Descent of Elizabeth II from William I

This list shows the most senior line of direct royal lineal descent to the current monarch of the United Kingdom from William the Conqueror of England. Each person on the list is the son or daughter of the person above him or her on the list. There are many other more junior lines of descent of the family (some of which are shorter), but the crown, at least in theory, descends only through the most senior line. Due to extinct lines, large parts of entire royal houses (Lancaster, Tudor, Stuart) are bypassed in the current most senior line. The numbers can be used to calculate the number of generations between two individuals on this list, but they may have shorter links (notably that of George III to George VI through the latter's mother).

The direct royal line from William the Conqueror to Elizabeth II[]

The most royal line, not the shortest[]

Shorter line of descent[]

(Prefix is latest known "order of Charlemagne"; further work may show a shorter line.)

12 William I, King of England (1027-1087)
12 Henry I, King of England (1068-1135) (Henry Beauclerc)
13 Matilda of Normandy (1102-1167)
13 Henry II, King of England (1133-1189) (Henry Plantagenet)
14 Matilda of England (1156-1189)
15 Wilhelm von Braunschweig-Lüneburg (1184-1213) (William Longsword of Winchester)
16 Otto von Braunschweig-Lüneburg (c1204-1252) (Otto the Child)
17 Adelheid von Braunschweig (?-1274)
17 Otto von Hessen (1272-1328)
18 Ludwig von Hessen-Grebenstein (1319-1345)
19 Hermann von Hessen (1341-1413)
20 Ludwig von Hessen (1402-1458)
21 Heinrich von Hessen-Marburg (c1440-1483)
22 Elisabeth von Hessen (1466-1523) - stated (in late July 2009) to have no common ancestors with husband *23 Johann von Nassau-Dillenburg (1455-1516), but our systems take a little time for that sort of information to filter through
23 Wilhelm von Nassau-Dillenburg (1487-1559) (William the Rich)
24 Johann VI von Nassau-Dillenburg (1536-1606)
25 Ernst Casimir van Nassau-Dietz (1573-1632)
26 Willem Frederik van Nassau-Dietz (1613-1664) - married his second cousin *26 Albertine Agnes van Nassau (1634-1696)
27 Hendrik Casimir II van Nassau-Dietz (1657-1696) - married his cousin
28 Johan Willem Friso van Nassau-Dietz (1687-1711)
29 Willem IV van Oranje-Nassau (1711-1751) - m *32 Anne of England (1709-1759), daughter of George II
30 Caroline van Oranje-Nassau (1743-1787)
31 Henrietta von Nassau-Weilburg (1780-1857)
32 Alexander von Württemberg (1804-1885)
33 Franz von Teck (1837-1900)
34 Victoria Mary of Teck (1867-1953) ("Queen Mary", wife of George V and second cousin to his father)
35 George VI of the United Kingdom (1895-1952)
36 Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom (1926)

Elizabeth's shortest line from Charlemagne bypasses William I and Henry I.

Monarchs not in the direct royal line, and why[]

The number after each monarch is their generation number (it corresponds to the number on the list above and the list below).

William II (2), died without issue. The line passes through his younger brother, Henry I
Stephen (3), he was from a more junior branch of the family; the line passes through his uncle of the senior line, Henry I
Richard I (5), died without issue. The line passes through his younger brother, John
Richard II (11), died without issue. The line passes through his grandfather's younger son, Lionel, Duke of Clarence
Henry IV (11); the House of Lancaster was from a more junior branch of the family; the line passes through his uncle of the senior branch, Lionel, Duke of Clarence
Henry V (12), the House of Lancaster was from a more junior branch of the family; the line passes through his great uncle of the senior branch, Lionel, Duke of Clarence
Henry VI (13), the House of Lancaster was from a more junior branch of the family; the line passes through his great great uncle of the senior branch, Lionel, Duke of Clarence
Edward V (16), the line passes through his sister, Elizabeth of York
Richard III (15), the line passes through his elder brother's daughter, Elizabeth of York
Henry VII (14), he is from a junior branch of the family. His wife, Elizabeth of York, is from the senior branch, and the line passes through her and then through their daughter, Margaret Tudor
Henry VIII (17), all heirs died without issue. The line passes through his sister, Margaret Tudor
Edward VI (18), died without issue. The line passes through his aunt, Margaret Tudor
Mary I (18), died without issue. The line passes through her aunt, Margaret Tudor
Elizabeth I (18), died without issue. The line passes through her aunt, Margaret Tudor
Charles I (21), the line passes through his sister, Elizabeth, Electress Palatine
Charles II (22), the line passes through his aunt, Elizabeth, Electress Palatine
James II (22), the line passes through his aunt, Elizabeth, Electress Palatine
Mary II (23), the line passes through her great aunt, Elizabeth, Electress Palatine
William III (23), he was from a junior branch of the family and a cousin of his wife Mary II; the line passes through his great aunt, Elizabeth, Electress Palatine
Anne (23), the line passes through her great aunt, Elizabeth, Electress Palatine
George IV (27), the line passes through his younger brother, Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent and Strathearn
William IV (27), the line passes through his younger brother, Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent and Strathearn
Edward VIII (31), the line passes through his younger brother, George VI

