Meet The World's Oldest Living Royals

With the best healthcare money can buy and loyal aides closely monitoring their every move, royals the world over are known for their longevity. It's therefore not out of the ordinary to see an esteemed aristocrat reach their late 90s or even celebrate their 100th birthday (and then some). 

Prince Philip, for instance, may have lived to 99, but he was by no means the oldest British royal of all time. Similarly, Queen Elizabeth II's death came as a shock; although she reached the grand old age of 96, many expected her to attain a similar centurial status as her mother, who died in 2002 aged 101. Perhaps this image of the death-defying monarch is shaped by public perceptions of the royals as otherworldly figures who are seemingly thus free from the frailties that afflict ordinary folk.

The same can be said for the aristocratic class across the globe. With 26 countries still maintaining constitutional monarchies, extreme old age is a phenomenon mirrored to varying degrees. Though members of many international dynasties enjoy lengthy and prosperous lives, their endurance is often contentious due to the disparity in quality of life seen among ordinary citizens. According to research by Bayes Business School, royals live 26% longer than the average person, something that other studies have attributed to a combination of good genes and better quality of life, including a more varied diet and regular exercise. These royals are proof that 90 is the new 80.

Juan Carlos I of Spain abdicated so that his son, Felipe VI, could ascend the throne. The royal, who was born in 1938, gave up his monarchical duties in 2014 after spending just shy of 40 years in power. Despite enjoying a long reign free from controversy (for the most part), he was embroiled in a number of scandals toward the end of his tenure as king. 

In 2020, he faced allegations of historic misuse of public money. As reported by Politico, he went on luxury trophy-hunting vacations while Spain was suffering from the aftermath of a recession, allegedly sent $100 million (originally gifted by Saudi royals) to his rumored lover, and apparently hid away millions in untaxed funds. Subsequently, he went into exile in Abu Dhabi. Two years later, he re-emerged in Spain, albeit fleetingly, to a frosty reception. "This is someone who did a very good job, politically, and then at the end of his reign made a series of terrible personal and professional mistakes," royal author Ana Romero told Politico. "[In Spain] he is not having to pay a legal price for what he has done, but there are things that he has to pay for morally."

Despite his advanced age, Juan has apparently enjoyed an active love life. In 2021, The Times reported that the Spanish secret service administered hormones to diminish his libido, which was apparently causing issues for the state.

King Harald V's wife, Queen Sonja, is also an elderly royal, having been born in 1937. Initially a reluctant queen, Sonja admitted that she used to regret her decision to devote herself to a life of royal duties. "When adversity comes, one wishes one had chosen differently, but that is how it is for everyone," she revealed in the book "Norway's First Ladies" (via Hello!). But in addition to serving her country, she has always made time for her own hobbies and interests.

An avowed lover of the arts, she founded an art scholarship in 2011. Now in her late 80s, she is showing no signs of slowing down, having opened her own gallery in 2021.

Despite enjoying a royal career generally free from contention, she generated headlines in 2022 when she claimed that Americans have little understanding of the importance of the monarchy. The remarks were made in reference to her daughter, Princess Märtha Louise, leaving royal duties behind in order to be with her boyfriend, American conspiracy theorist and self-styled shaman Durek Verrett. "Americans have no idea what a kingdom is. So it's no wonder he doesn't realize," she said at a press conference (via Hello!). "Americans don't understand the bearing of this here. They don't. He thought he could do whatever he wanted without compromising us at all." However, she did add that she is happy for her daughter and gets on well with Verrett despite their differing opinions and values.

Prince Edward has enjoyed considerable longevity. Born in 1935, he inherited the title of Duke of Kent when he was just 7, following the untimely wartime death of his father, Prince George.

As with Alexandra, Edward was tirelessly loyal to his cousin, Queen Elizabeth II. On numerous occasions throughout the queen's reign, he supported her with the utmost devotion. He paid homage at her 1953 coronation, a role that the then-teenager found daunting. "My chief anxiety was that I would forget my lines," he wrote in his memoir, "A Royal Life." "I had been given the impression that I had to remember them so I had learned them by heart." Over half a century later, he stood by the queen's side on the balcony of Buckingham Palace at the Trooping of the Colour in 2022, exemplifying his unyielding duty.

Edward has proven himself a highly resilient royal. In 2013, the then 77-year-old suffered a stroke. However, a spokesperson revealed that the elderly duke was already on the road to recovery. "My understanding is he's feeling well and looking forward to resuming official engagements as soon as possible," they said, per The Herald Scotland. To this day, he continues his princely duties. In 2022, he became the only royal to walk the funeral procession for both the queen and King George VI. The following year, he attended King Charles III's coronation, having done the same for Charles' mother 70 years earlier.

