Meet the British Royal Family: A Complete Guide to the Modern Monarchy

The United Kingdom has a new monarch.

Following Queen Elizabeth's death in September 2022, her eldest son King Charles acceded to the throne. He, along with his wife Queen Camilla, was coronated on May 6, 2023, in front of 2,200 guests — including many members of the British royal family.

The U.K.'s modern royal family began when Queen Elizabeth married Prince Philip in 1947. Throughout her 70-year reign — which was the longest of any British monarch to date — the family endured both happy marriages and heartbreaking divorces, tragic deaths and royal births.

Now with King Charles at the helm of the monarchy, a handful of family members carry on royal duties beside him full-time, including Queen Camilla, his older son Prince William and daughter-in-law Kate Middleton. Other members of the Mountbatten-Windsor clan — including the King's younger son Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle — have chosen to pursue life outside of the royal fold.

The youngest generation of British royals, which includes Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, are also starting to make appearances at public family events — and stealing the spotlight with their adorable antics. In 2022, Prince Louis went viral for making funny faces at his mom Kate Middleton during the Platinum Jubilee Pageant. Just a few years prior, Queen Elizabeth's great-granddaughter Savannah Phillips (who was 7 at the time) made headlines for shushing a 4-year-old George on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

In February 2024, Buckingham Palace announced King Charles was diagnosed with cancer and would postpone all future engagements. The news came less than a month after the King underwent a procedure to treat an enlarged prostate.

The following month, Kate shared her own cancer diagnosis after undergoing a "planned abdominal surgery" in January. Though it appeared that the issue was non-cancerous, post-operative tests revealed that "cancer had been present."

Here's everything to know about the British royal family.

Queen Elizabeth

Born on April 21, 1926, Queen Elizabeth was the monarch of the United Kingdom from 1952 until she died in 2022. She served in the armed forces, joining the Auxiliary Territorial Service when she was 18 years old to become a vehicle mechanic during World War II.

She acceded to the throne when she was just 25 following the death of her father, King George VI.

In 1947, she married Prince Philip, and together, they welcomed four children: the future King Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.

The Queen "died peacefully" at 96 years old on Sept. 8, 2022. Reigning over 70 years, she had the longest tenure of any British monarch.

Prince Philip

Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, was the husband of Queen Elizabeth from their wedding in 1947 until his death in 2021. Born to Greek and Danish royal families, Prince Philip served in the navy and was active in the sport of carriage driving.

King Charles

King Charles is the oldest child of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip and the current King of the United Kingdom, having acceded to the throne upon the death of his mother on Sept. 8, 2022. King Charles' coronation took place at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023.

Charles married Princess Diana in 1981, welcoming sons Prince William in 1982 and Prince Harry in 1984. The couple separated in 1992, and Charles went on to wed Queen Camilla in 2005.

An active humanitarian, Charles founded the Prince's Trust in 1976 and has contributed to over 400 different organizations.

In February 2024, King Charles announced he was diagnosed with the cancer and would be postponing all future engagements. The palace said in a statement, "The King is grateful to his medical team for their swift intervention, which was made possible thanks to his recent hospital procedure. He remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible."

Princess Diana

Princess Diana was King Charles' first wife and the mother of Prince William and Prince Harry. After meeting Charles through her sister, Lady Sarah, the two began courting in 1980 and wed at St. Paul's Cathedral the following year.

A prolific philanthropist, Princess Diana advocated for causes like homelessness, cancer and AIDS research.

Diana tragically died on Aug. 31, 1997, following a car accident in Paris. She was 36 years old.

Queen Camilla

Queen Camilla is the Queen Consort of the United Kingdom and the second wife of King Charles.

She was previously married to army officer Andrew Parker-Bowles, with whom she shares two children, Tom and Laura, though they divorced in 1995. Camilla and Charles had an affair during both of their marriages and eventually wed in 2005.

In October 2022, Buckingham Palace announced that Camilla would be crowned alongside her husband at his May 2023 coronation ceremony. She will be the first Queen Consort crowned at Westminster Abbey in nearly 90 years.

