United Kingdom/Catalogs/Kings and Queens

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In 1603, Queen Elizabeth I of England died and was succeeded by the then King of Scotland, James VI. Though James had united the Crown, he did not unite the Kingdoms. Famously he compared his rule of two kingdoms to the polygamy of a man with two wives. It was around this time that the first Union Flags were used. The century to follow was full of constitutional turmoil and civil war. For a brief period during Cromwell's Protectorate, there was just one Great Britain (though a republic not a kingdom) but with the re-instatement of the crown in the form of Charles II the two kingdoms were once again politically separate. It was not until Queen Anne that the two kingdoms were finally united to make the United Kingdom of Great Britain.

With that history explained, we shall start our list with the Union of the kingdoms. For details prior to 1707, refer to: Kings and Queens of England, Kings and Queens of Scotland, Kings and Queens of Ireland and Kings and Queens of Wales


House of Stuart

Date of Reign Name Comment
1702-1714 Anne

House of Hanover

Date of Reign Name Comment
1714-1727 George I
1727-1760 George II
1760-1820 George III
1820-1830 George IV
1830-1837 William IV
1837-1901 Victoria

House of Saxe-Coburg

Date of Reign Name Comment
1901-1910 Edward VII

House of Windsor

Date of Reign Name Comment
1910-1936 George V (Saxe-Coburg until 1917)
1936-1936 Edward VIII
1936-1952 George VI
1952-2022 Elizabeth II
2022- Charles III Current monarch.

Notes

Although the United Kingdom of Great Britain came into existence in 1707, official documents continued to date Queen Anne's regnal years from her original accession as Queen of England and Scotland in 1702. Similarly, William IV called himself that as successor of three Kings William of England. It is understood that a similar policy would be adopted in respect of Scottish monarchs, so that, for example, in the unlikely event of the accession of Lord Severn to the throne, he would probably be called James VIII. There is, however, no actual law binding monarchs in their choice of names and numbers.

George I was not so styled during his reign, but was simply called King George. His number was retrospectively added on the accession of George II.