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An heir apparent is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person. [note 1] A person who is first in the current order of succession but could be displaced by the birth of a more eligible heir is known as heir presumptive.
Today these terms most commonly describe heirs to hereditary titles (e.g. titles of nobility) or offices, especially when only inheritable by a single person. Most monarchies refer to the heir apparent of their thrones with the descriptive term of crown prince or crown princess, but they may also be accorded with a more specific substantive title: [note 2] such as Prince of Orange in the Netherlands, Duke of Brabant in Belgium, Prince of Asturias in Spain (also granted to heirs presumptive), or the Prince of Wales in England and Wales; former titles include Dauphin in the Kingdom of France, and Tsesarevich in Imperial Russia.
The term is also applied metaphorically to an expected successor to any position of power, e.g. a political or corporate leader.
This article primarily describes the term heir apparent in a hereditary system regulated by laws of primogeniture—it may be less applicable to cases where a monarch has a say in naming the heir (performed either while alive, e.g. crowning the heir as a rex iunior, or through the monarch's will).
In a hereditary system governed by some form of primogeniture, an heir apparent is easily identifiable as the person whose position as first in the line of succession to a title or office is secure, regardless of future births. An heir presumptive, by contrast, can always be "bumped down" in the succession by the birth of somebody more closely related in a legal sense (according to that form of primogeniture) to the current title-holder.
The clearest example occurs in the case of a childless bearer of a hereditary title that can only be inherited by one person. If at any time the title bearer were to produce children, those children would rank ahead of any person who had formerly been heir presumptive.
Many legal systems assume childbirth is always possible regardless of age or health. In such circumstances a person may be, in a practical sense, the heir apparent but still, legally speaking, heir presumptive. Indeed, when Queen Victoria succeeded her uncle King William IV, the wording of the proclamation even gave as a caveat:
...saving the rights of any issue of his late Majesty King William IV, which may be born of his late Majesty's consort.
This provided for the possibility that William's wife, Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, was pregnant at the moment of his death, since such a posthumous child, regardless of its sex, would have displaced Victoria from the throne. [1] Adelaide was 44 at the time, so pregnancy was possible even if unlikely.
Daughters (and their lines) may inherit titles that descend according to male-preference primogeniture, but only in default of sons (and their heirs). That is, both female and male offspring have the right to a place somewhere in the order of succession, but when it comes to what that place is, a female will rank behind her brothers regardless of their ages or her age.
Thus, normally, even an only daughter will not be heir apparent, since at any time a brother might be born who, though younger, would assume that position. Hence, she is an heir presumptive. For example, Queen Elizabeth II was heir presumptive during the reign of her father, King George VI; had George fathered a legitimate son, then that child would have displaced Elizabeth in the line of succession and become heir apparent.
However, a granddaughter could for example be heir apparent if she were the only daughter of the deceased eldest son of the sovereign (e.g. Queen Elizabeth II would have been heir apparent to George V if her oldest uncle and father both had died before their father).
In a system of absolute primogeniture that disregards gender, female heirs apparent occur. As succession to titles, positions, or offices in the past most often favoured males, females considered to be an heir apparent were rare. Absolute primogeniture was not practised by any modern monarchy for succession to their thrones until the late twentieth century, with Sweden being the first to adopt absolute primogeniture in 1980 and other Western European monarchies following suit.
Since the adoption of absolute primogeniture by most of the Western European monarchies, examples of female heirs apparent include Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, and Princess Elisabeth of Belgium; they are, respectively, the oldest children of Kings Carl XVI Gustaf, Willem-Alexander, and Philippe. Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway is heir apparent to her father, who is heir apparent to the Norwegian throne, and Victoria herself has a female heir apparent in her elder child, Princess Estelle. Victoria was not heir apparent from birth (in 1977), but gained the status in 1980 following a change in the Swedish Act of Succession. Her younger brother Carl Philip (born 1979) was thus heir apparent for a few months (and is a rare example of an heir apparent losing this status without a death occurring).
In 2015, pursuant to the 2011 Perth Agreement, the Commonwealth realms changed the rules of succession to the 16 thrones of Elizabeth II to absolute primogeniture, except for male heirs born before the Perth Agreement. The effects are not likely to be felt for many years; the first two heirs at the time of the agreement (Charles, Prince of Wales, later Charles III, and his son William, Prince of Wales) were already eldest born children, and in 2013 William's first-born son Prince George of Wales became the next apparent successor.
