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List of monarchs in Britain by length of reign

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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 (1801–1922), 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 longest-reigning monarch, reigned from 6 February 1952 until her death on 8 September 2022.

Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning monarch in British history on 9 September 2015 when she surpassed the reign of her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria.[1][2] On 6 February 2017, she became the first British monarch to celebrate a Sapphire Jubilee, commemorating 65 years on the throne. On 6 February 2022, Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to reign for 70 years, and large-scale celebrations for her Platinum Jubilee occurred on 2 to 5 June. Later that year, Elizabeth II died at the age of 96, after reigning for 70 years and 214 days.[3]

Elizabeth II: the longest-reigning monarch

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Elizabeth II delivering a speech at the official opening of the Borders Railway, on the day she became the longest-reigning British monarch.

On 9 September 2015, Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning British monarch and the longest-reigning known female monarch in world history.[4][5] On 23 May 2016, her reign surpassed the claimed reign of James Francis Edward Stuart (nicknamed "the Old Pretender").[6] On 6 February 2022 (at the age of 95 years, 291 days), she became the first British monarch to reign for 70 years and celebrate a platinum jubilee.[7]

Ten longest-reigning British monarchs

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

Rank Portrait Monarch Age at accession Reign Duration
From To Days Years, days
1   Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom 25 years, 291 days 6 February 1952 8 September 2022 25,782 70 years, 214 days
2   Victoria of the United Kingdom 18 years, 27 days 20 June 1837 22 January 1901 23,226 63 years, 216 days
3   George III of the United Kingdom 22 years, 143 days 25 October 1760 29 January 1820 21,644 59 years, 96 days
4   James VI of Scotland
(James I of England)[a] 		1 year, 35 days 24 July 1567 27 March 1625 21,066 57 years, 246 days
5   Henry III of England 9 years, 27 days 28 October 1216 16 November 1272 20,473 56 years, 19 days
6   Edward III of England 14 years, 73 days 25 January 1327 20 June 1377 18,410 50 years, 147 days
7   William I of Scotland ca. 24 years 9 December 1165 4 December 1214 17,892 48 years, 360 days
8   Llywelyn of Gwynedd ca. 22 years 1195 11 April 1240 16,173–16,902 c. 44–46 years
9   Elizabeth I of England 25 years, 71 days 17 November 1558 24 March 1603 16,198 44 years, 127 days
10   David II of Scotland 5 years, 94 days 7 June 1329 22 February 1371 15,235 41 years, 260 days

Complete list of the unitary monarchy

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See also: List of British monarchs

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. Then, 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[8] following the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922.

Name Reign Duration
From To Years, days Total days
Elizabeth II 6 February 1952 8 September 2022 70 years, 215 days 25,783
Victoria 20 June 1837 22 January 1901 63 years, 217 days 23,227
George III 25 October 1760 29 January 1820 59 years, 97 days 21,645
George II 22 June 1727N.S. 25 October 1760 33 years, 126 days 12,180
George V 6 May 1910 20 January 1936 25 years, 260 days 9,391
George VI 11 December 1936 6 February 1952 15 years, 58 days 5,536
George I 1 August 1714 11 June 1727 12 years, 315 days 4,698
George IV 29 January 1820 26 June 1830 10 years, 149 days 3,802
Edward VII 22 January 1901 6 May 1910 9 years, 105 days 3,392
Anne 1 May 1707 1 August 1714 7 years, 93 days 2,650
William IV 26 June 1830 20 June 1837 6 years, 360 days 2,552
Charles III 8 September 2022 present 2 years, 64 days 795
Edward VIII 20 January 1936 11 December 1936 327 days 327

Complete list of the kingdoms

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England

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See also: List of English monarchs
 
Henry III was the longest-reigning monarch of an independent England.

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.

