The term Heir Apparent is most often used to refer to someone who is first in the order of succession to a throne and who, unlike an Heir Presumptive, cannot lose this status by the birth of any other person. It is also used less formally to indicate someone who is an apparent successor to a non-royal position of power, e.g., a political or corporate leader. An order of succession is a formula or algorithm that determines who inherits an office upon the death, resignation, or removal of its current occupant. ... The thrones for The Queen of Canada, and the Duke of Edinburgh in the Canadian Senate, Ottawa is usually occupied by the Governor General and her spouse at the annual State Opening of Parliament. ... An Heir Presumptive (capitalised) is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honor, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an Heir Apparent or of a new Heir Presumptive with a better claim to the throne. ...

It is typically uppercased when used as a title, though heirs apparent always have official titles that render such titulation unnecessary.

This article is concerned with the position of heir apparent to a royal or noble title.

[edit] Heir Apparent versus Heir Presumptive

An Heir Apparent differs from an Heir Presumptive in that, although an Heir Presumptive may inherit the throne upon the death of the monarch, the status of the Heir Presumptive as first-in-line could be overturned by the birth of another person of superior legal status who would at the moment they were born become the Heir Apparent or the new Heir Presumptive. In effect an Heir Presumptive is the de facto or stand-by first-in-line until someone with a superior legal status in the order of succession, the Heir Apparent or a new Heir Presumptive, is born. An Heir Presumptive (capitalised) is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honor, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an Heir Apparent or of a new Heir Presumptive with a better claim to the throne. ...

[edit] Examples of heirs apparent and heirs presumptive

[edit] Elizabeth II - Heiress Presumptive of George VI

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom was Heiress Presumptive, not Heiress Apparent, during the reign of her father, King George VI, because at any stage up to his death, George could have fathered a legitimate son who would have become Heir Apparent to the British throne. George himself had been an Heir Presumptive, not Heir Apparent, as his brother, King Edward VIII, could have fathered a child (until his abdication and legal stipulation that any children of Edward would have no place in the line of succession and no claim to the throne). Similarly Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom was Heiress Presumptive in the reign of her uncle William IV because at any stage up to his death, William could have fathered a legitimate child who would have become (if a male) heir apparent or (if a female) the new heiress presumptive. Indeed Victoria's accession proclaimation it states; Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ... George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George Windsor) (14 December 1895 - 6 February 1952) became the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Emperor of India, upon the unexpected abdication of his brother, Edward VIII. He reigned from 11 December 1936 until his death. ... King Edward VIII King of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, King of Ireland Emperor of India His Majesty King Edward VIII, (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David), later His Royal Highness The Duke of Windsor (23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972) was the second British monarch of the... Queen Victoria, see Queen Victoria (ship). ... William IV (William Henry) (21 August 1765 – 20 June 1837) was King of the United Kingdom and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death. ...

"saving the rights of any issue of his late Majesty King William IV. which may be born of his late Majesty's consort."

This means that if William IV's wife, Queen Adelaide was pregnant at the moment of the king's death, then if that child was born nine months later Victoria's reign would have ended and the child would have been proclaimed monarch as the legitimate heir to the former king[1]. Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen (Adelaide Louise Theresa Caroline Amelia) ( 13 August 1792 - 2 December 1849 ) as Queen Adelaide was the Queen consort of King William IV of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. ...

[edit] Albert II - Heir Presumptive of Baudouin I

The heir presumptive is usually either the daughter of a monarch or the closest living (male or female) sibling or relative of a monarch who is not descended from them. For example, Prince Albert, the brother of Baudouin I, King of the Belgians, was heir presumptive during his brother's reign. Had Baudouin I had a son, that son would immediately have become heir apparent. Before the change of Belgian succession law during Baudouin I's reign, no daughter could have inherited, but after that change (which simultaneously put males and females on an equal footing, only depending on order of birth), had Baudouin I had a daughter she would have replaced Albert and became Heir(ess) Apparent. However as Baudouin I died childless, Albert as heir presumptive became King Albert II. Albert II, King of the Belgians (Albert Félix Humbert Théodore Chrétien Eugène Marie), (born June 6, 1934), is the current King of the Belgians and a constitutional monarch. ... Baudouin of Belgium King Baudouin, (also spelled Boudewijn, Balduin or Baldwin) Albert Charles Leopold Axel Marie Gustave, (7 September 1930 - 31 July 1993), reigned as King of the Belgians from 1951 to 1993. ...

