How British were our monarchs?
Here’s a detailed list of English/British monarchs from William the Conqueror to King Charles III, including the names and nationalities of their wives and the mothers of their successors. The intent is to analyse the extent of non-British influence in the lineage:
Analysis
The list demonstrates a strong foreign influence in the Royal Family until the 20th century, with most queens and mothers of successors being non-English or non-British. It was only with the marriage of George VI to Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon that a distinctly British connection became prominent in the line of succession.
Norman Dynasty
1. William I (the Conqueror) (r. 1066–1087)
◦ Wife: Matilda of Flanders (Flemish)
◦ Mother of successor: Matilda of Flanders (Flemish)
2. William II (Rufus) (r. 1087–1100)
◦ Wife: Never married, no children.
◦ Mother of successor: Matilda of Flanders (Flemish)
3. Henry I (r. 1100–1135)
◦ Wife: Matilda of Scotland (Scottish)
◦ Mother of successor: Matilda of Scotland (Scottish)
Plantagenet Dynasty
4. Stephen (r. 1135–1154)
◦ Wife: Matilda of Boulogne (Flemish)
◦ Mother of successor: Matilda of Boulogne (Flemish)
5. Henry II (r. 1154–1189)
◦ Wife: Eleanor of Aquitaine (French)
◦ Mother of successor: Eleanor of Aquitaine (French)
6. Richard I (Lionheart) (r. 1189–1199)
◦ Wife: Berengaria of Navarre (Navarrese)
◦ Mother of successor: Eleanor of Aquitaine (French)
7. John (Lackland) (r. 1199–1216)
◦ Wife: Isabella of Angoulême (French)
◦ Mother of successor: Isabella of Angoulême (French)
8. Henry III (r. 1216–1272)
◦ Wife: Eleanor of Provence (French)
◦ Mother of successor: Eleanor of Provence (French)
9. Edward I (Longshanks) (r. 1272–1307)
◦ Wife: Eleanor of Castile (Spanish)
◦ Mother of successor: Eleanor of Castile (Spanish)
10. Edward II (r. 1307–1327)
◦ Wife: Isabella of France (French)
◦ Mother of successor: Isabella of France (French)
11. Edward III (r. 1327–1377)
◦ Wife: Philippa of Hainault (Flemish)
◦ Mother of successor: Philippa of Hainault (Flemish)
12. Richard II (r. 1377–1399)
◦ Wife: Anne of Bohemia (Czech) and Isabella of Valois (French)
◦ Mother of successor: Mary de Bohun (English)
House of Lancaster
13. Henry IV (r. 1399–1413)
◦ Wife: Mary de Bohun (English) and Joan of Navarre (Navarrese)
◦ Mother of successor: Mary de Bohun (English)
14. Henry V (r. 1413–1422)
◦ Wife: Catherine of Valois (French)
◦ Mother of successor: Catherine of Valois (French)
House of York
15. Henry VI (r. 1422–1461; 1470–1471)
◦ Wife: Margaret of Anjou (French)
◦ Mother of successor: Cecily Neville (English) (Mother of Edward IV)
16. Edward IV (r. 1461–1470; 1471–1483)
◦ Wife: Elizabeth Woodville (English)
◦ Mother of successor: Elizabeth Woodville (English)
17. Edward V (r. 1483)
◦ Never married, no children.
18. Richard III (r. 1483–1485)
◦ Wife: Anne Neville (English)
◦ Mother of successor: Margaret Beaufort (English) (Mother of Henry VII)
Tudor Dynasty
19. Henry VII (r. 1485–1509)
◦ Wife: Elizabeth of York (English)
◦ Mother of successor: Elizabeth of York (English)
20. Henry VIII (r. 1509–1547)
◦ Wife: Various (Catherine of Aragon (Spanish), Anne Boleyn (English), etc.)
◦ Mother of successor: Jane Seymour (English)
21. Edward VI (r. 1547–1553)
◦ Never married, no children.
22. Mary I (Bloody Mary) (r. 1553–1558)
◦ Husband: Philip II of Spain (Spanish)
◦ Mother of successor: Anne Boleyn (English) (Mother of Elizabeth I)
23. Elizabeth I (r. 1558–1603)
◦ Never married, no children.
Stuart Dynasty
24. James I (r. 1603–1625)
◦ Wife: Anne of Denmark (Danish)
◦ Mother of successor: Anne of Denmark (Danish)
25. Charles I (r. 1625–1649)
◦ Wife: Henrietta Maria of France (French)
◦ Mother of successor: Henrietta Maria of France (French)
26. Charles II (r. 1660–1685)
◦ No legitimate children.
27. James II (r. 1685–1688)
◦ Wife: Anne Hyde (English), Mary of Modena (Italian)
◦ Mother of successor: Anne Hyde (English)
28. Mary II (r. 1689–1694)
◦ Husband: William III (Dutch)
◦ Mother of successor: Anne Hyde (English) (Mother of Anne)
29. William III (r. 1689–1702, ruled jointly with Mary II)
◦ Wife: Mary II (English/Dutch)
◦ Mother of successor: Anne Hyde (English) (Mother of Anne)
30. Anne (r. 1702–1714)
◦ Husband: Prince George of Denmark (Danish)
◦ Mother of successor: Sophia of Hanover (German)
House of Hanover
31. George I (r. 1714–1727)
◦ Wife: Sophia Dorothea of Celle (German)
◦ Mother of successor: Sophia Dorothea of Celle (German)
32. George II (r. 1727–1760)
◦ Wife: Caroline of Ansbach (German)
◦ Mother of successor: Caroline of Ansbach (German)
33. George III (r. 1760–1820)
◦ Wife: Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (German)
◦ Mother of successor: Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (German)
34. George IV (r. 1820–1830)
◦ Wife: Caroline of Brunswick (German)
◦ Mother of successor: Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (German)
35. William IV (r. 1830–1837)
◦ Wife: Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen (German)
◦ Mother of successor: Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (German)
36. Victoria (r. 1837–1901)
◦ Husband: Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (German)
◦ Mother of successor: Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (German)
House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha / Windsor
37. Edward VII (r. 1901–1910)
◦ Wife: Alexandra of Denmark (Danish)
◦ Mother of successor: Alexandra of Denmark (Danish)
38. George V (r. 1910–1936)
◦ Wife: Mary of Teck (German/British)
◦ Mother of successor: Mary of Teck (German/British)
39. Edward VIII (r. 1936, abdicated)
◦ Never married as king; later married Wallis Simpson (American).
◦ Mother of successor: Mary of Teck (German/British)
40. George VI (r. 1936–1952)
◦ Wife: Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (Scottish/British)
◦ Mother of successor: Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (Scottish/British)
41. Elizabeth II (r. 1952–2022)
◦ Husband: Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark (Greek/Danish)
◦ Mother of successor: Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (Scottish/British)
42. Charles III (r. 2022–present)
◦ Wife: Camilla Parker Bowles (English/British)
◦ Mother of successor: Diana Spencer (English/British)
