the throne ...

was heir presumptive to his brother

Phutthaloetla Naphalai Phra Phutthaloetla Naphalai ( th, พระพุทธเลิศหล้านภาลัย, 24 February 1767 – 21 July 1824), personal name Chim ( th, ฉิม), also styled as Rama II, was the second monarch of Siam under the Chakri ...

until his death in 1817. *

Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich of Russia Konstantin Pavlovich (russian: Константи́н Па́влович; ) was a grand duke of Russia and the second son of Emperor Paul I and Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg. He was the heir-presumptive for most of his elder brother Ale ...

was heir presumptive to his brother

Alexander I of Russia Alexander I (; – ) was Emperor of Russia from 1801, the first King of Congress Poland from 1815, and the Grand Duke of Finland from 1809 to his death. He was the eldest son of Emperor Paul I and Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg. The son of Gra ...

until he renounced his rights in 1823. * Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, brother of King George IV of the United Kingdom and Hanover, was heir presumptive from his brother's ascension in 1820 to his death in 1827. * Maximilian, Hereditary Prince of Saxony, was heir presumptive to his brother Anthony of Saxony until he renounced his rights in favour of his son Frederick Augustus in 1830. * Infante Carlos of Spain, Count of Molina, brother of

King Ferdinand VII of Spain Ferdinand VII ( es, Fernando VII; 14 October 1784 – 29 September 1833) was a Monarchy of Spain, King of Spain during the early 19th century. He reigned briefly in 1808 and then again from 1813 to his death in 1833. He was known to his supporter ...

. Ferdinand VII changed the succession law in favour to his daughter, who became Queen Isabella II after the King's death in September 1833. This led to the Carlist Wars in Spain. * Sakdiphonlasep was heir presumptive to his nephew Nangklao until his death in 1832. * Louis, Prince of Anhalt-Pless was heir presumptive to his brother Henry, Duke of Anhalt-Köthen until his death in 1841. * Archduke Franz Karl of Austria, brother of Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria, was heir presumptive throughout his brother's reign until the revolution that saw his brother forced to abdicate also saw Franz renounce his rights in favour of his son Franz Joseph in 1848. * Ahmad Rifaat Pasha was heir presumptive to his half-uncle Sa'id of Egypt until his death in 1858. *

Prince Henry, Count of Bardi Prince Henry of House of Bourbon-Parma, Bourbon-Parma, Count of Bardi ( it, Enrico Carlo Luigi Giorgio, Principe di Parma, Conte di Bardi) (12 February 1851 in Parma, Duchy of Parma The Duchy of Parma and Piacenza ( it, Ducato di Parma e Piacen ...

, was heir presumptive to his brother Robert I, Duke of Parma, until the monarchy was abolished in 1859. * Archduke Karl Salvator of Austria was heir presumptive to his brother Ferdinand IV, Grand Duke of Tuscany, until the monarchy was abolished in 1860. * Prince Louis, Count of Trani, was heir presumptive to his half-brother Francis II of the Two Sicilies until the monarchy was abolished in 1861. * Albert, Prince Consort, was heir presumptive to his brother

Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Ernest II (german: Ernst August Karl Johann Leopold Alexander Eduard, link=no; 21 June 181822 August 1893) was Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha from 29 January 1844 to his death in 1893. He was born in Coburg to Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld ...

, until his death in 1861. * Infante João, Duke of Beja, was heir presumptive to his brother Luís I of Portugal until his death in 1861. * Ferdinand, Hereditary Prince of Denmark, was heir presumptive to his nephew King Frederick VII of Denmark until his death five months before his nephew in 1863. * Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, in addition to being heir apparent to his mother

, was also heir presumptive to his uncle

, until renouncing his rights in favour of his younger brothers in 1863. * Pinklao was heir presumptive to his brother

Mongkut Mongkut ( th, มงกุฏ; 18 October 18041 October 1868) was the fourth monarch of Siam (Thailand) under the House of Chakri, titled Rama IV. He ruled from 1851 to 1868. His full title in Thai was ''Phra Bat Somdet Phra Menthora Ramathib ...

until his death in 1866. * Prince William of Hesse-Kassel was heir presumptive to his cousin Frederick William, Elector of Hesse, until the monarchy was abolished in 1866. *

Prince William of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld William of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (3 October 1831 – 17 January 1890), was a German prince of the Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld branch of the House of Hesse, and '' Konteradmiral'' (counter admiral) of the Prussian and Imperial German Nav ...

was heir presumptive to his brother Alexis, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld, until the monarchy was abolished in 1866. * Prince Frederick of Württemberg was heir presumptive to his cousin and brother-in-law Charles I of Württemberg until his death in 1870. * Prince Charles of Hesse and by Rhine was heir presumptive to his brother Louis III, Grand Duke of Hesse, until his death a few months before his brother in 1877. * Leopold, Prince of Hohenzollern, was heir presumptive to his brother Carol I of Romania until he renounced his rights in favour of his sons. * William, Prince of Hohenzollern, was heir presumptive to his uncle Carol I of Romania until he renounced his rights in favour of his younger brother

Ferdinand Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the elements "protection", "peace" (PIE "to love, to make peace") or alternatively "journey, travel", Proto-Germanic , abstract noun from root "to fare, travel" (PIE , "to lead, pass over"), and "co ...