[edit] The changing heirs apparent and presumptive of Henry VIII

Where a monarch has only one male child and that child dies without children, or the monarch has only female children, a female child or relative of the monarch may become heir presumptive. However, the later birth of a son would again see the heir presumptive replaced by a new heir apparent. For example, King Henry VIII of England's and Queen Catherine of Aragon's young son, who was Heir Apparent, died 52 days after his birth; their daughter, Mary then became Heiress Presumptive. When Henry's marriage to Catherine was annulled and he had a daughter by his second wife, Anne Boleyn, that child, Elizabeth was made Heiress Presumptive (Mary was declared illegitimate and stripped of the title). When Henry had a new son, Edward, by his third wife, Jane Seymour, Edward became Heir Apparent. For other meanings see Henry VIII (disambiguation). ... The recently-widowed young Catherine of Aragon, by Henry VIIs court painter, Michael Sittow, c. ... Mary Tudor is the name of both Mary I of England and her fathers sister, Mary Tudor (queen consort of France). ... Annulment is a legal procedure for declaring a marriage null and void. ... A portrait of Anne Boleyn painted some years after her death. ... Elizabeth I (7 September 1533 – 24 March 1603) was Queen of England, Queen of France (in name only), and Queen of Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. ... Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) became King of England, King of France (in practice only the town and surrounding district of Calais) and Ireland on 28 January 1547, and coronated on 20 February, at just nine years of age. ... Jane Seymour was strict and formal compared to her flamboyant predecessor, Anne Boleyn. ...

By the time of Henry's death, his two daughters by order of birth were reinstated in the order of succession. For nearly eighty years the throne passed from one heir presumptive to another, subsequent to the death of Henry's son, Edward, since each monarch during that time lacked an heir apparent. Edward VI was de jure succeeded by his heiress presumptive, his half-sister Mary I, who was succeeded in turn by her heiress presumptive, Elizabeth I, who was in turn succeeded by a relative, King James VI of Scotland, who reigned as James I of England. James, although genealogically heir presumptive, was not an official Heir Presumptive, and certainly not an heir apparent. James became the first monarch since Henry VIII to be succeeded by an heir apparent, his son Charles I of England. (James's first son Henry Frederick, his first heir apparent, had died without children.) James VI and I (James Stuart) (June 19, 1566 – March 27, 1625) was King of Scots, King of England, and King of Ireland and was the first to style himself King of Great Britain. ... Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of England, Scotland and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. ... Henry Stuart, Prince of Wales Henry Frederick Stuart, Prince of Wales (February 19, 1594 - November 6, 1612) was the eldest son of King James VI of Scotland/James I of England and Anne of Denmark. ...

[edit] Women as heirs apparent

However, not all queens regnant or daughters who are first-in-line, are heirs presumptive. Where a son does not have superior legal status in a succession ahead of a daughter, and the daughter becomes first-in-line by right rather than in the absence of a son, she becomes heiress apparent. The only current heiress apparent is Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, the oldest child of King Carl XVI Gustav. Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands is the heiress apparent of her father, Prince Willem-Alexander, who himself is the Heir Apparent to the throne of the Netherlands, and the same with Princess Elisabeth of Belgium and Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway. A queen regnant is a female monarch who possesses all the monarchal powers that a king would have without regard to gender. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf (Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus), styled HM The King (born April 30, 1946), King of Sweden, is the son of Prince Gustaf Adolf (1906-1947) and Sibylla of Saxe_Coburg_Gotha (1908-1972), and the grandson of King Gustav VI Adolf. ... Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau (Catharina-Amalia Beatrix Carmen Victoria prinses der Nederlanden, prinses van Oranje-Nassau, in English, Catherine Amelia Beatrice Carmen Victoria), (born December 7, 2003, at the Bronovo Hospital in The Hague), is the first child of Crown Prince Willem-Alexander of... His Royal Highness Crown Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, (Willem-Alexander Claus George Ferdinand), Prince of Orange, Prince of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau, Jonkheer of Amsberg (born April 27, 1967), is the Crown Prince of the Netherlands and styled HRH the Prince of Orange. ... Princess Elisabeth of Belgium (Élisabeth Thérèse Marie Hélène, born October 25, 2001) is the eldest daughter of Prince Philippe of Belgium, Duke of Brabant, the heir apparent to the throne of Belgium, and his wife Princess Mathilde of Belgium. ... Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway was born January 21, 2004 at 9:13am in Rikshospitalet University Hospital in Oslo. ...

In countries that apply male-preference primogeniture, there could be at least one rare case that a female is heiress apparent: if a male heir apparent is deceased, leaving only daughters and a wife (who is not pregnant with a boy), then the eldest of such daughters will be heiress apparent to the throne. This is because the deceased obviously is no longer able to sire any male offspring, and therefore the birth of any one cannot alter the position of the deceased's daughters. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Had the future King Richard II been a daughter, that person would have been the heiress apparent to the throne of England in 1377. Had Frederick, Prince of Wales, left only daughters, then in 1753-60 the eldest of such daughters would have been the heiress apparent to the throne of Great Britain. Instead, he left several sons, of whom the future George III became Heir Apparent. Richard II (January 6, 1367 – February 14, 1400) was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, and Joan The Fair Maid of Kent. He was born in Bordeaux and became his fathers successor when his elder brother died in infancy. ... // Events January 17 – Pope Gregory XI enters Rome. ... The Prince Frederick, Prince of Wales (Frederick Louis; 1 February 1707 – 31 March 1751) was a member of the British Royal Family, the eldest son of King George II. He was born into the House of Hanover and, under the Act of Settlement passed by the English Parliament, Frederick was... George III (George William Frederick) (4 June 1738 – 29 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until 1 January 1801, and thereafter United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death. ...

