12 Royals Who Are Immediate Successors To The Throne
As the world continues on its quest toward further modernization, a few things remain rooted in tradition. Among them is the monarchy, an institution built around generations of a single bloodline that has been part of society for as long as civilizations have existed. While the role of royal families around the world has evolved over time, monarchs have remained one of the most enduring symbols of unity and national pride. Throughout history, many monarchs have also become the most recognizable figures in the world. These include King Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I, Catherine the Great, Marie Antoinette, and of course, Queen Elizabeth II who died in 2022. All of them have left a lasting legacy, much like current monarchs also hope to do in time.
As for the future, each monarchy often looks to a long succession plan that would help guarantee its existence for many generations to come. Some of these heirs presumptively have already taken a more active role in society, while others are just embarking on their first steps toward a life of public service.
Hussein, Crown Prince of Jordan
The Hashemite royal family has ruled Jordan for generations with King Abdullah II coming into power following the death of his father, King Hussein, in 1999. Years later, in 2009, King Abdullah issued a decree naming his oldest son, Prince Hussein bin Abdullah, as the heir presumptive to the Jordanian throne. This decision was made years after the king stripped his half-brother, Prince Hamzah, of the crown prince title.
While the king's relationship with his brother would become fractured over time, Crown Prince Hussein has remained focused on preparing himself to become Jordan's eventual ruler. Over the years, the crown prince, who was named after his late grandfather, has joined the king and his mother, Queen Rania, on various major engagements. "The prince attends all the important meetings of his majesty the king with world leaders in the United Nations, Europe, and at international and Arab conferences. So he is being trained directly by the king," Samih Al-Maaytah, the former minister of information of Jordan, told Arab News.
At the same time, Jordan's future king has also found his future queen. On June 1, 2023, the crown prince married his wife, Princess Rajwa Al Hussein, in a lavish wedding ceremony that was attended by many other royals around the world. In the country, the wedding was also celebrated by the issuance of a "Rejoice" sealon the passports of all travelers who entered Jordan on that special day.
Fumihito, Crown Prince of Japan
For the imperial family of Japan, the rules surrounding the line of succession have always been clear: Only the male descendants of the family are eligible to become heirs to the throne. Since Emperor Naruhito's only child is a daughter (Aiko, Princess Toshi), the next in line to the imperial throne is his brother, Prince Fumihito.
Over the years, Fumihito and with his wife, Kiko, Crown Princess, have remained very visible to the public, attending various events throughout the country and meeting with several world leaders in Japan and abroad. While the crown prince is well aware of his eventual responsibilities as Japan's emperor, he has also raised some concerns about the imperial family's ability to carry out its duties as some retire or leave. "It would be difficult to pass on (official duties) if the number (of imperial family members) decreases," Fumihito told the media (via The Japan Times).
The admission came just a few years after his daughter, the former Princess Mako, lost her royal status following her marriage to college sweetheart Kei Komuro. The Imperial House Law states that a member of the imperial family would lose their royal status and become a common citizen after marrying a non-royal.
Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden
Similar to Japan, Sweden formerly enforced a rule limiting the succession to the throne to only male descendants of the monarch. However, the 1979 Act of Succession revolutionized this tradition, enabling both male and female descendants to ascend to the throne, with precedence given to older siblings in the line of succession. As this was enacted, King Carl XVI Gustaf's son, Prince Carl Philip, was stripped of his title as crown prince while Princess Victoria was named the Swedish king's heir apparent.
While King Carl may have once hinted that he felt bad about his son losing his crown prince title, he remains supportive of his daughter being his immediate successor. "The female succession to the throne is for me a matter of course," the king said in a statement (via Royal Central). "The crown princess is my successor. She is an extraordinary asset to me, my family, and our country. I am proud of her and her tireless work for Sweden."
As the heir presumptive, Victoria has worked tirelessly to prepare herself for her future role. Over the years, the royal has attended various important ceremonies for the country and participated in meetings held by Sweden's Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs. The crown princess has also been a longtime advocate for sustainable development, a cause that she hopes to pursue further following her appointment as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme in 2023.
Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway
Prince Haakon became the heir presumptive to the Norwegian throne since female descendants were previously not eligible in the line of succession. Even when the rules were later amended, the prince got to keep his title after his sister, Princess Märtha Louise, expressed no interest in becoming the future monarch. Since then, Haakon's life has been dedicated to public service, carrying out duties on behalf of his parents, King Harald and Queen Sonja, and supporting patronages, which are linked to several causes he cares deeply about.
