How Many Grandchildren Does King Charles Have, and Who Is in Line for the Throne?

King Charles III has five grandchildren, but despite being the eldest, Prince George will not become King until after his father, Prince William, has succeeded to the throne.

Britain's line of succession follows hereditary rules, meaning the descendants of the monarch's eldest child take precedence over the monarch's younger children. As the King's eldest son and heir apparent, Prince William is first in line, followed by his three children before Prince Harry and his two children.

Meet King Charles' Five Grandchildren

King Charles has five grandchildren through his two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.

Prince George

Born on 22 July 2013, Prince George is the eldest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales and is currently second in line to the throne.

As the future King, George has gradually begun accompanying his parents at major royal occasions, including Trooping the Colour, the Coronation weekend celebrations and international sporting events. His parents have spoken about balancing preparations for his future role with giving him as normal a childhood as possible.

Princess Charlotte

Princess Charlotte was born on 2 May 2015 and is the second child of William and Catherine.

She is third in line to the throne and has become known for her confidence and composed manner during public appearances. Whether waving to crowds or gently reminding her younger brothers of royal etiquette at official events, Charlotte has often impressed royal fans with her maturity.

Charlotte also made royal history. Thanks to the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, she retained her place ahead of her younger brother, Prince Louis. Before the legislation came into force, younger sons automatically took precedence over older daughters in the line of succession.

Prince Louis

Born on 23 April 2018, Prince Louis is the youngest of the Wales children and is fourth in line to the throne.

Despite his young age, Louis has become one of the Royal Family's most popular young members thanks to his animated appearances at events such as Trooping the Colour and Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations. His enthusiastic waves and playful expressions have frequently delighted crowds.

Prince Archie

Prince Archie was born on 6 May 2019 to Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.

He is currently sixth in line to the throne. Although he lives in California with his parents and rarely appears in public, Archie remains part of the line of succession.

Princess Lilibet

Princess Lilibet was born on 4 June 2021 and is the younger child of Prince Harry and Meghan.

She is currently seventh in line to the throne. Like her brother, Lilibet lives in California and has largely been kept out of the public eye, with only occasional family photographs released by her parents.

Who Is Currently in Line to the Throne?

The first seven people in the line of succession are:

1. Prince William, Prince of Wales
2. Prince George of Wales
3. Princess Charlotte of Wales
4. Prince Louis of Wales
5. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
6. Prince Archie of Sussex
7. Princess Lilibet of Sussex

The order could change in the future if members of the Royal Family have more children or if circumstances affecting succession change under existing constitutional rules.

Why Prince George Cannot Become King Before Prince William

Although Prince George is King Charles' eldest grandchild, he cannot inherit the throne before his father.

Prince William is the heir apparent, meaning he is legally entitled to succeed the monarch. At the end of King Charles' reign, William would automatically become King. Only after William's reign would Prince George inherit the Crown, provided the order of succession remains unchanged.

Why Princess Charlotte Remains Ahead of Prince Louis

One of the biggest changes to the modern line of succession came with the Succession to the Crown Act 2013.

The legislation abolished the system of male-preference primogeniture for those born after 28 October 2011. As a result, Princess Charlotte did not lose her place when Prince Louis was born in 2018 and remains ahead of her younger brother in the order of succession.

Why Archie and Lilibet Are Prince and Princess

When Archie and Lilibet were born, they were not automatically entitled to the titles of Prince and Princess because Queen Elizabeth II was the reigning monarch.

Under the 1917 Letters Patent issued by King George V, grandchildren of the sovereign in the male line become entitled to those titles. When King Charles III acceded to the throne in September 2022, Archie and Lilibet became grandchildren of the reigning monarch and therefore became entitled to use the titles of Prince and Princess.

The change was formally reflected in March 2023 after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced the christening of Princess Lilibet. Following the announcement, Buckingham Palace updated the official Royal Family website, changing the children's listings in the line of succession from 'Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor' and 'Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor' to 'Prince Archie of Sussex' and 'Princess Lilibet of Sussex', as first reported by the BBC.

Although Archie and Lilibet use the titles Prince and Princess, they do not publicly use the style His/Her Royal Highness (HRH) following the arrangements agreed when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from royal duties in 2020.

King Charles' five grandchildren represent the next generation of the Royal Family, but the order of succession remains clear. Prince William is next in line to the throne, followed by Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, before Prince Harry and his two children. Unless future births or constitutional changes alter the order, Prince George remains the future King after his father.