There has only been one female heir-apparent in British history, and that was the future Queen Anne, but she was heiress-apparent for a different reason: When Mary II died, her husband William III continued to reign alone. Any children he may have had from a future marriage would have been placed behind Anne in the line of succession, and thus Anne was heiress-apparent. Anne (6 February 1665 – 1 August 1714) became Queen of England and Ireland and Queen of Scots on 8 March 1702. ... Mary II (30 April 1662–28 December 1694) reigned as Queen of England and Ireland from 13 February 1689, and as Queen of Scotland (as Mary II of Scotland) from 11 April 1689 until her death. ... William III King of England, Scotland and Ireland William III and II (14 November 1650–8 March 1702; also known as William Henry and William of Orange) was Prince of Orange from his birth, King of England and Ireland from 13 February 1689, and King of Scotland from 11...

Sometimes, the daughter of a monarch may be declared heiress-apparent because it is highly unlikely any other heirs to the throne will be born (she becomes de facto heir apparent), though she remains heiress-presumptive in principle. For instance, Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois, Isabel of Brazil and the future Marie-Adélaïde, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg were each declared heirs-apparent (though the former renounced her succession rights in favor of her son). Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois (Charlotte Louise Juliette Grimaldi, née Louvet) (30 September 1898 – 15 November 1977), styled HSH The Princess Charlotte, was the illegitimate daughter of Louis II, Prince of Monaco, and the mother of Prince Rainier III. From 1922 until 1944, she was the Hereditary Princess of... Isabel of Braganza (1846-1921), nicknamed the Redeemer, was Princess Imperial of Brazil (= crown princess) during the last decades of the reign of her father Pedro II of Brazil, and sometime Regent. ... Marie-Adélaïde, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, Marie-Adélaïde Thérèse Hilda Wilhelmine (June 14, 1894 – January 24, 1924) was a daughter of Grand Duke Guillaume IV of Luxembourg. ... Rainier III, Prince of Monaco (Rainier Louis Henri Maxence Bertrand Grimaldi; 31 May 1923 – 6 April 2005), styled HSH The Sovereign Prince of Monaco, ruled the Principality of Monaco for almost fifty-six years, making him one of the longest ruling monarchs of the 20th century. ...

[edit] Heir Apparent's Status can be overturned by law

The status of the Heir Apparent is dependent on law.

[edit] Removal of males from superior role in succession

A legal change may deprive the person who was heir apparent of their status and grant it to another individual. For example, Prince Carl Philip of Sweden was heir apparent of Sweden immediately on his birth in 1979. However, one year later he was deprived of that status when a legal change decreed that the King Carl XVI Gustav's oldest child (not, as previously, oldest son) became heir apparent. This change upgraded Prince Carl Philip's older sister, Princess Victoria, from no position in line to the throne to heir apparent and first-in-line above him. Up to that change of law, Swedish succession was limited to males, failing which, the proper constitutional action would have been an election of the next monarch, as had happened, for example, in 1719, Ulrika Eleonora as queen; 1745, Adolphus Frederick as crown prince; 1810, Charles John as crown prince. HRH Prince Carl Philip of Sweden His Royal Highness Prince Carl Philip of Sweden (Carl Philip Edmund Bertil) (born May 13, 1979), Duke of Wermelandia, is the second child and only son of HM King Carl XVI Gustaf and HM Queen Silvia of Sweden. ... His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf (Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus), styled HM The King (born April 30, 1946), King of Sweden, is the son of Prince Gustaf Adolf (1906-1947) and Sibylla of Saxe_Coburg_Gotha (1908-1972), and the grandson of King Gustav VI Adolf. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