Monarchs of each generation[]

This table shows the generation of each monarch based on their descent from William I via the royal line.

The generational jump between Henry VII and Henry VIII is an interesting case shown on this list. Henry VIII is the son of Henry VII (generation 14 through an illegitimate junior line of John of Gaunt) as well as the son of Elizabeth of York (generation 16 through the senior Lionel, Duke of Clarence line). Henry VIII is counted as generation 17 because the royal line passes through his mother, who is of the senior line.

This process will continue in the future. Prince William of Wales, if he becomes king, will add a line to Charles II, from whom he is descended through his mother Lady Diana.

Genealogical relationships to Elizabeth II[]

The closest known relationships between Elizabeth and each king or queen of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom are given below.

Monarch	Relation to Elizabeth II
William I of England	22nd Great-Grandfather
Henry I of England	21st Great-Grandfather
Stephen of England	20th Great-Grandfather
Henry II of England	19th Great-Grandfather
Richard I of England	18th Great-Granduncle
John of England	18th Great-Grandfather
Henry III of England	19th Great-Grandfather
Edward I of England	18th Great-Grandfather
Edward II of England	18th Great-Grandfather
Edward III of England	17th Great-Grandfather
Richard II of England	16th Great-Granduncle
Henry IV of England	17th Great-Grandfather
Henry V of England	16th Great-Granduncle
Henry VI of England	½-14th Great-Granduncle
Edward IV of England	15th Great-Grandfather
Edward V of England	13th Great-Granduncle
Richard III of England	14th Great-Granduncle
Henry VII of England	13th Great-Grandfather
Henry VIII of England	12th Great-Granduncle
Edward VI of England	1st Cousin, 12 times Removed
Lady Jane Grey	10th Great-Grandaunt
Mary I of England	1st Cousin 13 times Removed
Elizabeth I of England	1st Cousin 13 times Removed
James I of England	9th Great-Grandfather
Charles I of England	8th Great-Granduncle
Charles II of England	1st Cousin 9 times Removed
James II of England	1st Cousin 9 times Removed
William III of England	1st Cousin 8 times Removed
Mary II of England	2nd Cousin 8 times Removed
Anne of Great Britain	2nd Cousin 8 times Removed
George I of Great Britain	6th Great-Grandfather
George II of Great Britain	5th Great-Grandfather
George III of the United Kingdom	3rd Great-Grandfather
George IV of the United Kingdom	2nd Great-Granduncle
William IV of the United Kingdom	2nd Great-Granduncle
Victoria of the United Kingdom	2nd Great-Grandmother
Edward VII of the United Kingdom	Great-Grandfather
George V of the United Kingdom	Grandfather
Edward VIII of the United Kingdom	Uncle
George VI of the United Kingdom	Father
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom	Self

Family tree[]

This tree shows the descent of all British monarchs from William I, and their relationships with each other. Only branches that were used to determine succession of a monarch are shown. The direct royal line can be followed as the leftmost line.