In 2019, Akihito became the first Japanese emperor to abdicate in 200 years. During his 30-year reign, he was a progressive figure. In keeping with Japan's postwar pacifist stance, he devoted much of his sovereignty to educating others on the perniciousness of ultranationalism, having lived through WWII as a youngster. "That time produced in him strong feelings against war and its chaos. You could call it a hatred of war," his childhood friend, Mototsugu Akashi, told NPR. Notably, he refused to ever visit the Yasukuni shrine, a memorial in Tokyo, as it has long been deemed a commendation of war criminals. On the 70th anniversary of the Surrender of Japan in 2015, he expressed deep remorse over the country's war crimes.

Following his abdication, he implored the young people of Japan to never forget the carnage that occurred during WWII. "It is important not to forget that countless lives were lost in the second world war," he said, per The Guardian. "And that the peace and prosperity of postwar Japan was built upon the numerous sacrifices and tireless efforts made by the Japanese people, and to pass on this history accurately to those born after the war."

In 2022, he turned 89, and while he may be close to 100, Akihito enjoys all his usual pastimes. Namely, he is continuing with his lifelong research into goby fish and, in 2021, discovered two new varieties while studying at the Biological Laboratory at the Imperial Palace.

The wife of Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, Katharine, Duchess of Kent celebrated her 90th birthday in February 2023 and is currently the oldest living British royal. Due to health problems (she has chronic fatigue syndrome), Katharine left royal duties behind in 1996. Since then, she has opted to remain inconspicuous, so the aforementioned birthday celebrations marked a rare public appearance for the otherwise media-shy duchess. But a lack of public sightings doesn't mean that Katharine hasn't been living a full and enriched life.

A lifelong lover of music, Katharine is proof that it's never too late to embark on a new career path. In 1996, the then 63-year-old did just that when she became a music teacher at a state-funded school. "When I was teaching the first thing I began to notice was the power of music as a stimulant to these children to give them confidence and self-belief. I began to see that happen all the time," she revealed on "The Alan Titchmarsh Show" (via The Telegraph) in 2011.

In an interview with The Telegraph in 2022, she addressed speculation that she had become a recluse after opting out of royal life. Rather, Katharine explained, she simply wanted a more normal existence away from the spotlight. "There was nothing that I felt I wanted to hide away from ... I was supported through it as well," she said. "The Queen said: 'Yes, go and do it,' so I did."

Prior to becoming a member of the Swedish Royal Family, Princess Marianne Bernadotte was an actor at the Royal Dramatic Theater in Stockholm. It was there she caught the gaze of Prince Sigvard Bernadotte of Sweden. He made Marianne his third wife in 1961, despite opposition to the actor not being a descendant of nobility (the prince's previous wives were also commoners). The couple was married for over 40 years until Sigvard died in 2002, aged 94.

Born in 1924, Marianne became a popular royal after tying the knot with the prince. Lauded for her sense of style, she was frequently photographed sporting high-end designer ensembles and was fond of Pierre Balmain, with whom she was close friends. In 2017 there was even an exhibition at Millesgården Museum in Lidingö, dedicated to her iconic outfits. In addition to Marianne's sartorial interests, she has devoted much of her life to philanthropic endeavors, mostly efforts to help those with dyslexia. All the while, she has remained down to earth. "I never call myself princess," she told The New York Times in 2010. "But the people who know the circumstances call me that." 

Approaching her 100th birthday, Marianne opened up about her longevity in an interview with NewsBeezer in 2019. "I do not do anything special," she explained. "I hate going out and going for a walk, but I spend a lot of time with friends and my family and I'm not very alone."

The oldest living royal is Marianne, Princess zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn. Born in 1919, the Austrian noblewoman is the daughter of Baron and Baroness Mayr-Melnhof. She became a princess in 1942 when she wed Prince Ludwig zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn. 

By no means an idle aristocrat, Marianne fell in love with photography as a tween, having been encouraged to pursue her passion by her British governess. "If you are intent upon pursuing such an expensive pastime, then make sure to paste the photos properly into an album," was the advice the governess gave the young Marianne, per Porsche. Having been an adult during the outbreak of WWII, she used her protected upper-class status to immerse herself in her passion, chronicling life during wartime through portraits of children.

Thereafter, she mingled with the elites of the art and fashion world, befriending the likes of Karl Lagerfeld and Andy Warhol while attending glitzy events both at home and abroad. In 2000, she released a photography book, "Mamarazza" (named so after a nickname given to her by Princess Caroline of Monaco), which details her high society dalliances across the globe. Though over a century old, she remains as stylish as ever; in 2018, she was snapped draped in jewels and finery as she downed a glass of wine on her birthday, partying like she was 99 (via Getty Images).