[edit] Replacement of another Royal Family member by Parliament

Prince James Francis Edward Stuart, the oldest son of King James II/James VII (of England and Scotland respectively) was deposed as the King's legal heir apparent when parliament, after it declared that James had de facto abdicated, offered the throne not to the Catholic Prince James but to James's oldest daughter, the young prince's half-sister, the Protestant Mary and her husband, Prince William of Orange. When the exiled King James died in 1701, his Jacobite supporters proclaimed the exiled Prince James Francis Edward as King James III of England and James VIII of Scotland. However he never got to occupy the throne, nor did any of his descendants. James Francis Edward Stuart, the Old Pretender Prince James Francis Edward Stuart or Stewart (June 10, 1688 – January 1, 1766) was a claimant of the thrones of Scotland and England (September 16, 1701 – January 1, 1766) and is commonly referred to as The Old Pretender. ... James II of England/VII of Scotland (14 October 1633 – 16 September 1701) became King of Scots, King of England, and King of Ireland on 6 February 1685, and Duke of Normandy on 31 December 1660. ... Abdication (from the Latin abdicatio disowning, renouncing, from ab, from, and dicare, to declare, to proclaim as not belonging to one), the act whereby a person in office renounces and gives up the same before the expiry of the time for which it is held. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Mary II (30 April 1662–28 December 1694) reigned as Queen of England and Ireland from 13 February 1689, and as Queen of Scotland (as Mary II of Scotland) from 11 April 1689 until her death. ... William III of England (The Hague,14 November 1650 – Hampton Court, 8 March 1702; also known as William II of Scotland and William III of Orange) was a Dutch aristocrat and a Protestant Prince of Orange from his birth, Stadtholder of the United Netherlands from 28 June 1672, King of... Events January 18 - Frederick I becomes King of Prussia. ... Charles Edward Stuart, Bonnie Prince Charlie, wearing the Jacobite blue bonnet Jacobitism was (and, to a very limited extent, remains) the political movement dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England and Scotland. ...

In 1809, King Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden was deposed, and replaced by his aged uncle, the Duke Carl, who became Charles XIII of Sweden. With that, Gustav IV's son, Crown Prince Gustav (later known as Prince Gustav of Vasa) lost his position as heir apparent. The aged King Charles XIII did not have surviving sons, and Prince Gustav was the only living male of the whole dynasty (besides his deposed father), but the prince was never regarded as heir of Charles XIII, although there were groups in the Riksdag and elsewhere in Sweden who desired to preserve him, and, in the subsequent constitutional elections, supported his election as his great-uncle's successor. Instead, the government proceeded to have a new crown prince elected (which was the proper constitutional action, if no male heir was left in the dynasty), and the Riksdag elected first August, Prince of Augustenborg, and then, after the death of the latter, the Prince of Ponte Corvo (Marshal Jean Baptiste Bernadotte). Gustav IV Adolf (November 1, 1778 – February 7, 1837), was King of Sweden from 1792 until his abdication in 1809. ... Charles XIII (Swe: Karl XIII) (October 7, 1748 - February 5, 1818), was King of Sweden from 1809 and King of Norway (where he was known as Carl II) from 1814 until his death. ... Gustaf Gustafsson of Vasa (1799 - 1877) was the son of Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden. ... The parliament building from outside. ... Charles August was Crown Prince of Sweden briefly in 1810. ... Ponte Corvo is a town in Latium, Italy. ...

[edit] Breaching of the legal qualifications of heirs apparent

In some jurisdictions, an heir apparent can lose his or her status should they breach certain constitutional rules.

A British Prince of Wales would lose his status as heir apparent if he The Act of Settlement (12 & 13 Wm 3 c. ...

• became a Catholic, or
• married a Catholic

A Crown Princess of Sweden would lose her status if she

• married without the approval of the monarch.
• married the heir to another throne, which is always contrary to Swedish law.

A Dutch Prince/Princess of Orange would lose his/her status if he/she

• married without the approval of the Dutch parliament
• should decide to renounce it.

A Spanish Prince of Asturias would lose his status if he married against the express prohibition of

• the monarch or,
• the Cortes.

A morganatic marriage is not usually the direct reason for losing succession rights (it depends on the laws of the country), but marrying without the sovereign's consent will usually result in the loss of such rights. However, in the United Kingdom, there is an exception to the latter; a British heir apparent does not lose the right of succession if he/she contracts a marriage against the Royal Marriages Act of 1772, but the issue resulting from such a marriage is ineligible to succeed to the throne. The Cortes Generales (Spanish for General Courts) is the legislature of Spain. ... A morganatic marriage is a type of marriage which can be contracted in certain countries, usually between persons of unequal social rank (unebenbürtig in German), which prevents the passage of the husbands titles and privileges to the wife and any children born of the marriage. ... The Royal Marriages Act of 1772 made it illegal for any member of the British royal family (defined as all descendants of King George II, excluding descendants of princesses who marry foreigners) under the age of 25 to marry without the consent of the ruling monarch. ... Look up Issue in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

A completely different point regarding unequal marriages is that, quite often, the royal who is contracting such, more or less voluntarily, renounces the succession rights. Perhaps the most famous example was king Edward VIII. Edward VIII (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David Windsor; later The Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor; 23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972) was King of Great Britain, Ireland, the British Dominions beyond the Seas, and Emperor of India from the death of his father, George V (1910–36), on...

[edit] Who becomes heir apparent?

