The Princess Royal is Queen Elizabeth II's eldest daughter and has continuously proved herself to be one of the hardest working members of the royal family, so why is Princess Anne sixteenth in line to the throne?
- Princess Anne is currently sixteenth in line to the throne.
- The Princess Royal is behind her younger brothers, Andrew and Edward, in the order of succession.
- In other royal news, Queen Elizabeth II's former press secretary Dickie Arbiter reflects on his experience working for Her Majesty.
Despite being Queen Elizabeth II's eldest daughter and second-born child, Princess Anne is sixteenth in line of succession to the British Throne.
The Princess Royal is often referred to as one of the hardest-working members of the Royal Family and was awarded that title in both 2020 and 2021 after undertaking more official engagements than any other working royal.
Yet she’s behind 15 other members of the Royal Family when it comes to ascending the throne. So why is Princess Anne so low in the line of succession to the British Throne?
Princess Anne is sixteenth in line to the British Throne
Why is Princess Anne so low in the line of succession to the British Throne?
Princess Anne was born in 1950, during a time when being female meant being leap-frogged by men in the line of succession.
This meant that although Princess Anne was born second in line to the throne after her elder brother, King Charles III, she was soon overtaken by her younger brother, Prince Andrew - who decided to step back from duties last year.
Although Princess Anne is older than her brothers Andrew and Edward, she is behind them in the line of succession because the law change that ended the priority of males over females only applies to royal children born after the law took affect in 28 October 2011.
As a result of this law change, when King Charles III’s eldest son, Prince William (who is now second in line to the throne), had his children - Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis - they joined the order of succession in third, fourth and fifth in line respectively.
The King's youngest son, Prince Harry, is now fifth in line - despite having stepped down as a working royal with his wife, Meghan. Their son Archie, is now sixth in line to the throne and the birth of their daughter, Lilibet, in June 2021 changed the line of succession again, pushing Princess Anne further down the line.
Prince Andrew is in the eighth position, while the two daughters he shares with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, Princess Beatrice, and Princess Eugenie are ninth and eleventh respectively, with Princess Beatrice's daughter, Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi, sitting at tenth in line.
The Cambridge children are all in line to the British Throne
Princess Eugenie’s son, August, is twelfth, followed by Princess Anne’s youngest brother, Prince Edward, at thirteenth.
Prince Edward’s two children, Viscount Severn and Lady Louise Mountbatten-Winsdor could all take to the throne before Princess Anne - currently sitting at sixteenth in line to the British throne.
The old succession laws meant that the heir to the throne was always the first-born son of the monarch.
Only when there were no sons, as in the case of the Queen's father George VI, did the crown pass to the eldest daughter.
The Succession to the Crown Act 2013
Before her death, Queen Elizabeth II changed the law to ensure sons and daughters of the monarch now have an equal right to the throne.
This change was made before the Prince and Princess of Wales - who currently live at Adelaide Cottage - had their first child, and meant that if it had been a girl - she would have been our future Queen, no matter her gender.
The Succession to the Crown Act 2013 is the reason Princess Charlotte has held her place in the line of succession to the British throne, despite having a younger brother, Prince Louis.
Princess Charlotte has retained her place in the line of succession to the British Throne
Many people saw this as a welcome change as the previous laws were over 300 years old and were said to be “at odds” with our modern country.
On the change, then-Prime Minister David Cameron said, “The idea that a younger son should become monarch instead of an elder daughter simply because he is a man, or that a future monarch can marry someone of any faith except a Catholic - this way of thinking is at odds with the modern countries that we have become."
-
'I whispered quietly, I'm on HRT', Davina McCall speaks candidly about dealing with menopauseDavina McCall wants to make conversations about menopause more comfortable for women everywhere
-
So many A-Listers are rejecting dark wintry nails in favour of this timeless hue - and we're so on boardFrom Victoria Beckham to Demi Moore, we're seeing one chic and sheer shade on famous nails everywhere this season...
-
Princess Anne’s purple cape and knee high kitten heel boots was the most *her* outfit for a freezing dayThe Princess Royal's signature style champions practicality and bold colours and her 2016 Cheltenham outfit was the epitome of this
-
Princess Anne's dainty gold drop earrings are her go-to for adding a dash of dazzle to her day to day dressingPrincess Anne loves this pair of gold drop earrings and they're the perfect accessory to add glamour in an understated way
-
Princess Anne was the epitome of cosy elegance in snowy white coat and suede knee high boots for family outingThe Princess Royal wore a beautiful white coat and tan suede boots on Christmas Day last year and showed how timeless these pieces are
-
Princess Anne looked so cosy-chic in her classic camel coat, mid-calf boots and sentimental scarfThe Princess Royal went for her signature timeless style as she enjoyed a day at the races - and her scarf was reportedly a sweet gift
-
Princess Beatrice’s raspberry mini dress is tempting us away from a muted winter colour palettePrincess Beatrice just wore a fabulous deep pink mini dress with tights and boots and she's inspired us to add this shade into our wardrobe
-
Princess Beatrice's children: How many does she have and her family explained as she prepares to welcome new babyPrincess Beatrice is preparing to welcome another baby next year and some fans might be wondering how many children she has already
-
Princess Beatrice’s elevated yet affordable accessory that Kate Middleton rarely wears is a fast-track to sophisticated stylingPrincess Beatrice is a huge fan of headbands and they're such a cost-effective way to add glamour and fun to even the simplest of outfits
-
Princess Beatrice's cosy duvet coat from her pregnancy announcement has us rushing to invest in one for frosty daysPrincess Beatrice is a fan of a practical coat and her snuggly duvet one is the perfect choice for the colder months