William I

Henry I

William II

Adela of Normandy

Empress Matilda

Stephen

Henry II

John

Richard I

Henry III

Edward I

Edward II

Edward III

Lionel of Antwerp

Edward the Black Prince

John of Gaunt

Philippa of Ulster

Richard II

Henry IV

Earl John Beaufort

Roger de Mortimer

Henry V

Duke John Beaufort

Anne de Mortimer

Henry VI

Margaret Beaufort

Richard, Duke of York

Henry VII

Edward IV

Richard III

Elizabeth of York

Edward V

Margaret Tudor

Henry VIII

Mary Tudor

James V of Scotland

Edward VI

Mary I

Elizabeth I

Lady Frances Brandon

Mary, Queen of Scots

Lady Jane Grey

James I

Elizabeth Stuart

Charles I

Sophia of Hanover

Mary Stuart

James II

Charles II

George I

William III

=

Mary II

Anne

George II

Frederick, Prince of Wales

George III

Edward Augustus

George IV

William IV

Victoria

Edward VII

George V

George VI

Edward VIII

Elizabeth II

Descent of Elizabeth II from other royal lines[]

The generation numbering of the primary list above is maintained in the lines below for comparison purposes. The last person listed on each of the lines belows is an English monarch listed on the primary list above, and the line continues from that point down to Elizabeth II following the primary list above.

The descent from the Saxon kings[]

The descent through the West Saxon royal line[]

This list shows the joining of the royal families of England, the West Saxon kings descended from Alfred the Great and the Norman kings. Empress Matilda (Maud), grand daughter of William I (Norman), great-great-grand-daughter of Edmund II (Saxon), is the first person to unite the families in this line. Her son, Henry II, is the first monarch descended from both these families.

-6. Alfred the Great

-5. Edward the Elder

-4. Edmund I

-3. Edgar

-2. Ethelred II (Ethelred the Unready)

-1. Edmund II (Edmund Ironside)

0. Edward the Exile

1. Saint Margaret of Scotland

2. Edith of Scotland

3. Empress Matilda (Maud)

4. Henry II

Alternative descent from Alfred the Great[]

This is not a royal line, but is a closer relationship of the earliest Norman kings to the previous dominant line of kings in England. William I married Matilda of Flanders, who was descended from Alfred the Great's daughter Aelfthryth. This means that Henry I is a descendant of Alfred the Great through this line.

The descent through Harold Godwinson (Harold II of England)[]

The British royal house traces itself back to William, who took the throne by conquest, but Elizabeth is also descended from Harold Godwinson, the last crowned Saxon king who died fighting William at the Battle of Hastings. Harold's daughter Gytha escaped after the conquest and married Vladimir II Monomakh of Kievan Rus', thus preserving the Godwin bloodline. This line rejoins William the Conqueror's bloodline with King Edward III.

-6. Harold Godwinson

-5. Gytha of Wessex

-4. Mstislav I of Kiev

-3. Euphrosyne of Kiev

-2. Béla III of Hungary

-1. Andrew II of Hungary

0. Violant of Hungary

1. Isabella of Aragon

2. Philip IV of France

3. Isabella, Queen of England

4. Edward III

The descent from the Kings of Scotland[]

Margaret Tudor, daughter of Henry VII, married into the Scottish royal family by marrying James IV of Scotland. Elizabeth II thus also descends from Kenneth MacAlpin, the semi-legendary first King of Scotland.

-5. Kenneth MacAlpin (Kenneth I)

-4. Constantine I

-3. Donald II

-2. Malcolm I

-1. Kenneth II

0. Malcolm II

1. Bethoc

2. Duncan I

3. Malcolm III

4. David I (the Saint)

5. Henry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon

6. David of Scotland

7. Isobel of Huntingdon

8. Robert de Brus

9. Robert de Brus

10. Robert I (the Bruce)

11. Marjorie Bruce

12. Robert II

13. Robert III

14. James I

15. James II

16. James III

17. James IV

18. James V

19. Mary, Queen of Scots

20. James VI (James I of England)

The Merovingian descent through Charlemagne[]

-21. Merowig

-20. Childeric I

-19. Clovis I

-18. Theodoric I

-17. Theudebert I

-16. Theudebald

-15. Grimwald of Aquitaine

-14. Saint Itta

-13. Saint Begga

-12. Pepin the Fat

-11. Charles Martel (686-741) (illegitimate)

-10. Pepin the Short (714-768)

-9. Charlemagne (747-814)

-8. Pepin, King of Italy (773-810)

-7. Bernard, King of Italy (797-818)

-6. Pepin, Count of Vermandois (c815-?)

-5. Herbert I, Count of Vermandois (c848-907)

-4. Berengar of Bayeaux (?-?)

-3. Judicael Berengar (?-?) (disputed)

-2. Conan I of Rennes (927-992), Duke of Brittany

-1. Judith of Brittany (982-1017)

0. Robert II, Duke of Normandy (c1000-1035)

1. William I

External links[]

RoyaList Online

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