The question of who becomes heir apparent is usually decided either by custom, convention, or by law. Monarchies traditionally gave male children (and their children) precedence on the order of succession ahead of female children, with the oldest male child becoming heir apparent. Hence in the United Kingdom, though she is Queen Elizabeth II's second oldest child, Princess Anne is the lowest ranking in the order of succession of the Queen's children, Princes Charles, Andrew, Edward; as well as being behind her brothers' children, male and female. Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ... The Princess Anne, Princess Royal, (Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise Laurence; formerly Mountbatten-Windsor, Phillips; born Windsor, 15 August 1950), is a member of the British Royal Family and the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II. She is the seventh holder of the title Princess Royal, and is currently ninth in... The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (Charles Philip Arthur George Mountbatten-Windsor; born Windsor, 14 November 1948), is the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. ... HRH The Duke of York His Royal Highness The Prince Andrew, Duke of York, (Andrew Albert Christian Edward Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Windsor), styled HRH The Duke of York (born February 19, 1960), is a member of the British Royal Family, the third child and second son of Queen Elizabeth II... HRH The Earl of Wessex His Royal Highness The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex (Edward Antony Richard Louis Mountbatten-Windsor), styled HRH The Earl of Wessex (born March 10, 1964), is a member of the British Royal Family, the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II. He has held the title...

By the early twenty-first century a growing (but still small) number of monarchies have chosen to make the monarch's oldest child, irrespective of sex, the Heir Apparent. Japan is currently debating the issue. By the Imperial Household Agency's law, only males can be heir to the throne and no male heir had been born into the Imperial family for over 40 years until the 2006 birth of Prince Hisahito of Akishino. The debate over female succession is likely to continue despite this, as Hisahito is still the only male of his generation and may in his turn only sire daughters. (20th century - 21st century - 22nd century - other centuries) Definition In calendars based on the Christian Era or Common Era, such as the Gregorian calendar, the 21st century is the current century, as of this writing, lasting from 2001-2100. ... The Japanese Imperial succession controversy refers to the question of whether Japans laws of succession under the The Imperial Household Law of 1947 should be changed from male-only primogeniture to equal primogeniture. ... His Imperial Highness Prince Hisahito of Akishino , 6 September 2006-) is the third child of Prince and Princess Akishino, and their first son. ...

A significant factor relating to male primogeniture is the fact that it ensures genetic continuity of the royal line. Because the human Y chromosome changes relatively slowly over time and is only passed along the direct male line, it may be used to trace paternal lineage. The human Y chromosome is unable to recombine with the X chromosome, except for small pieces of pseudoautosomal regions at the telomeres (which comprise about 5% of the chromosome's length). For a non-technical introduction to the topic, please see Introduction to genetics. ... The human Y chromosome is one of two sex chromosomes, it contains the genes that cause testis development, thus determining maleness. ... A telomere is a region of highly repetitive DNA at the end of a chromosome, which functions as an aglet. ...

[edit] Position inherited through descent from the Heir Apparent

In primogeniture, the position of Heir Apparent does not descend to each of the monarch's children in turn, but through the direct, legal line from the initial heir apparent. So for example, were the current British heir apparent, Charles, Prince of Wales either to die before becoming monarch, or become legally debarred (in the British case by becoming or marrying a Catholic), his oldest son, Prince William of Wales, would become heir apparent. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (Charles Philip Arthur George Mountbatten-Windsor; born Windsor, 14 November 1948), is the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. ... Prince William redirects here. ...

This happens unless a legal change awards another figure (inside the order of succession or elsewhere) the position, as happened in the case of Prince James Francis Edward, heir to King James II (see above) or where the children of the Heir Apparent are for some reason legally debarred from being in the order of succession. The children of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, for example, were excluded from the order of succession to the thrones of Austria and Hungary because their parents had a morganatic marriage that effectively made the Archduke's wife and children his private family but not members of the Imperial Family. Franz Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria For the British band, see Franz Ferdinand (band) Franz Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria-Este (December 18, 1863 – June 28, 1914) was an Archduke of Austria, Prince Imperial of Austria, Prince Royal of Hungary and Bohemia, and from 1896 until his death, heir presumptive to the... A morganatic marriage is a type of marriage which can be contracted in certain countries, usually between persons of unequal social rank (unebenbürtig in German), which prevents the passage of the husbands titles and privileges to the wife and any children born of the marriage. ...

Had the Duke of Windsor (formerly King Edward VIII) and Duchess of Windsor had any children, although they would have been the children of a former heir apparent and King of the United Kingdom they would have had no legal claim to the throne, Edward himself having renounced, with that right having thus shifted to Edward's younger brother "Bertie," who reigned as George VI, and his descendants. Edward VIII (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David Windsor; later The Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor; 23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972) was King of Great Britain, Ireland, the British Dominions beyond the Seas, and Emperor of India from the death of his father, George V (1910–36), on... The Duke and Duchess of Windsor on their wedding day. ... George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George Windsor) (14 December 1895 - 6 February 1952) became the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Emperor of India, upon the unexpected abdication of his brother, Edward VIII. He reigned from 11 December 1936 until his death. ...