. * Wichaichan was heir presumptive to his cousin Chulalongkorn until his death in 1885. * Mercedes, Princess of Asturias, daughter of Alfonso XII of Spain, was the heir presumptive at her birth. After her father died, her posthumously born brother Alfonso became king as Alfonso XIII of Spain and she remained the heir presumptive until her death in 1905. * Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil, was the heir presumptive to her father Pedro II of Brazil on the throne of the Empire of Brazil. However, a '' coup d'etat'' in 1889 proclaimed a Republic in the country, deposing the monarchy. *

Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria Archduke Karl Ludwig Josef Maria of Austria (30 July 1833 – 19 May 1896) was the younger brother of both Franz Joseph I of Austria and Maximilian I of Mexico, and the father of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria (1863–1914), whose assassin ...

was the heir presumptive of his brother Franz Joseph I of Austria from the suicide of his nephew

Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria en, Rudolph Francis Charles Joseph , caption = Rudolf in 1887 , spouse = , issue = Elisabeth Marie, Princess Otto of Windisch-Graetz , house = Habsburg-Lorraine , father = Franz Joseph I of Austria , moth ...

, until his death in 1896. * Duke William of Württemberg was heir presumptive to his kinsman William II of Württemberg until his death in 1896. * Princess Sophie of the Netherlands was heir presumptive to her niece Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands until her death in 1897. * Grand Duke George Alexandrovich of Russia was heir presumptive to his brother

Nicholas II of Russia Nicholas II or Nikolai II Alexandrovich Romanov; spelled in pre-revolutionary script. ( 186817 July 1918), known in the Russian Orthodox Church as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer,. was the last Emperor of Russia, King of Congress Pola ...

until his death in 1899. *

Duke Nicholas of Württemberg Duke Nicholas of Württemberg (german: Herzog Nikolaus von Württemberg; 1 March 1833 – 22 February 1903) was an officer in the army of the Austrian Empire. Biography Early life and family Duke Nicholas was born at Carlsruhe, Kingdom of ...

was heir presumptive to his kinsman William II of Württemberg until his death in 1903. * Ernest, Count of Lippe-Biesterfeld was heir presumptive to his kinsman

Alexander, Prince of Lippe Alexander, Prince of Lippe (german: Karl Alexander Fürst zur Lippe) (16 January 1831 – 13 January 1905) was the penultimate sovereign of the Principality of Lippe. Succeeding to the throne in 1895, Alexander had his power exercised by a regent ...

until his death in 1904. *

Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders nl, Filips Eugeen Ferdinand Marie Clemens Boudewijn Leopold Joris , image = Philippe comte de Flandre (1880).jpg , caption = , spouse = , issue = , house = Saxe-Coburg and Gotha , father ...

, was the heir presumptive of his older brother King

Leopold II of Belgium * german: link=no, Leopold Ludwig Philipp Maria Viktor , house = Saxe-Coburg and Gotha , father = Leopold I of Belgium , mother = Louise of Orléans , birth_date = , birth_place = Brussels, Belgium , death_date ...

after the death of his nephew Prince Leopold, Duke of Brabant, until his own death in 1905. * Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, was heir presumptive to his brother

Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Alfred (Alfred Ernest Albert; 6 August 184430 July 1900) was the sovereign duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha from 1893 to 1900. He was the second son and fourth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. He was known as the Duke of Edinburgh from ...

, until he renounced his rights and that of his descendants in favour of his nephew Charles Edward. * Prince Moritz of Saxe-Altenburg was heir presumptive to his brother Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, until his death in 1907. *

Afonso, Prince Royal of Portugal Infante Dom (honorific), D. Afonso of Braganza, Duke of Porto (; 31 July 1865 in Palace of Ajuda, Lisbon – 21 February 1920 in Naples, Italy) was a Portuguese people, Portuguese Infante of the House of Braganza,"While remaining Patrilineal ...

