Britain is classified as a constitutional monarchy, which means that power is shared between the ruling head of state (i.e. the king or queen) and an elected Parliament. The current head of state is King Charles III, who ascended to the throne following the death of his mother, Elizabeth II, in September 2022. Elizabeth II reigned for over 70 years, making her the longest reigning monarch in British and English history. At 73 years old, Charles III was the oldest person to become monarch, having served as the longest heir apparent in British history. The current heir apparent is Prince William, who will likely become King William V.
George VI and Edward VIII
Preceding Elizabeth II was her father, George VI, who had inherited the throne after the abdication of his brother, Edward VIII, in 1936. Edward became king in May 1936, but just months into his reign he proposed to Wallis Simpson, an American woman who had already been divorced with another pending divorce, and this caused a constitutional crisis. Parliament opposed the marriage as they considered Simpson unfit for the title of Queen Consort, resulting in Edward's abdication.
The House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
The House of Windsor has been the reigning royal house since 1901, replacing the House of Hanover, however it was previously named the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. This name was changed to Windsor in 1917, in order to avoid association with Germany during the First World War, taking the name from the royal residence of Windsor Castle. The House of Windsor has ruled during a period of great change in British history, overseeing the expansion of the largest empire in world history in the early 20th century, then over the period of decolonization in the mid-1900s.
Length of each British monarch of the House of Windsor's reign, from 1901 to 2023
(in years)
Profit from the additional features of your individual account
Currently, you are using a shared account. To use individual functions (e.g., mark statistics as favourites, set
statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account.
If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again.
Learn more about how Statista can support your business.
Encyclopædia Britannica, & Wikipedia. (May 23, 2023). Length of each British monarch of the House of Windsor's reign, from 1901 to 2023 (in years) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 12, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1030995/reign-each-windsor-monarch-1901-present/
Encyclopædia Britannica, und Wikipedia. "Length of each British monarch of the House of Windsor's reign, from 1901 to 2023 (in years)." Chart. May 23, 2023. Statista. Accessed October 12, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1030995/reign-each-windsor-monarch-1901-present/
Encyclopædia Britannica, Wikipedia. (2023). Length of each British monarch of the House of Windsor's reign, from 1901 to 2023 (in years). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: October 12, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1030995/reign-each-windsor-monarch-1901-present/
Encyclopædia Britannica, and Wikipedia. "Length of Each British Monarch of The House of Windsor's Reign, from 1901 to 2023 (in Years)." Statista, Statista Inc., 23 May 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1030995/reign-each-windsor-monarch-1901-present/
Encyclopædia Britannica & Wikipedia, Length of each British monarch of the House of Windsor's reign, from 1901 to 2023 (in years) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1030995/reign-each-windsor-monarch-1901-present/ (last visited October 12, 2024)
Length of each British monarch of the House of Windsor's reign, from 1901 to 2023 (in years) [Graph], Encyclopædia Britannica, & Wikipedia, May 23, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1030995/reign-each-windsor-monarch-1901-present/