How is the crown passed on in Great Britain?

In the United Kingdom, the crown is passed on through a system known as primogeniture. This means that the eldest child of the reigning monarch is next in line to the throne. If the reigning monarch has no children, the crown passes to the next eldest sibling. If there are no siblings, the crown passes to the next closest blood relative according to the Act of Settlement 1701.

The process of succession to the throne is set out in the Act of Succession 1701. This act states that the crown can only be inherited by a Protestant who is descended from Sophia, Electress of Hanover. Sophia was the granddaughter of James I of England and VI of Scotland.

The Act of Settlement also established the line of succession to the throne. The line of succession is as follows:

1. The eldest child of the reigning monarch

2. The second child of the reigning monarch

3. The third child of the reigning monarch

4. And so on

If the reigning monarch has no children, the crown passes to the eldest child of the next eldest sibling. If there are no siblings, the crown passes to the next closest blood relative according to the Act of Settlement 1701.

The current reigning monarch of the United Kingdom is Queen Elizabeth II. She ascended to the throne on 6th February 1952, following the death of her father, King George VI. Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state of the United Kingdom and 15 other Commonwealth realms.

When Queen Elizabeth II dies, the crown will pass to her eldest child, Prince Charles. Prince Charles is currently 73 years old. If he is still alive when his mother dies, he will become King Charles III.