Haakon has not ascended to the throne as Norway's reigning monarch, but it appears that the crown prince already has much to contemplate regarding the future of his family. Following the engagement of Princess Märtha Louise to shaman Durek Verrett in 2022, there have been speculations about whether the royal would be stripped of her title upon marriage given that she no longer carries out any royal duties. For Prince Haakon, this matter has posed quite a predicament for the royal family and his future rule. "On the one hand, my sister got engaged, and I got to know Durek Verrett and think it is nice to be with him. I have been with him on many occasions. I would like him to feel welcome in our family," the prince was quoted telling Swedish TV (via Royal Central). "At the same time, I feel very responsible for the institution."
Alois, Hereditary Prince and Regent of Liechtenstein
Being the eldest son of Prince Hans-Adam II and Princess Marie of Liechtenstein, Prince Alois has always been destined to become the hereditary prince of Liechtenstein. Much of his life was also spent preparing for his eventual role, spending some time at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst before serving with the British Army's Coldstream Guards in both Hong Kong and London. Later on, in 2004, he was also appointed his father's deputy. Since then, Prince Alois has been performing the duties of head of state, which is quite significant as the country is run by a constitutional hereditary monarchy. He also represents Liechtenstein outside his country.
At a time when discussions are also ongoing about the abolishment of some monarchies around the world, much of Liechtenstein's population has appeared supportive of their own royal family and essentially, Prince Alois' eventual succession to the throne. "I think it's our unique combination of having a parliamentary democracy with a strong monarchic element with a very strong element of direct democracy," Prince Alois told CNBC in 2018. "That ensures that the Monarch has to act in the interest of the people." In Liechtenstein, people can vote to abolish the monarchy, which, in Prince Alois' view, ensures that there is always a check and balance of power.
Meanwhile, even Prince Alois already has an heir presumptive. He and his wife, Hereditary Princess Sophie, share four children, the oldest of whom is Prince Joseph Wenzel.
William, Prince of Wales and the United Kingdom
Of all the heirs presumptive in the world, perhaps, no one is more recognizable than Prince William, the son of King Charles III. The prince grew up well aware of his impending role which is why he immersed himself in public service very early on. For instance, back in 2009, Prince William memorably spent a night on the streets of London as he was determined to experience homelessness for himself.
Since then, the Prince of Wales has also become a patron of many other charities and organizations to support causes he deeply cares about. These include the homelessness charity Centrepoint (who also organized the 2009 event), London's Air Ambulance, The Passage, and Tusk Trust. At the same time, he and his wife, Princess Catherine, have also taken on active roles in the royal family as they represent the British monarch at home and overseas.
Prince William has also worked closely with his father, even stepping in for him at times following the king's cancer diagnosis. That said, it is believed that some of Williams' plans as monarch are not necessarily aligned with his father, especially when it comes to the Commonwealth. "There is a reluctance there from both William and Kate to join the tour of the Commonwealth because they feel it's an outdated institution and not something they want to head," a source told Express.
Jacques, Hereditary Prince of Monaco
When Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco welcomed their twins, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, in December 2014, Jacques was immediately named heir to the throne because of Monégasque laws giving priority to male heirs. Meanwhile, Princess Gabriella also took her place in the line of succession with the young royal becoming second in line to the throne.
While the royal twins have big responsibilities ahead of them, their parents believe that they should still get to enjoy their childhood. Hence, discussions about their future roles are kept to a minimum for now. "It's basically just explaining to them in the simplest terms what [royal duty] is all about," Prince Albert told People in 2021. "We're not going to do a whole drilling process of explaining to them step-by-step what's expected from them."
Prince Jacques may still be too young to take on any roles and responsibilities expected of an heir presumptive, however, the crown prince is already showing some interest in actively participating in key discussions in the future. "Jacques talks more, engages more, in public," Prince Albert explained in another interview with People. Back in 2021, Jacques, along with Gabriella, also joined their father in a tree-planting ceremony. The twins specifically planted a South African tree as a tribute to Princess Charlene who was recuperating in Monaco after a medical treatment at that time. The princess previously stayed in South Africa for six months for the treatment.
Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, Crown Prince of Bhutan
When Bhutan moved to become a democratic constitutional monarchy in 2008, its king, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, may have lost the absolute power that his father, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, had but he continues to play a key role in the kingdom, nonetheless. After all, the king remains the head of state while the country's executive power is exercised by its prime minister. Hence, Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, the firstborn child of King Jigme and Queen Jetsun Pema, can expect to have a lot of busy days ahead when he ascends to the throne of Bhutan.
Crown Prince Jigme was born in 2016, making him the youngest crown prince in the world. Even at a young age, however, Prince Jigme has already been busy preparing for his future role, sometimes joining his parents, who are also known as the Dragon King and Dragon Queen of Bhutan, on their official engagements. The crown prince even took part in a ceremony in Bhutan honoring the late Queen Elizabeth II, although he didn't attend her state funeral.
