The Royal Family
The House of Windsor came into being in 1917. Until then, the Royal Family had borne the name Saxe-Coburg-Gotha that had come to them through marriage in 1840. Amidst a wave of anti-German feeling during the First World War, George V decided to adopt a new name and the Windsor dynasty was born.
Today, there are three generations of the House of Windsor, led by His Majesty King Charles III, who acceded to the throne in September 2022 upon the passing of his mother, Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. At the time of his accession, His Majesty The King was 73 years old, making him the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales in British history, as well as Britain’s oldest monarch to accede to the throne.
As a royal house that is keen to evolve with the times, the House of Windsor has
implemented numerous modern changes in recent years, perhaps most notably in 2013. Under the Succession to the Crown Act, male heirs no longer take precedence over their sisters, which ended the system of preference that existed since the Act of Settlement of 1701. As a result, Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Wales is third in line to the throne, following her father, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, and elder brother, His Royal Highness Prince George of Wales.
His Majesty The King
Born in 1948, King Charles III became heir apparent when his mother acceded to the throne and became Queen Elizabeth II in 1952. After 70 years, The King took over the mantle of British monarch in 2022 following his mother’s passing, reigning with an unwavering sense of pride, dignity and duty ever since.
The Prince of Wales
The eldest son of King Charles III and Diana, Princess of Wales, The Prince of Wales is heir apparent to the British throne. Prince William is married to Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales, Princess Catherine, with whom he shares three children. Previously known as The Duke of Cambridge, he became The Prince of Wales the day after his father’s accession to the throne.
Prince George of Wales
As second in line to the throne, spirited and playful Prince George of Wales is being brought up like any other little boy. It is too soon to tell whether he will follow in his father's and grandfather’s footsteps by taking on military and charitable work, but he has certainly charmed the public already.
Queen Elizabeth II
From her accession in 1952 to her death in 2022, Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II served as a pillar of strength in an ever-changing world. Ultimately passing away at the age of 95, she was queen for an unprecedented 70 years, making her Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Born on 10 June 1921 in Corfu, Prince Philip was the only son of Prince Andrew of Greece and Princess Alice of Battenberg. Upon the accession of his wife, Elizabeth II, he became Duke of Edinburgh in 1952 and served as consort until his death in 2021, making him the
longest-serving royal consort in history.