Name Reign Duration
From To Days Years, days
Henry III 28 October 1216 16 November 1272 20,473 56 years, 19 days
Edward III 25 January 1327 21 June 1377 18,410 50 years, 147 days
Elizabeth I 17 November 1558 24 March 1603 16,198 44 years, 127 days
Henry VI[b] 1 September 1422
31 October 1470 		4 March 1461
11 April 1471 		14,064
162
Total: 14,226 		38 years, 184 days
162 days
Total: 38 years, 347 days
Æthelred II[b] 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 VIII 22 April 1509 28 January 1547 13,795 37 years, 281 days
Henry I 5 August 1100 1 December 1135 12,901 35 years, 118 days
Henry II 25 October 1154 6 July 1189 12,673 34 years, 254 days
Edward I 20 November 1272 7 July 1307 12,646 34 years, 229 days
Alfred the Great 24 April 871 26 October 899 10,412 28 years, 185 days
Edward the Elder 27 October 899 17 July 924 9,029 24 years, 264 days
Charles II[c] 29 May 1660 6 February 1685 9,019 24 years, 253 days
Charles I[d] 27 March 1625 30 January 1649 8,710 23 years, 309 days
Henry VII 22 August 1485 21 April 1509 8,642 23 years, 242 days
Edward the Confessor 8 June 1042 5 January 1066 8,612 23 years, 211 days
Richard II 22 June 1377 29 September 1399 8,134 22 years, 99 days
James I[a] 24 March 1603 27 March 1625 8,039 22 years, 3 days
Edward IV[b] 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 I 12 December 1066 9 September 1087 7,563 20 years, 258 days
Edward II 8 July 1307 20 January 1327 7,136 19 years, 196 days
Cnut 30 November 1016 12 November 1035 6,921 18 years, 347 days
Stephen 22 December 1135 25 October 1154 6,883 18 years, 308 days
John 6 April 1199 19 October 1216 6,406 17 years, 196 days
Edgar I 1 October 959 8 July 975 5,759 15 years, 280 days
Æthelstan 2 August 924
(or 925) 		27 October 939 5,564
or 5,199 		15 years, 86 days
or 14 years, 86 days
Henry IV 30 September 1399 20 March 1413 4,919 13 years, 171 days
William III[e]
(co-ruler with Mary II) 		13 February 1689 8 March 1702 4,770 13 years, 23 days
Henry the Young King
(junior king under Henry II) 		14 June 1170 11 June 1183 4,745 12 years, 362 days
William II 26 September 1087 2 August 1100 4,693 12 years, 310 days
Richard I 6 July 1189 6 April 1199 3,561 9 years, 274 days
Eadred 26 May 946 23 November 955 3,468 9 years, 181 days
Henry V 21 March 1413 31 August 1422 3,450 9 years, 163 days
Edmund I 27 October 939 26 May 946 2,403 6 years, 211 days
Edward VI 28 January 1547 6 July 1553 2,351 6 years, 159 days
Mary II[f]
(co-ruler with William III) 		13 February 1689 28 December 1694 2,144 5 years, 318 days
Mary I 19 July 1553 17 November 1558 1,947 5 years, 121 days
Anne[g]
(also Kingdom of Great Britain) 		8 March 1702 30 April 1707 1,879 5 years, 53 days
Harold I 12 November 1035 17 March 1040 1586 4 years, 126 days
Eadwig 23 November 955 1 October 959 1,408 3 years, 312 days
James II[h] 6 February 1685 11 December 1688 1,404 3 years, 309 days
Edward the Martyr 9 July 975 18 March 978 984 2 years, 253 days
Harthacnut 17 March 1040 8 June 1042 813 2 years, 83 days
Richard III 26 June 1483 22 August 1485 788 2 years, 57 days
Harold II 5 January 1066 14 October 1066 282 282 days
Edmund II 23 April 1016 30 November 1016 221 221 days
Matilda (disputed) 7 April 1141 1 November 1141 208 208 days
Edward V 9 April 1483 26 June 1483 78 78 days
Edgar II 15 October 1066 17 December 1066 63 63 days
Sweyn Forkbeard 25 December 1013 3 February 1014 40 40 days
Ælfweard (disputed) 17 July 924 2 August 924 16 16 days
Jane (disputed) 10 July 1553 19 July 1553 9 9 days

Scotland

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See also: List of Scottish monarchs
 
James VI was the longest-reigning monarch of an independent Scotland.

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.

