List of monarchs in Britain by length of reign

The following is a list, ordered by length of reign, of the monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1927–present), the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1801–1927), the Kingdom of Great Britain (1707–1801), the Kingdom of England (871–1707), the Kingdom of Scotland (878–1707), the Kingdom of Ireland (1542–1800), and the Principality of Wales (1216–1542).

Elizabeth II, the current and longest-reigning monarch, has reigned since 6 February 1952.

Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning British monarch on 9 September 2015 when she surpassed the reign of her great-great-grandmother Victoria.[1][2] On 6 February 2017 she became the first British monarch to celebrate a Sapphire Jubilee, commemorating 65 years on the throne. She has now reigned for 69 years and 1 day.

Overall

These are the ten longest-reigning monarchs in the British Isles for whom there is reliable recorded evidence.

no. Monarch Reign Duration
From To Days Years, days
1 Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom 6 February 1952 Present 25,204 69 years, 1 day
2 Victoria of the United Kingdom 20 June 1837 22 January 1901 23,226 63 years, 216 days
3 George III of the United Kingdom 25 October 1760 29 January 1820 21,644 59 years, 96 days
4 James VI of Scotland 24 July 1567 27 March 1625 21,066 57 years, 246 days
5 Henry III of England 28 October 1216 16 November 1272 20,473 56 years, 19 days
6 Edward III of England 25 January 1327 20 June 1377 18,410 50 years, 147 days
7 William I of Scotland 9 December 1165 4 December 1214 17,892 48 years, 360 days
8 Llywelyn of Gwynedd 1195 11 April 1240 16,173–16,902 c. 44–45 years
9 Elizabeth I of England 17 November 1558 24 March 1603 16,198 44 years, 127 days
10 David II of Scotland 7 June 1329 22 February 1371 15,235 41 years, 260 days

The longest claim by a pretender was that of James Francis Edward Stuart (the "Old Pretender"), who was the Jacobite pretender to the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland for 64 years, 3 months, and 16 days (17 September 1701 – 1 January 1766).

Elizabeth II: the longest-reigning monarch

On 9 September 2015 (at the age of 89 years, 141 days), Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning British monarch and the longest-reigning female monarch in world history.[3][4] On 23 May 2016 (at the age of 90 years, 32 days), her reign surpassed the claimed reign of James Francis Edward Stuart (the "Old Pretender").[5] On 13 October 2016 (at the age of 90 years, 175 days), she became the world's longest-reigning current monarch (and the world's longest-serving current head of state) after the death of Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), King of Thailand.[6][7]

If she is still reigning on:

  • 6 February 2022 (at age 95 years, 291 days), she will celebrate her platinum jubilee, marking 70 years on the throne.[8]
  • 27 May 2024 (at age 98 years, 36 days), she will be the longest-reigning monarch of any sovereign state, surpassing Louis XIV of France, who reigned for 72 years, 110 days.[9]

Unitary monarchy
See also: List of British monarchs

United Kingdom

On 1 January 1801 the Kingdom of Great Britain united with the Kingdom of Ireland to become the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, becoming the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland by Act of Parliament in 1927[10] following the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922.

NameReignDuration
FromTo(days)(years, days)
Elizabeth II6 February 1952Present25,20469 years, 1 day[11]
Victoria20 June 183722 January 190123,22663 years, 216 days
George V6 May 191020 January 19369,39025 years, 259 days
George III[12]1 January 180129 January 18206,96719 years, 28 days
George VI11 December 19366 February 19525,53515 years, 57 days
George IV29 January 182026 June 18303,80110 years, 148 days
Edward VII22 January 19016 May 19103,3919 years, 104 days
William IV26 June 183020 June 18372,5516 years, 359 days
Edward VIII20 January 193611 December 1936326326 days

Great Britain

On 1 May 1707, under the Acts of Union 1707, the Kingdom of England united with the Kingdom of Scotland as the Kingdom of Great Britain.