However, for example in monarchies using agnatic seniority, the position of Heir Apparent goes to each of the monarch's sons in turn (contrary to the primogeniture system explained above), and only after all of them, to the next generation. This order of succession seems to be in use in e.g kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In practice, most (even all) monarchies applying a sort of seniority succession, blend it with semi-electiveness (at least, the incumbent monarch confirms who will be the next heir), thus it is not at all totally certain from genealogy to whom the throne will go. (Due to matters of expediency , sometimes some of brothers are excluded in other than genealogical grounds.) In Saudi Arabia, the heir apparent of the current king Abdullah of Saudi Arabia is his brother Sultan, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. In hereditary monarchies, particularly in more ancient or in more underdeveloped times, seniority was a much-used principle of order of succession. ... An order of succession is a formula or algorithm that determines who inherits an office upon the death, resignation, or removal of its current occupant. ... King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud (Arabic: عبد الله بن عبد العزيز آل سعود, born 1924) [1] is the King of Saudi Arabia. ... Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud (Arabic: ) (born January 5, 1928 in Riyadh) is the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. ...

[edit] Several simultaneous heirs-apparent

It is possible to call someone an heir apparent, if that person is the heir apparent of an heir apparent, though this is not necessarily helpful, and not in wide use. (Contrary to some beliefs, heir presumptive is not the title of the heir apparent of the heir apparent.) For example, Prince William can already be said to be an heir apparent of the throne of United Kingdom, as there is no possibility that anyone's birth may displace William - provided that he does not die and is not disbarred, he is eventually to become the monarch. If the term is used in that way, then there can be several concurrent heirs apparent. An Heir Presumptive (capitalised) is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honor, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an Heir Apparent or of a new Heir Presumptive with a better claim to the throne. ...

[edit] Usage

Heir Apparent is a technical term that is not used as an actual title. The most common title used for heirs apparent in kingdoms is Crown Prince. In the case of absolute primogeniture, such as in Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden a woman can be heir apparent, and thus Crown Princess. In monarchies that are not kingdoms, other titles like Hereditary Grand Duke or Hereditary Prince are used instead. A Crown Prince or Crown Princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. ...

However, many countries have specially designed titles for the heir apparent. Such titles may be automatically assigned on becoming heir apparent, like Prince of Orange in the Netherlands or Duke of Cornwall in the United Kingdom. In other cases a specific title may be traditionally granted by the monarch, like Prince of Wales in the United Kingdom (except Scotland, where he is known as Duke of Rothesay). A more extensive list of these titles is available in the Crown Prince article. Prince of Orange is a title of nobility, originally associated with the principality of Orange in southern France. ... The Dukedom of Cornwall was the first dukedom created in the peerage of England. ... The Prince of Wales Feathers. This Heraldic badge of the Heir Apparent is derived from the ostrich feathers borne by Edward, the Black Prince. ... A Crown Prince or Crown Princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. ...

[edit] Pretender

Where a monarchy has been abolished, it is customary not to refer to claimants to the throne as Heir Apparent or Heir Presumptive but as Pretender. However an Heir Apparent at the time of the abolition of a throne is by custom still referred to as such. But his or her descendants are not described as such. Similarly while it is customary to refer to a Crown Prince born during the existence of a throne by his or her title, their descendants are generally not known, except by extreme royalists, by a title they had not personally been awarded prior to the abolition of the monarchy. A Pretender is a claimant to an abolished throne or to a throne already occupied by somebody else. ...

[edit] Famous Heirs Apparent who never inherited the throne

• Arthur, Prince of Wales - the Prince of Wales and heir apparent of King Henry VII of England and first husband of Catherine of Aragon. His sudden death within four months of his marriage led to the succession to the throne of his younger brother, as Henry VIII, who also married his widow. The question of whether Catherine had lost her virginity to Arthur was central to Henry's demand for a marriage annulment.

• Leka, Crown Prince of Albania - The son of Zog I whose throne was seized by Communists before Leka could take his place as King of Albania.

• Frederick, Prince of Wales - the Prince of Wales and heir apparent of George II of Great Britain. He died in 1751, nine years before his father.

• Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria - heir apparent to Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria committed suicide with his mistress in 1889.

• Tsesarevich Alexei Nikolaevich of Russia - youngest child and only son of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, and heir apparent to the Russian throne. When Nicholas abdicated in March 1917, he also abdicated in the name of his son, which was, in effect, against the law in Russia. However the monarchy was abolished only days later, so it made little difference. Historians have presumed Alexei to murdered in 1918, although, many people continue to believe he escaped his killers, since his body (along with one of his sisters) was never found with the rest of his family's and servants.

• Crown Prince Luís Filipe of Portugal - Heir apparent to King Carlos. The joint assassination of the King and his heir apparent in 1908 left the throne to the teenage Manuel II of Portugal and Portugal eventually became a republic in 1910.

• the Dauphin Louis-Antoine, Duke of Angouleme - eldest son and heir apparent of King Charles X of France Charles however abdicated, together with Louis himself, in favour of Louis' nephew the young Henri, only for the throne to be seized by a cousin, King Louis-Philippe of France in 1830

• Yinreng - Yinreng was an Heir Apparent to the imperial throne of Qing Dynasty China. During the course of his life, Yinreng was deprived of his position twice by the Kangxi Emperor.