, was the heir presumptive of his nephew Manuel II of Portugal until the monarchy was abolished in 1910. * Pujie was heir presumptive to his brother Puyi until the

Xinhai Revolution The 1911 Revolution, also known as the Xinhai Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution, ended China's last Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty, the Manchu people, Manchu-led Qing dynasty, and led to the establishment of the Republic of Chi ...

in 1911, and

Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northea ...

founded in 1912. He became heir presumptive again after the puppet regime

Manchukuo Manchukuo, officially the State of Manchuria prior to 1934 and the Empire of (Great) Manchuria after 1934, was a puppet state of the Empire of Japan in Manchuria from 1932 until 1945. It was founded as a republic in 1932 after the Japanese in ...

after the Mukden Incident, while Puyi became the emperor of Manchukuo as well until the surrender of Japan in 1945. * Luitpold, Prince Regent of Bavaria, was heir presumptive to his nephew Otto, King of Bavaria until his death in 1912. * Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was the heir presumptive of his uncle Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria until his

assassination Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have a ...

June 28, 1914, in

Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see names in other languages'') is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its administrative limits. The Sarajevo metropolitan area including Sarajev ...

. * Duke Philipp of Württemberg was heir presumptive to his kinsman William II of Württemberg until his death in 1917. * Prince Maximilian of Baden was heir presumptive to his cousin Frederick II, Grand Duke of Baden, until the monarchy was abolished in 1918. * Charles Michael, Duke of Mecklenburg, was heir presumptive to his cousin Adolphus Frederick VI, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, until the throne became vacant and was later abolished in 1918. *

Ernst, Prince of Saxe-Meiningen Ernst, Prince of Saxe-Meiningen (Ernst, Prinz von Sachsen-Meiningen; 27 September 1859 – 29 December 1941) was the head of the house of Saxe-Meiningen from 1928 until his death. Biography He was born in Meiningen, the eldest son of the heir ...

, was heir presumptive to his half-brother

Bernhard III, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen Bernhard III, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (1 April 1851 – 16 January 1928), was the last reigning duke of Saxe-Meiningen. Biography Bernhard was born on 1 April 1851 at Meiningen in what was then the German Confederation, as the eldest son of Georg ...

, until the monarchy was abolished in 1918. * Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg, was heir presumptive to his kinsman William II of Württemberg until the monarchy was abolished in 1918. * Wolrad, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe, was heir presumptive to his brother Adolf II, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe, until the monarchy was abolished in 1918. * Sizzo, Prince of Schwarzburg, was heir presumptive to his cousin Günther Victor, Prince of Schwarzburg, until the monarchy was abolished in 1918. * Heinrich XXVII, Prince Reuss Younger Line, in addition to ruling his own principality, was heir presumptive to his kinsman Heinrich XXIV, Prince Reuss of Greiz, until both monarchies were abolished in 1918. * Chakrabongse Bhuvanath was heir presumptive to his brother Vajiravudh until his death in 1920. * Asdang Dejavudh was heir presumptive to his brother Vajiravudh until his death in 1924. * Varananda Dhavaj was heir presumptive to his uncle Vajiravudh until being replaced as heir by his other uncle Prajadhipok in 1924. * Mahidol Adulyadej was heir presumptive to his half-brother Prajadhipok until his death in 1929. * Kiril, Prince of Preslav was heir presumptive to his nephew Simeon II of Bulgaria, until his execution by Communists in 1945. * Prince Nicholas of Romania was heir presumptive to his nephew Michael I of Romania until the monarchy was abolished in 1947. * Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois, was heir presumptive to her father Louis II, Prince of Monaco, until renouncing her rights in favour of her son

Rainier Rainier may refer to the following: People *Rainier (name), a list of people with the given name or surname Places United States * Rainier, Oregon, a small city * Rainier, Washington, a small city * Rainier Beach, Seattle *Mount Rainier, a strato ...

. * Prince Knud of Denmark was the heir presumptive of his brother King Frederick IX of Denmark, but an amendment to the Danish Constitution in 1953 replaced the previously semi-Salic succession with male-preference primogeniture and proclaimed King Frederick's eldest daughter Princess Margrethe, later Queen

Margrethe II of Denmark Margrethe II (; Margrethe Alexandrine Þórhildur Ingrid, born 16 April 1940) is Queen of Denmark. Having reigned as Denmark's monarch for over 50 years, she is Europe's longest-serving current head of state and the world's only incumbent fema ...

, heir presumptive. * Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh was heir presumptive to her father

in India until it became a republic in 1950, as well as Newfoundland until it joined Canada in 1949 (she reigned as Queen of Canada from 6 February 1952 until her death on 8 September 2022). *Mohammed Ali Tewfik was heir presumptive to Fuad II of Egypt until the Egyptian revolution of 1952, monarchy was abolished in 1953. *'Abd al-Ilah was heir presumptive to his nephew Faisal II of Iraq until they were both 14 July Revolution, executed in 1958. *Tunku Abdul Malik was heir presumptive to his brother Abdul Halim of Kedah until his death in 2015.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Heir Presumptive Monarchy Inheritance Heirs to the throne

Overview

Simultaneous heirs presumptive

Heirs presumptive as of

Past heirs presumptive who did not inherit thrones

See also

References