NameReignDuration
FromTo(days)(years, days)
George III[13]
25 October 17601 January 180114,67740 years, 68 days
George II22 June 1727N.S.25 October 176012,16833 years, 114 days
George I1 August 171411 June 17274,69712 years, 314 days
Anne[14]1 May 17071 August 17142,6497 years, 92 days

Kingdoms

England
See also: List of English monarchs

Includes English monarchs from the installation of Alfred the Great as King of Wessex in 871 to Anne (House of Stuart) and the Acts of Union on 1 May 1707, when the crown became part of the Kingdom of Great Britain.

NameReignDuration
FromTo(days)(years, days)
Henry III28 October 121616 November 127220,47356 years, 19 days
Edward III25 January 132721 June 137718,41050 years, 147 days
Elizabeth I17 November 155824 March 160316,19844 years, 127 days
Henry VI[15]1 September 1422
31 October 1470
 		4 March 1461
11 April 1471
 		14,064
162
Total: 14,226		38 years, 184 days
162 days
38 years, 347 days
Æthelred II[15]18 March 978
3 February 1014
 		25 December 1013
23 April 1016
 		13,065
810
Total: 13,875		35 years, 282 days
2 years, 80 days
37 years, 362 days
Henry VIII22 April 150928 January 154713,79537 years, 281 days
Charles II[16]30 January 16496 February 168513,15636 years, 7 days
Henry I5 August 11001 December 113512,90135 years, 118 days
Henry II25 October 11546 July 118912,67334 years, 254 days
Edward I20 November 12727 July 130712,64634 years, 229 days
Alfred the Great24 April 87126 October 89910,41228 years, 185 days
Edward the Elder27 October 89917 July 9249,02924 years, 264 days
Charles I[17]27 March 162530 January 16498,71023 years, 309 days
Henry VII22 August 148521 April 15098,64223 years, 242 days
Edward the Confessor8 June 10425 January 10668,61223 years, 211 days
Richard II22 June 137729 September 13998,13422 years, 99 days
James I[18]24 March 160327 March 16258,03922 years, 3 days
Edward IV[15]4 March 1461
11 April 1471
 		3 October 1470
9 April 1483
 		3,500
4,381
Total: 7,881		9 years, 213 days
11 years, 363 days
21 years, 211 days
William I12 December 10669 September 10877,56320 years, 258 days
Edward II8 July 130720 January 13277,13619 years, 196 days
Cnut30 November 101612 November 10356,92118 years, 347 days
Stephen[15]22 December 1135
1 November 1141
 		7 April 1141
25 October 1154
 		1,933
4,741
Total: 6,674		5 years, 106 days
12 years, 358 days
18 years, 99 days
John6 April 119919 October 12166,40617 years, 196 days
Edgar I1 October 9598 July 9755,75915 years, 280 days
Æthelstan2 August 924
(or 925)		27 October 9395,564
or 5,199		15 years, 86 days
or 14 years, 86 days
Henry IV30 September 139920 March 14134,91913 years, 171 days
William III[19]
(co-ruler with Mary II)		13 February 16898 March 17024,77013 years, 23 days
Henry the Young King
(junior king under Henry II)		14 June 117011 June 11834,74512 years, 362 days
William II26 September 10872 August 11004,69312 years, 310 days
Richard I6 July 11896 April 11993,5619 years, 274 days
Eadred26 May 94623 November 9553,4689 years, 181 days
Henry V21 March 141331 August 14223,4509 years, 163 days
Edmund I27 October 93926 May 9462,4036 years, 211 days
Edward VI28 January 15476 July 15532,3516 years, 159 days
Mary II[20]
(co-ruler with William III)		13 February 168928 December 16942,1445 years, 318 days
Mary I
19 July 155317 November 15581,9475 years, 121 days
Anne[14]
(also Kingdom of Great Britain)		8 March 170230 April 17071,8795 years, 53 days
Harold I12 November 103517 March 104015864 years, 126 days
Eadwig23 November 9551 October 9591,4083 years, 312 days
James II[21]6 February 168511 December 16881,4043 years, 309 days
Edward the Martyr9 July 97518 March 9789842 years, 253 days
Harthacnut17 March 10408 June 10428132 years, 83 days
Richard III26 June 148322 August 14857882 years, 57 days
Harold II5 January 106614 October 1066282282 days
Edmund II23 April 101630 November 1016221221 days
Matilda (disputed)7 April 11411 November 1141208208 days
Edward V9 April 148326 June 14837878 days
Edgar II15 October 106617 December 10666363 days
Sweyn Forkbeard25 December 10133 February 10144040 days
Jane (disputed)10 July 155319 July 155399 days

Scotland
See also: List of Scottish monarchs

Includes Scottish monarchs from the installation of Kenneth I (House of Alpin) in 848 to Anne (House of Stuart) and the Acts of Union on 1 May 1707, when the crown became part of the Kingdom of Great Britain.