At the same time, Crown Prince Jigme has also started carrying out some engagements on his own. Back in 2022 when he was 6 years old, the royal stepped out solo for the inauguration of Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck Super FabLab, a fabrication laboratory in Bhutan, which was named in his honor. Just a year later, Crown Prince Jigme also made history by becoming his country's first digital citizen.
Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange and the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, the laws of succession are quite straightforward. In case of the monarch's death or abdication, the oldest child shall ascend to the throne. This means Princess Catharina-Amalia, the eldest daughter of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, will eventually become the country's queen. Since her father became king in 2013, Princess Catharina-Amalia has also received the title Princess of Orange, which is only given to the country's heir to the throne.
Much like British royals, Catharina-Amalia attended university, moving into a rented apartment with some schoolmates as she studied law, economics, politics, and psychology at the University of Amsterdam. However, the royal's stay at school was cut short after local intelligence found that she may be a target of a kidnapping plot. Since then, she was forced to return to the palace at The Hague. "I can assure you that everybody in government who knows about this and is involved is doing their utmost to ensure she is safe," Prime Minister Mark Rutte told reporters in 2022 (via Associated Press).
Due to such security measures, Catharina-Amalia has been forced to give up her chance at experiencing normal student life early on. "I'm going to be very honest, I'm still having a very hard time. I miss the normal life, the life of a student. Walking the streets, being able to go to a store," the royal said at a news conference with the king and queen (via X, formerly Twitter).
Princess Elisabeth of Belgium
Ever since Princess Elisabeth was born to King Philippe and Queen Matilde in October 2001, it was assumed that she would ascend the Belgian throne one day. After all, the princess is the monarch's firstborn child and as such, she immediately took her place in the line of succession. In the past, this may not have been possible but back in 1991, Belgium enacted a constitutional change to allow princesses to eventually become monarchs. As the heir apparent, Princess Elisabeth also received the title Duchess of Brabant.
When she got older, the princess juggled school, sports, and piano with military training and royal duties as she took part in several public engagements. In 2023, Princess Elisabeth even accompanied Queen Mathilde on an official visit to Egypt where the royals visited excavation sites by Belgian University of Leuven archaeologists. During the visit, the princess also gave her first media interview and spoke about her admiration for her mother and her great-great-grandmother, Queen Elisabeth of Belgium. "They are both inspirational figures for me. I admire Queen Elisabeth very much," the princess said (via Belga News Agency). "But I also hope to learn from my mum. She is energetic, dynamic, and passionate about listening to people and highlighting their job."
Meanwhile, Princess Elisabeth has also been attending Oxford University since 2021 where she has taken up history and politics. It has also been rumored that the royal is involved in a campus romance.
Leonor, Princess of Asturias and Spain
As the eldest daughter of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain, Princess Leonor has always been destined to become the country's next monarch. For the young Spanish princess, the process toward her ascension to the throne has already begun. On her 18th birthday in 2023, Princess Leonor made her way to Spain's lower house of parliament to swear her allegiance to Spain's constitution, much like her father did when he turned 18 in 1986. "From here forward, my duty is to all Spaniards, who I will serve in each moment with respect and loyalty," Princess Leonor said in her speech (via Associated Press). "I ask you to place your trust in me, just as I have all my confidence placed in the future of our nation."
Meanwhile, much like other European royals, Spain's crown princess also spent some time in the U.K. to undergo her International Baccalaureate studies. Soon after that, Princess Leonor also joined a military training program that would go on for three years. "In due course, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces will be a woman," Margarita Robles, Spain's defense minister, said in a statement (via Reuters). Robles also revealed that the government has been working toward the inclusion of more women in the country's armed forces, a move that likely gained a lot of support from the future queen of Spain herself.
Christian, Crown Prince of Denmark
Throughout the entire history of the Danish monarchy, no one has ever abdicated from the throne. But that all changed when Queen Margrethe II announced that she was stepping down in January 2024, paving the way for her son, Frederik X, to be crowned king. Since then, the Danish royal family's line of succession has also moved with King Frederik's son, Prince Christian, becoming the heir apparent. The royal has also taken on the title of Crown Prince.
Meanwhile, even before he became crown prince, Christian was already making history in the royal family. For instance, he was the first member of his family to attend municipal daycare as a young boy. Prince Christian also later attended a public school in Denmark, much to the surprise of many. While he later attended an elite boarding school, just like other royals around the world, King Frederik and his wife, Queen Mary, were forced to pull their son out after the school got embroiled in sexual abuse and bullying controversies.
Since then, Prince Christian has led a relatively low-key life, although his 18th birthday celebration in 2023 was, as expected, a grand occasion that was attended by other European royals. At the event, Queen Margrethe delivered a speech, telling her grandson, "You become a link in the long historical chain that has bound our country together for centuries" (via YouTube). A few weeks later, he was also named a regent.