Name Reign Duration
From To (days) (years, days)
James VI[a] 24 July 1567 27 March 1625 21,066 57 years, 246 days
William I 9 December 1165 4 December 1214 17,892 48 years, 360 days
Constantine II 900 943 c. 15,500 c. 43 years
David II 7 June 1329 22 February 1371 15,235 41 years, 260 days
Alexander III 6 July 1249 19 March 1286 13,405 36 years, 256 days
Malcolm III 17 March 1058 13 November 1093 13,025 35 years, 241 days
Alexander II 4 December 1214 6 July 1249 12,633 34 years, 214 days
James I 4 April 1406 21 February 1437 11,281 30 years, 323 days
Malcolm II 25 March 1005 25 November 1034 10,837 29 years, 245 days
James V 9 September 1513 14 December 1542 10,688 29 years, 96 days
David I 23 April 1124 24 May 1153 10,623 29 years, 31 days
James III 3 August 1460 11 June 1488 10,174 27 years, 313 days
Charles II[c] 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 IV 11 June 1488 9 September 1513 9,220 25 years, 90 days
Mary I 14 December 1542 24 July 1567 8,988 24 years, 222 days
Charles I[d] 27 March 1625 30 January 1649 8,710 23 years, 309 days
Kenneth II 971 995 c. 8,700 c. 23-24 years
James II 21 February 1437 3 August 1460 8,564 23 years, 164 days
Edward Balliol (disputed) 24 September 1332 20 January 1356 8,518 23 years, 118 days
Robert I 25 March 1306 7 June 1329 8,475 23 years, 74 days
Robert II 22 February 1371 19 April 1390 6,996 19 years, 56 days
Alexander I 8 January 1107 23 April 1124 6,315 17 years, 106 days
Macbeth 14 August 1040 15 August 1057 6,210 17 years, 1 day
Robert III 19 April 1390 4 April 1406 5,828 15 years, 350 days
Constantine I 862 877 c. 5,400 c. 15 years
Kenneth MacAlpin 843 13 February 858 c. 5,100 c. 14 years
William II[e] 11 May 1689 8 March 1702 4,683 12 years, 301 days
Malcolm IV 24 May 1153 9 December 1165 4,582 12 years, 199 days
Giric
(co-ruler with Eochaid?) 		878 889 c. 4.000 c. 11 years
Donald II 889 900 c. 4,000 c. 11 years
Malcolm I 943 954 c. 3,600 c. 10-11 years
Edgar 1097 8 January 1107 c. 3,600 c. 10 years
Kenneth III 997 25 March 1005 c. 2,900 c. 8 years
Indulf 954 962 c. 2,700 c. 8 years
Duncan I 25 November 1034 14 August 1040 2,089 5 years, 263 days
Mary II[f] 11 April 1689 28 December 1694 2,087 5 years, 261 days
Amlaíb 971 977 c. 2,000 c. 5-6 years
Anne[g] 8 March 1702 30 April 1707 1,879 5 years, 53 days
Dub 962 c. 966-967 c. 1,800 c. 5 years
Cuilén c. 966-967 971 c. 1,800 c. 5 years
Domnall mac Ailpín 858 13 April 862 c. 1.300 c. 4 years
James VII[h] 6 February 1685 11 December 1688
(claimed until 16 September 1701) 		1,404
(claimed 6,065) 		3 years, 309 days
claimed 16 years, 222 days
Margaret 25 November 1286 26 September 1290 1,401 3 years, 305 days
John Balliol 17 November 1292 10 July 1296 1,331 3 years, 236 days
Donald III 13 November 1093 1097 c. 1,000 c. 3-4 years
Áed mac Cináeda 877 878 c. 365 c. 1 year
Constantine III 995 997 c. 485 16 months[9]
Lulach 15 August 1057 17 March 1058 212 212 days
Duncan II May 1094 12 November 1094 c. 195 "less than 7 months"

Ireland

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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.

Name Reign Duration
From To (days) (years, days)
Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair 1166 1193 c. 26-27 years
Edward Bruce (disputed) June 1315 14 October 1318 c. 3 years, 100 days
Brian Ua Néill (disputed) 1258 1260 c. 1-2 years

List of the Principalities

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Gwynedd (incomplete list)

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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.

Name Reign Duration
From To (days) (years, days)
Gruffudd ap Cynan 1081 1137 c. 55-56 years
Llywelyn the Great 1195 11 April 1240 >16,172 c. 44-45 years
Owain Gwynedd 1137 1170 >11,688 c. 33 years
Dafydd ab Owain Gwynedd 1170 1195 >8,766 c. 25 years
Cynan ab Iago 1023 1039 5840 16 years
Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd 1170 1170 <1 year

Wales (complete list)

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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 and 1542 formally incorporated all of Wales within the Kingdom of England.

Name Reign Duration
From To (days) (years, days)
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd 1253 11 December 1282 >10,572 c. 29 years
Owain Glyndŵr (disputed) 16 September 1400 c. 1416 >5,585 c. 16 years
Owain Goch ap Gruffydd 25 February 1246 1255 >3,000 c. 9 years
Owain Lawgoch (disputed) May 1372 July 1378 >2,221 c. 6 years
Dafydd ap Llywelyn 12 April 1240 25 February 1246 2,145 5 years, 319 days
Dafydd ap Gruffydd 11 December 1282 3 October 1283 296 296 days

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c James VI, King of Scots, became James I, King of England, in 1603.
  2. ^ a b c Monarch's total length of reign is the sum of the two reigns displayed.
  3. ^ a b Charles II King of England and King of Scots reigned concurrently from 29 May 1660 to 6 February 1685.
  4. ^ a b Charles I was King of England and King of Scots concurrently.
  5. ^ a b William of Orange became William III, King of England, on 13 February 1689 and William II, King of Scots, on 11 May 1689.
  6. ^ a b Mary II became Queen of England on 13 February 1689 and Queen of Scots on 11 May 1689.
  7. ^ a b Anne, Queen of England and Scotland, became Queen of Great Britain on 1 May 1707.
  8. ^ a b James was James II, King of England, and James VII, King of Scotland, concurrently.
Additional
^N.S. Over the course of George II's life, two calendars were used: the Old Style Julian calendar (O.S.) and the New Style Gregorian calendar (N.S.). Before 1700, the two calendars were 10 days apart. Hanover switched from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar on 19 February/1 March 1700. Great Britain switched on 3/14 September 1752.

References

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  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. ^ "Queen Elizabeth II has died, Buckingham Palace announces". BBC News. 8 September 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  4. ^ Warren Gaebel. "Longest Reigning British Monarch". Warren Gaebel. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ "Famous Stewarts". stewartsociety.org. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  7. ^ "The Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II".
  8. ^ "Royal And Parliamentary Titles Act 1927". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  9. ^ Skene, Chronicles of the Picts and Scots, p. 131
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