But even in legal systems that apply male-preference primogeniture, female heirs apparent are by no means impossible: if a male heir apparent dies leaving no sons but at least one daughter, then the eldest daughter would replace her father as heir apparent to whatever throne or title is concerned, but only when it has become clear that the widow of the deceased is not pregnant. Then, as the representative of her father's line she would assume a place ahead of any more distant relatives. For example, had George, Prince of Wales (the future George IV) predeceased his father, King George III, between 1796 and 1817, the former's daughter, Princess Charlotte, being his only legitimate child, would have become heir apparent to the British throne. Such a situation has not to date occurred with the English or British throne; several times an heir apparent has died, but each example has either been childless or left a son or sons. However, there have been several female heirs apparent to British peerages (e.g. Frances Ward, 6th Baroness Dudley, and Henrietta Wentworth, 6th Baroness Wentworth).
In one special case, however, England and Scotland had a female heir apparent. The Revolution settlement that established William and Mary as joint monarchs in 1689 only gave the power to continue the succession through issue to Mary II, elder daughter of the previous king, James II. William, by contrast, was to reign for life only, and his (hypothetical) children by a wife other than Mary would be placed in his original place (as Mary's first cousin) in the line of succession—after Mary's younger sister Anne. Thus, after Mary's death William continued to reign, but he had no power to beget direct heirs, [2] and Anne became the heir apparent for the remainder of William's reign. She eventually succeeded him as Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
The position of an heir apparent is normally unshakable: it can be assumed they will inherit. Sometimes, however, extraordinary events—such as the death or the deposition of the parent—intervene.
In some jurisdictions, an heir apparent can automatically lose that status by breaching certain constitutional rules. Today, for example:
Country | Picture | Name of heir apparent | Title | Date of birth (age) | Relation to monarch |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bahrain | Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa | Crown Prince of Bahrain | October 21, 1969 | eldest son | |
Belgium | Elisabeth | Princess, Duchess of Brabant | October 25, 2001 | eldest child | |
Bhutan | Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck | Dragon Prince of Bhutan, Druk Gyalsey of Bhutan | February 5, 2016 | eldest child | |
Brunei | Al-Muhtadee Billah | Crown Prince of Brunei Darussalam | February 17, 1974 | eldest son | |
Denmark | Christian | Crown Prince of Denmark, Count of Monpezat | October 15, 2005 | eldest child | |
Jordan | Hussein bin Abdullah | Crown Prince of Jordan | June 28, 1994 | elder son | |
Kuwait | Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah | Crown Prince of Kuwait | March 3, 1953 | maternal half-nephew and paternal second cousin | |
Lesotho | Lerotholi Seeiso | Crown Prince of Lesotho | April 18, 2007 | only son | |
Liechtenstein | Alois | Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein, Count of Rietberg | June 11, 1968 | eldest son | |
Luxembourg | Guillaume | Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg | November 11, 1981 | eldest child | |
Monaco | Jacques | Hereditary Prince of Monaco, Marquis of Baux | December 10, 2014 | only legitimate son | |
Morocco | Moulay Hassan | Crown Prince of Morocco | May 8, 2003 | only son | |
Netherlands | Catharina-Amalia | Princess of Orange | December 7, 2003 | eldest child | |
Norway | Haakon Magnus | Crown Prince of Norway | July 20, 1973 | only son | |
Oman | Theyazin bin Haitham | Sayyid, Crown Prince of Oman | August 21, 1990 | eldest son | |
Saudi Arabia | Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud | Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia | August 31, 1985 | child | |
Sweden | Victoria | Crown Princess of Sweden, Duchess of Västergötland | July 14, 1977 | eldest child | |
Tonga | Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala | Crown Prince of Tonga | September 17, 1985 | elder son | |
United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms | William | Prince of Wales, Earl of Chester, Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland | June 21, 1982 | elder son |
Heir apparent | Lived | Heir of | Reason for Abandoning or Being Forced Out |
---|---|---|---|
Darius | Died 465 BC | Xerxes I | Upon the murder of Xerxes I, Darius was framed for the murder and subsequently executed |