• Crown Prince Sado of Joseon (Korea) - Sado was heir apparent to King Yeongjo of Joseon (Korea). His lifelong erratic behavior caused his father to force him to commit suicide by locking himself in a rice chest, where he died in 8 days' span; Sado's son succeeded his grandfather as King Jeongjo of Joseon.

(Heir presumptive: Henri, comte de Chambord - grandson and practical heir of King Charles X of France Charles abdicated in favour of the young Henri, only for the throne to be seized by a cousin, King Louis-Philippe of France in 1830, and Henri's uncle Duke Louis of Angouleme, the Dauphin also abdicated. Henri turned down a second chance to receive the French throne from the French National Assembly in the early 1870s because he would not accept the tricolour as the French flag.) Arthur Tudor (20 September 1486 St Swithins Priory, Winchester– 2 April 1502 Ludlow Castle) was the eldest son of Henry VII of England. ... Henry VII (January 28, 1457 – April 21, 1509), King of England, Lord of Ireland (August 22, 1485 – April 21, 1509), was the founder and first patriarch of the Tudor dynasty. ... The recently-widowed young Catherine of Aragon, by Henry VIIs court painter, Michael Sittow, c. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... King Zog of Albania King Zog (October 8, 1895–April 9, 1961) was an Albanian politician and the first king of Albania from 1928 to 1939. ... The Prince Frederick, Prince of Wales (Frederick Louis; 1 February 1707 – 31 March 1751) was a member of the British Royal Family, the eldest son of King George II. He was born into the House of Hanover and, under the Act of Settlement passed by the English Parliament, Frederick was... George II (George Augustus; 10 November 1683 – 25 October 1760) was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Hanover) and Archtreasurer and Prince-Elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death. ... This article or section is incomplete and may require expansion and/or cleanup. ... Franz Joseph I. Francis Joseph I (in German Franz Josef I. (August 18, 1830 – November 21, 1916) of the Habsburg Dynasty was Emperor of Austria and King of Bohemia from 1848 until 1916, and Apostolic King of Hungary from 1867 until 1916. ... Tsarevich Alexei (1904-1918) Tsesarevich Alexei Nikolaevich (Russian: ) (July 30 (OS)/August 12 (NS), 1904 – July 17, 1918), of the House of Romanov, was Tsesarevich of Russia and was the youngest child of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and Alexandra Fyodorovna. ... Nicholas II of Russia (May 18, 1868–July 17, 1918)[1] (Russian: , Nikolay II) was the last Emperor of Russia, King of Poland,[2] and Grand Duke of Finland. ... Prince Luís Filipe of the house of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (pron. ... 1908 (MCMVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... King Manuel II (r: 1908–1910) Manuel II (English: Emanuel II), the Patriot Port. ... Coat of Arms of the Dauphins of France. ... Louis XIX, King of France and of Navarre (Louis-Antoine, duc dAngoulême) (August 6, 1775 – June 3, 1844) was the eldest son of the comte dArtois (later King Charles X of France) and Marie-Thérèse de Savoie. ... Charles X of France and Navarre (October 9, 1757 – November 6, 1836) was born at the Palace of Versailles. ... Louis-Philippe, King of the French (October 6, 1773 – August 26, 1850) reigned as the Orléanist king of the French from 1830 to 1848. ... Yinreng (胤礽, born June 16, 1674; died January 27, 1725) was a Heir Apparent to the imperial throne of China. ... The Qing Dynasty (Chinese: ; pinyin: QÄ«ng cháo; Wade-Giles: Ching chao; Manchu: daicing gurun), occasionally known as the Manchu Dynasty, was a dynasty founded by the Manchu clan Aisin Gioro, in what is today northeast China, expanded into China and the surrounding territories, establishing the Empire... The Kangxi Emperor (Chinese: ; Pinyin: KāngxÄ«; Wade-Giles: Kang-hsi; May 4, 1654 – December 20, 1722) was the fourth Emperor of the Manchu Qing dynasty, and the second Qing emperor to rule over all of China, from 1661 to 1722. ... Prince Sado was born as the son of the Korean King Yongjo. ... Yeongjo (1694-1776, r. ... Korea (Korean: 한국 or ì¡°ì„ , see below) is a geographic area, civilization, and former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. ... Jeongjo of Joseon was King of Joseon (1776-1800) during the Joseon Dynasty dynasty in Korea. ... Henri, comte de Chambord Henri Charles Ferdinand Marie Dieudonné dArtois, comte de Chambord (September 29, 1820 – August 24, 1883) was technically King Henri V of France from July 30th to August 9, 1830. ... Charles X of France and Navarre (October 9, 1757 – November 6, 1836) was born at the Palace of Versailles. ... Louis-Philippe, King of the French (October 6, 1773 – August 26, 1850) reigned as the Orléanist king of the French from 1830 to 1848. ... French tricolour flag A tricolour is a flag or banner having three colours, usually in approximately equal size (horizontally or vertically) and lacking additional symbols. ...

