Current Position and Basic Rules
Princess Anne is currently fourth in line to the British throne. Succession follows statutory birth order among surviving legitimate children of the monarch, as fixed by the Act of Settlement 1701 and updated by the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, which removed male-preference birth order for those born after 28 October 2011. She precedes younger siblings’ children but is followed by her own children. Below her in line are her brother Prince Edward and his children, then her younger brother Prince Andrew and his children, provided they remain in the line. This positioning reflects decades of births, marriages, and deaths within the royal family, while the 2013 reforms reduced the significance of gender for those born after 2011.
How Line of Succession Works
Birth Order and Legitimacy
In the United Kingdom, the line of succession is determined by legitimate birth order, with legitimacy defined under common law and statute. Since 2013, the sex of the child no longer affects order for people born after that date; earlier, male heirs generally preceded older female siblings. Legitimacy matters because only legitimate children of a monarch or heir are typically included. Parliament, under the Act of Settlement, originally restricted succession to Protestants, and the 2013 changes further reduced religious barriers by allowing the eldest child to marry a Catholic without losing succession rights, though the monarch must still be in communion with the Church of England.
Key Legal Instruments
- Act of Settlement 1701: established Protestant succession and male-preference birth order.
- Succession to the Crown Act 2013: updated rules for those born after 28 October 2011, removing male preference and addressing royal marriage to Catholics.
- Consent to marriages: under the Royal Marriages Act 1772 (repealed 2015), certain descendants of George II, including Anne, previously required the monarch’s consent to marry, which has shaped family placements in the line.
Princess Anne’s Relatives in the Line
Older Ahead of Anne
Three people stand before Princess Anne in the current succession. First is her nephew Prince William, Prince of Wales, as the eldest child of the heir. Second is his eldest son Prince George. Third is his second child Princess Charlotte. After them comes Anne, making her fourth. Her position illustrates the ceiling of birth order among grandchildren and siblings of the monarch, with her own children behind her and her siblings’ children generally behind them, subject to future births.
Younger Behind Anne
Behind Anne are her brother Prince Edward and his two children, Louise and Louis, followed by her brother Prince Andrew and his daughters Beatrice and Eugenie. Any future legitimate grandchildren of Andrew could enter the line ahead of Edward’s and Anne’s children, depending on birth dates and order. Anne’s children, Peter and Zara, are not in the line because their father, Captain Mark Phillips, is not a peer and they were not granted titles that carry succession rights under current practice.
| Position | Name | Relationship to Monarch | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Prince William | Eldest son of the Prince of Wales | Heir apparent as of 2024 | Official court records |
| 2nd | Prince George | Eldest grandson of the Prince of Wales | Born 2013, ahead of sister under current order | Official court records |
| 3rd | Princess Charlotte | Second granddaughter of the Prince of Wales | Born 2015, ahead of brother under current order | Official court records |
| 4th | Princess Anne | Only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II | Born 1950, remains fourth as of 2024 | Official court records |
| 5th | Prince Edward | Younger brother of Princess Anne | Born 1964, precedes his children | Official court records |
| 6th | Louise | Niece of Princess Anne | Born 2003, ahead of brother under current order | Official court records |
| 7th | Louis | Nephew of Princess Anne | Born 2007 | Official court records |
Potential Changes to Anne’s Position
Births Among Younger Relatives
If Prince Edward or Prince Andrew have additional legitimate grandchildren, those children could move ahead of Anne depending on birth order. Grandchildren enter the line ahead of younger siblings but behind their parents. For example, a future son or daughter of Prince Edward would take a position between Edward and Anne’s children, but still behind Anne unless born before a new sibling of Anne. No such births have occurred as of 2024.
Marriage and Titles
Anne married Sir Timothy Laurence in 1992. Because the marriage was under the Royal Marriages Act 1772 at the time (requiring the monarch’s consent for descendants of George II), her place in the line was affected by the necessity of that consent. She and Laurence both attended the 2011 wedding of Prince William knowing the succession implications for their future children, who do not hold titles that would place them in the line. Future marriages or changes in the law could alter procedures but not currently move her position.
Public Role vs. Line of Succession
Despite not holding a top-tier title, Princess Anne undertakes an extensive portfolio of royal duties, including foreign visits, military engagements, and charity leadership. Her position fourth in line reflects her birth order and family structure more than a measure of her public role; the line is agnostic to workload and focuses on birth, legitimacy, and marriage status. This distinction helps explain why she is high in the succession despite not having a dukedom or active ceremonial role comparable to some working royals.
Long-Term Outlook and Certainties
Anne will remain in the line until Prince William has children, at which point she will move to fifth and then continue to move down as new heirs are born. If Prince Andrew has sons, they would enter the line ahead of Edward’s and her own children, subject to birth order. The line is stable for now, but future additions, marriages, or changes in legislation could shift placements. The 2013 reforms make the succession more gender-neutral for newer generations, but for Anne, who was born in 1950, the rules at her birth—male-preference—governed her original position and any changes thereafter.
Quick Reference: Succession Order Around Princess Anne
- Princess Anne is fourth in line as of 2024.
- She is preceded by three people: Prince William, George, and Charlotte.
- She is followed by her brother Prince Edward and his children, then Prince Andrew and his children.
- Her own children, Peter and Zara Phillips, are not in the line of succession.
- No changes to her position are expected unless Prince Andrew or Prince Edward have additional legitimate children.
Common Misconceptions
Some assume that because Anne is the only daughter of the monarch, she would be very high or hold a unique role in succession. In reality, succession is blind to gender for those born after 2011 and to workload or public profile. Marriage rules, legitimacy, and birth order remain the decisive factors. Another misconception is that her children are next; they are not, because their father is not a peer, and they have not been granted succession rights through titles or special provisions.