Liu Rong | Died 148 BC | Emperor Jing of Han | Disinherited after his mother angered the emperor by requesting the position of empress and refusing to allow the marriage of Liu Rong to Chen Jiao |
Kunala | Born 263 BC | Ashoka | Blinded |
Antipater | BC 46–BC 4 | Herod the Great | Disinherited after being charged with intended murder. Subsequently executed. |
Alexander | BC 35–BC 7 | Disinherited and executed | |
Aristobulus IV | BC 31–BC 7 | ||
Herod II | BC 27–33 AD | Disinherited | |
Agrippa Postumus | BC 12–14 AD | Augustus | Banished. Later executed by his own guards after the accession of Tiberius |
Liu Jiang | 25–58 | Emperor Guangwu of Han | His mother lost the position of empress |
Sun He | 224–253 | Sun Quan | Replaced with his brother Sun Liang |
Sima Ying | 279–306 | Emperor Hui of Jin | Replaced as heir by Emperor Huai of Jin |
Crispus | 295–326 | Constantine the Great | Executed |
Prince Kinashi no Karu | Died 453 | Emperor Ingyō | His brother Emperor Ankō took the throne instead |
Yuan Xun | 483–497 | Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei | Disagreement of his father's policy |
Hermenegild | Died 585 | Liuvigild | Disinherited for rebellion |
Yang Yong | Died 604 | Emperor Wen of Sui | Forced to abdicate and killed by younger brother Yang Guang |
Li Chengqian | 619–645 | Emperor Taizong of Tang | Attempted to overthrow his father and kill his brother by coup. Exiled for immorality and treason |
Li Zhong | 642–665 | Emperor Gaozong of Tang | Empress Wu Zetian got the favor from Gaozong and his position was taken by his half brother Li Hong |
Li Xian | 655–684 | Exiled by Empress Wu Zetian from rumors. Was later forced to commit suicide after Gaozong's death | |
Prince Kusakabe | 662–689 | Emperor Tenmu | Did not assume throne |
Abd al-Aziz ibn Marwan | Died 705 | Marwan I | Removed from line of succession |
Li Chengqi | 679–742 | Emperor Ruizong of Tang | Gave up the claim because he thought that he did not have the strength to be a wise emperor and his position was taken by his half brother Li Longji |
Alexios Mosele | 9th century | Theophilos | Disinherited for rebellion |
Al-Mufawwid | Died 890s | Al-Mu'tamid (Abbasid caliph) | On 30 April 892, Al-Mufawwid was removed from the succession by his cousin, al-Mu'tadid and when al-Mu'tamid died in October 892, he was succeeded by al-Mu'tadid. |
Al-Abbas ibn Ahmad ibn Tulun | Died 884 | Ahmad ibn Tulun | Disinherited for attempting to overthrow his father |
Li Yu | Died in 904 | Emperor Zhaozong of Tang | Actually inherited the throne in fact, but not recognized as an emperor. Became crown prince again after two months and killed by Zhu Wen |
Prince Tsunesada | 825–884 | Emperor Ninmyō | Disinherited in the Jōwa Incident |
Yelü Bei | 899–937 | Emperor Taizu of Liao | Kept the favor away from her mother Empress Shulü Ping, because he their political view were totally opposite. |
Fujiwara no Korechika | 974–1010 | Fujiwara no Michitaka | Lost in Chōtoku Incident to his uncle Fujiwara no Michinaga who seize the power and lost the position to inherent Kampaku. |
Prince Atsuyasu | 999–1019 | Emperor Ichijō | Kugyō Fujiwara no Yukinari and Fujiwara no Michinaga forced him to give up the status and his half brother Prince Atsuhira took his position. |
Abd al-Rahim ibn Ilyas | Died 1020s | Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah | Sidelined upon Al-Hakim's death in favor of Al-Zahir li-i'zaz Din Allah, who had him arrested and imprisoned. |
Al-Malik al-Aziz | Died 1049 | Jalal al-Dawla | Late ruler's nephew Abu Kalijar took the throne instead |
Peter Raymundi | Born 1050 | Ramon Berenguer I, Count of Barcelona | Disinherited and exiled for killing his stepmother Almodis of La Marche |
Conrad II of Italy | 1074–1101 | Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor | Disinherited for rebellion |
Min Shin Saw | 1117–1167 | Alaungsithu | Exiled |
William I, Count of Boulogne | 1137–1159 | Stephen, King of England | Treaty of Wallingford dictated the succession of Henry II of England |
Demna of Georgia | 1155–1178 | David V of Georgia | Imprisoned, blinded and castrated by his uncle, King George III of Georgia |
Zhao Hong | Died 1225 | Emperor Ningzong | Shi Miyuan and Empress Yang faked the edict of emperor. |
Henry (VII) of Germany | 1211–1242 | Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor | Disinherited for rebellion |
Louis of Toulouse | 1274–1297 | Charles II of Naples | Renounced rights to become a clergyman. His position of crown prince was taken by his brother Robert. |
James of Majorca | 1275–1330 | James II of Majorca | Renounced rights to become a monk. His position of crown prince was taken by his brother Sancho. |
Charles Robert of Anjou | 1288–1342 | Charles II of Naples | His uncle Robert was made heir instead on 13 February 1296 |