[edit] Heirs Apparent as of 2007

• HRH The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir-apparent to the Thrones of the United Kingdom and of fifteen other Commonwealth Realms
• HRH Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark is the heir-apparent to the Throne of Denmark.
• HRH Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant is the heir-apparent to the Throne of Belgium ¹
• HRH the Prince Felipe, Prince of Asturias is the heir-apparent to the Throne of Spain.
• HRH Crown Prince Haakon Magnus of Norway is the heir-apparent to the Throne of Norway
• HRH Crown Princess Victoria, Duchess of Westrogothia is the heiress-apparent to the Throne of Sweden (she is also the world's only female heir-apparent)
• HRH Prince Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange is the heir-apparent to the Throne of the Netherlands
• HRH Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg is the heir-apparent to the Throne of Luxembourg
• HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn is the heir-apparent to the Throne of Thailand
• HSH Prince Alois of Liechtenstein is the heir-apparent of the Throne of Liechtenstein
• HIH Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan is the heir-apparent to the Chrysanthemum Throne.
• HRH Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa is the heir-apparent to the throne of Bahrain
• HRH Prince Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck is the heir-apparent to the throne of Bhutan
• HRH Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah Bolkiah is the heir-apparent to the throne of Brunei
• HRH Crown Prince Moulay Hassan is the heir-apparent to the throne of Morocco
• HRH Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani is the heir-apparent to the throne of Qatar
• HRH Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud is the heir-apparent to the throne of Saudi Arabia
• HRH Crown Prince Paras Bir Bikram Shah is the heir-apparent to the throne of Nepal
• HRH Crown Prince Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah is the heir-apparent to the throne of Kuwait (he was nominated as such)

The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (Charles Philip Arthur George Mountbatten-Windsor; born Windsor, 14 November 1948), is the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. ... The Commonwealth Realms, shown in pink A Commonwealth Realm is any one of the 16 sovereign states of the Commonwealth of Nations that separately recognise Queen Elizabeth II as their monarch. ... Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark (born Frederik André Henrik Christian on 26 May 1968 in Copenhagen, Denmark) is the eldest son of Queen Margrethe II and her husband, Prince Consort Henrik. ... Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant (Philippe Léopold Louis Marie (French) or Filip Leopold Lodewijk Maria (Dutch)), styled HRH The Duke of Brabant (born 15 April 1960), is the eldest son and heir apparent of Albert II, King of the Belgians. ... Felipe, Prince of Asturias (Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos de Borbón y de Grecia) born January 30, 1968), is the third child of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía of Spain. ... Crown Prince Haakon of Norway (born Haakon Magnus on July 20, 1973 in Oslo). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Prince Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange, (Willem-Alexander Claus George Ferdinand van Oranje-Nassau, Prins van Oranje, Prins der Nederlanden, Prins van Oranje-Nassau, Jonkheer van Amsberg, born at April 27, 1967) is the eldest son of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and is the heir apparent to the Dutch... His Royal Highness the Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg (Guillaume Jean Joseph Marie b. ... HRH Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn of Thailand Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn (born July 28, 1952) is the only son of Bhumibol Adulyadej, King (Rama IX) of Thailand, and Queen Sirikit. ... Hereditary Prince Alois Philipp Maria of Liechtenstein (German: Erbprinz Alois Philipp Maria von und zu Liechtenstein) (born 11 June 1968 in Zürich), is the eldest son of Prince Hans Adam II of Liechtenstein and his wife Princess Marie of Liechtenstein. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Imperial Seal of Japan. ... Crown Prince of Bahrain Shaikh Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa (born 21 October 1969) is the Crown Prince and the Undersecretary of Defence of the Kingdom of Bahrain. ... Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck (born February 21, 1980) is the fifth Dragon King of Bhutan and head of the Wangchuck dynasty. ... Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah Bolkiah Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (Arabic: المهتدي بالله بلقية) (born February 17, 1974) is the first born son and heir to the Sultan of Brunei. ... Prince Moulay Hassan of Morocco (born May 8, 2003) a. ... His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani (Arabic: الشيخ تميم بن حمد آل ثاني) is the current Heir Apparent of Qatar. ... Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud (Arabic: ) (born January 5, 1928 in Riyadh) is the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, and First Deputy Prime Minister. ... Crown Prince Paras of Nepal meeting President Hu Jintao of China, August 16 2004. ... Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah(Arabic: نواف الأحمد الجابر الصباح Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jābir as-Sabāh; born 1937) is the half-brother of the current emir of Kuwait, Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. ...

[edit] Footnote

¹ Since Belgium is a popular monarchy, its monarch is called King of the Belgians, not King of Belgium. Popular Monarchy is a system of monarchical governance in which the monarchs title is linked with the people rather than a unitary state. ...