NameReignDuration
FromTo(days)(years, days)
James VI[18]24 July 156727 March 162521,06657 years, 246 days
William I9 December 11654 December 121417,89248 years, 360 days
Constantine II900943c. 15,500c. 43 years
David II7 June 132922 February 137115,23541 years, 260 days
Alexander III6 July 124919 March 128613,40536 years, 256 days
Malcolm III17 March 105813 November 109313,02535 years, 241 days
Alexander II4 December 12146 July 124912,63334 years, 214 days
James I4 April 140621 February 143711,28130 years, 323 days
Malcolm II25 March 100525 November 103410,83729 years, 245 days
James V9 September 151314 December 154210,68829 years, 96 days
David I23 April 112424 May 115310,62329 years, 31 days
James III3 August 146011 June 148810,17427 years, 313 days
Charles II[16]30 January 1649
29 May 1660
 		3 September 1651
6 February 1685
 		946
9,019
Total: 9,965		2 years, 216 days
24 years, 253 days
27 years, 104 days
James IV11 June 14889 September 15139,22025 years, 90 days
Mary I14 December 154224 July 15678,98824 years, 222 days
Charles I[17]27 March 162530 January 16498,71023 years, 309 days
Kenneth II971995c. 8,700c. 23-24 years
James II21 February 14373 August 14608,56423 years, 164 days
Edward Balliol (disputed)24 September 133220 January 13568,51823 years, 118 days
Robert I25 March 13067 June 13298,47523 years, 74 days
Robert II22 February 137119 April 13906,99619 years, 56 days
Alexander I8 January 110723 April 11246,31517 years, 106 days
Macbeth14 August 104015 August 10576,21017 years, 1 day
Robert III19 April 13904 April 14065,82815 years, 350 days
Constantine I862877c. 5,400c. 15 years
Kenneth MacAlpin84313 February 858c. 5,100c. 14 years
William II[19]11 May 16898 March 17024,68312 years, 301 days
Malcolm IV24 May 11539 December 11654,58212 years, 199 days
Giric
(co-ruler with Eochaid?) 		878889c. 4.000c. 11 years
Donald II889900c. 4,000c. 11 years
Malcolm I943954c. 3,600c. 10-11 years
Edgar10978 January 1107c. 3,600c. 10 years
Kenneth III99725 March 1005c. 2,900c. 8 years
Indulf954962c. 2,700c. 8 years
Duncan I25 November 103414 August 10402,0895 years, 263 days
Mary II[20]11 April 168928 December 16942,0875 years, 261 days
Amlaíb971977c. 2,000c. 5-6 years
Anne[14]
(also Kingdom of Great Britain)		8 March 170230 April 17071,8795 years, 53 days
Dub962c. 966-967c. 1,800c. 5 years
Cuilénc. 966-967971c. 1,800c. 5 years
Domnall mac Ailpín85813 April 862c. 1.300c. 4 years
James VII[22]6 February 168511 December 1688
(claimed until 16 September 1701.)		1,404
(claimed 6,065.)		3 years, 309 days
claimed 16 years, 222 days
Margaret25 November 128626 September 12901,4013 years, 305 days
John Balliol17 November 129210 July 12961,3313 years, 236 days
Donald III13 November 10931097c. 1,000c. 3-4 years
Constantine III10951097c. 700c. 2 years
Áed mac Cináeda877878c. 365c. 1 year
Lulach15 August 105717 March 1058212212 days
Duncan IIMay 109412 November 1094c. 195"less than 7 months"

Ireland
See also: Monarchy of Ireland

The High King of Ireland (846–1198) was primarily a titular ruler (with the exception of Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair who was regarded as the first "King of Ireland"). The later Kingdom of Ireland (1542–1800) came into being under the Crown of Ireland Act 1542, the long title of which was "An Act that the King of England, his Heirs and Successors, be Kings of Ireland". In 1801 the Irish crown became part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