James of Aragon | 1296–1334 | James II of Aragon | Renounced rights to become a monk. His position of crown prince was taken by his brother Alfonso. |
Otto, Duke of Lolland and Estonia | 1310–1346 | Christopher II of Denmark | Forced to surrender claim to the throne in favor of his brother Valdemar IV of Denmark |
Prince Narinaga | 1326–c. 1337–44 | Emperor Kōmyō | Killed or deposed by Ashikaga Takauji |
Eric XII of Sweden | 1339–1359 | Magnus VII of Norway | Became King of Sweden, with his brother Haakon VI of Norway taking the throne of Norway |
Baw Ngan-Mohn | 1370–1390 | Binnya U | Imprisoned |
Grand Prince Yangnyeong | 1394–1462 | Taejong of Joseon | Removed due to an affair |
Vladislaus Jagiellon | 1456–1516 | Casimir IV Jagiellon of Poland-Lithuania | Elected King of Bohemia, with his brother Alexander Jagiellon taking the throne of Poland-Lithuania |
Dmitry Ivanovich | 1483–1509 | Ivan III of Russia | Disinherited in favor of uncle Vasili III of Russia |
Carlos, Prince of Asturias | 1545–1568 | Philip II of Spain | Arrested and imprisoned by his father; died in prison six months later |
Minye Kyawswa II of Ava | 1567–1599 | Nanda Bayin | Defected |
Cuyen | 1580–1615 | Nurhaci | Political conflict with his father; replaced by his brother Hong Taiji |
Yinreng | 1674–1725 | The Kangxi Emperor | Imprisoned for life by Kangxi for immorality and treason; replaced by his brother Yongzheng Emperor |
Alexei Petrovich, Tsarevich of Russia | 1690–1718 | Peter the Great of Russia | Imprisoned by his father and forced to relinquish his claim in favor of his half-brother Peter Petrovich. Died in prison. |
Philip, Duke of Calabria | 1747–1777 | Charles III of Spain | Intellectually disabled; removed from the line of succession in favor of his brothers Charles and Ferdinand, who took the thrones of Spain and Naples and Sicily, respectively |
Louis, Prince of Piacenza | 1773–1803 | Ferdinand I, Duke of Parma | The Treaty of Aranjuez forced Ferdinand to relinquish the Duchy of Parma to France upon his death. Louis was compensated by being made King of Etruria. |
Pedro, Prince Imperial of Brazil | 1825–1891 | Pedro IV of Portugal | Became heir solely to Brazil, with his sister Maria becoming heir presumptive to Portugal |
Mustafa Fazıl Pasha | 1830–1875 | Isma'il Pasha | Succession law changed to pass from father to son instead of brother to brother; replaced by Tewfik Pasha |
Tengku Alam Shah | 1846–1891 | Sultan Ali of Johor | Throne given to kinsman Abu Bakar of Johor instead |
Khalifa bin Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan | c.1856–? | Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan | Refused throne, with his brother Tahnoun bin Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan becoming ruler instead |
George, Crown Prince of Serbia | 1887–1972 | Peter I of Serbia | Abdicated his succession rights in 1909; replaced by his brother Alexander |
Muhammad of Saudi Arabia | 1910–1988 | King Faisal ibn Abdul-Aziz | Forced to abdicate in 1965; replaced by his brother Khalid |
Abdullah Mubarak Al-Sabah | 1914–1991 | Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah | Resigned as Vice Ruler in 1961 |
Tunku Abdul Rahman of Johor | 1933–1989 | Ismail of Johor | His elder brother Iskandar of Johor was reinstated after previously being forced to renounce his rights |
Khalid bin Saqr Al Qasimi | Born 1940 | Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qasimi | Disinherited in favor of his half-brother Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi |
Muqrin of Saudi Arabia | Born 1945 | King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud | Removed as Crown Prince in April 2015; replaced by his nephew Muhammad bin Nayef |
Hassan of Jordan | Born 1947 | King Hussein of Jordan | He was replaced by his nephew Abdullah only days before the king died in 1999 |
Muhammad bin Nayef of Saudi Arabia | Born 1959 | King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud | Removed as Crown Prince in June 2017; replaced by his cousin Mohammad bin Salman |
Mishaal bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani | Born 1972 | Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani | Renounced his claim in 1996 in favor of his younger half-brother, Sheikh Jasim |
Jassim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani | Born 1978 | Renounced his claim in 2003 in favor of his younger brother, Sheikh Tamim | |
Prince Carl Philip of Sweden | Born 1979 | Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden | Swedish succession laws were changed in 1980. Carl Philip was supplanted by his elder sister Victoria |
Prince Hamzah of Jordan | Born 1980 | Abdullah II of Jordan | Title of Crown Prince removed in 2004. Hamzah was supplanted by his half-nephew Hussein |
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