NameReignDuration
FromTo(days)(years, days)
Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair11661193c. 26-27 years
Edward Bruce (disputed)June 131514 October 1318c. 3 years, 100 days
Brian Ua Néill (disputed)12581260c. 1-2 years

Principalities

Gwynedd
See also: List of rulers of Gwynedd

The Principality (or Kingdom) of Gwynedd (5th century–1216) was based in northwest Wales, its rulers were repeatedly acclaimed as "King of the Britons" before losing their power in civil wars or Saxon and Norman invasions. In 1216 it was superseded by the title Principality of Wales, although the new title was not first used until the 1240s.

NameReignDuration
FromTo(days)(years, days)
Gruffudd ap Cynan10811137c. 55-56 years
Llywelyn the Great119511 April 1240>16,172c. 44-45 years
Owain Gwynedd11371170>11,688c. 33 years
Dafydd ab Owain Gwynedd11701195>8,766c. 25 years
Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd11701170<1 year

Wales
See also: List of Princes of Wales

The Principality of Wales (1216–1542) was a client state of England for much of its history, except for brief periods when it was de facto independent under a Welsh Prince of Wales (see House of Aberffraw). From 1301 it was first used as a title of the English (and later British) heir apparent. The Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542 formally incorporated all of Wales within the Kingdom of England.

NameReignDuration
FromTo(days)(years, days)
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd125311 December 1282>10,572c. 29 years
Owain Glyndŵr (disputed)16 September 1400c. 1416>5,585c. 16 years
Owain Goch ap Gruffydd25 February 12461255>3,000c. 9 years
Owain Lawgoch (disputed)May 1372July 1378>2,221c. 6 years
Dafydd ap Llywelyn12 April 124025 February 12462,1455 years, 319 days
Dafydd ap Gruffydd11 December 12823 October 1283296296 days

Charles, Prince of Wales, is the longest-serving Prince of Wales, with a tenure of 62 years, 196 days since his proclamation as such in 1958.

See also

Notes and references
  1. Patricia Treble (30 December 2014). "Palace calculations: Queen Elizabeth II set to lap Victoria". Maclean's. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  2. "Official Website of the British Monarchy". Retrieved 5 September 2015. On 9 September 2015, The Queen will become the longest reigning British Monarch, surpassing Queen Victoria.
  3. Warren Gaebel. "Longest Reigning British Monarch". Warren Gaebel. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  4. "Elizabeth is about to become Britain's longest-reigning queen. Here's how she's changed monarchy". The Spectator. 3 January 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  5. "Famous Stewarts". www.stewartsociety.org. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  6. "Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej dies at 88". BBC News. 13 October 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  7. By PA  Oct 13, 2016. "Queen takes over longest reign mantle after Thailand's King Bhumibol dies". Aol.co.uk. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  8. Victoria Arbiter (9 September 2015). "Queen Elizabeth II: The platinum monarch?". CNN. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  9. Elledge, Jonn (9 September 2015). "Queen Elizabeth II is about to become Britain's longest reigning monarch so here are some charts". New Statesman.
  10. "Royal And Parliamentary Titles Act 1927". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  11. Updated daily according to UTC.
  12. George III, King of Great Britain and Ireland, became King of the United Kingdom and Ireland on 1 January 1801.
  13. George III, King of Great Britain, became King of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland on 1 January 1801.
  14. Anne, Queen of England and Queen of Scots, became Queen of Great Britain on 1 May 1707.
  15. Monarch's total length of reign is the sum of the two reigns displayed.
  16. Charles II King of England and King of Scots concurrently from 30 January 1649 to 6 February 1685.
  17. Charles I was King of England and King of Scots concurrently.
  18. James VI, King of Scots, became James I, King of England, in 1603.
  19. William of Orange became William III, King of England, on 13 February 1689 and William II, King of Scots, on 11 May 1689.
  20. Mary II became Queen of England on 13 February 1689 and Queen of Scots on 11 May 1689.
  21. James was James II, King of England, and James VII, King of Scots, concurrently.
  22. James was James II, King of England, and James VII, King of Scotland, concurrently.
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