Prince William

The older son of King Charles and the late Princess Diana, Prince William was born on June 21, 1982. He is currently next in line for the British throne.

After attending St. Andrews in Scotland, where he met his future wife Kate Middleton, Prince William completed officer training and entered the RAF Search and Rescue Force.

William and Kate got married at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011, and the two share three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

He holds over 30 charitable patronages, and in 2020 started The Earthshot Prize, awarded each year for winners' contributions to environmentalism.

Following the death of his grandmother Queen Elizabeth in September 2022, William and Kate became the Prince and Princess of Wales — titles that were previously held by his parents.

Kate Middleton

Princess Kate was born on Jan. 9, 1982, to parents Michael and Carole Middleton.

She met Prince William as a student at St. Andrews in 2001, and the two eventually wed 10 years later. On their wedding day, the couple were given the titles of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. However, following King Charles' accession in 2022, they became the Prince and Princess of Wales.

She shares three young children with her husband — Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — and holds over 20 charitable patronages, including organizations that support mental health resources, fight addiction and promote the arts.

In March 2024, Kate shared a video on the Prince and Princess of Wales' Instagram account revealing that she'd been diagnosed with cancer following a "planned abdominal surgery" in January.

"My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy, and I am now in the early stages of that treatment," she said in the video, later adding, "We hope that you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment. My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy, and I look forward to being back when I am able — but for now, I must focus on making a full recovery."

Prince George

William and Kate's eldest child is Prince George. He was on born July 22, 2013, and is second in line to the throne behind his father.

He's already participated in many royal activities, including the Platinum Jubilee and Queen Elizabeth's state funeral.

In 2023, George will make history at his grandfather's coronation by serving as a Page of Honor at the crowning ceremony. In doing so, he will become the youngest future king to have an official role at a coronation.

Princess Charlotte

William and Kate's second child and only daughter is Princess Charlotte, who was born on May 2, 2015. She is third in line for the throne.

Like her brother, she's already participated in a number of royal activities and even got the attention of royal watchers after she cheekily stopped little brother Louis from waving during a 2022 carriage ride.

Prince Louis

William and Kate's youngest child, Prince Louis, was born on April 23, 2018, and currently sits fourth in line for the throne. Though he's still young, the prince has already gone viral for his goofy antics at the 2022 Platinum Jubilee, in which he showed off a series of funny faces while watching the events.

In April 2023, the then-4-year-old prince made his Easter debut alongside his parents and siblings.

Prince Harry

King Charles and Princess Diana's younger child, Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, was born Sept. 15, 1984.

After undergoing officer training, Prince Harry served in Afghanistan with the Army Air Corps before resigning from the army in 2015.

In 2018, he married former Suits actress Meghan Markle at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. The couple has since welcomed two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

In 2020, the couple stepped back from their roles as working royals and moved to Meghan's home state of California. Three years later, Prince Harry released his memoir Spare, which contained bombshell revelations about his relationship with other members of the family.

Ahead of the King's coronation, Buckingham Palace confirmed that Prince Harry will attend his father's crowning ceremony, though his wife will stay in California.

Meghan Markle

After meeting through friends, actress Meghan Markle wed Prince Harry in 2018. On their wedding day, they were given the titles Duke and Duchess of Sussex by the Queen.

The couple are parents to two children: son Archie, who was born in 2019, and daughter Lilibet, who was born in 2021.

In 2020, the two announced their intentions to step back from their roles as working royals and began living in California. They support a number of charitable causes through their Archewell Foundation. Markle is also the host of her podcast Archetypes, which explores stereotypes women face daily.

Meghan will not attend King Charles and Queen Camilla's coronation ceremony in May 2023 and will instead remain in California with her children.

Prince Archie

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's older child, Prince Archie of Sussex, was born on May 6, 2019.

Archie gained the title of prince when King Charles acceded the throne, as he's the grandson of a monarch; his sister Lilibet, respectively, gained the title of princess.

Princess Lilibet

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's younger child, Princess Lilibet, was born on June 4, 2021.

Her first name pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth's childhood nickname, while her middle name, Diana, is in honor of Harry's late mother.

In March 2023, she was christened during a small, intimate ceremony at the family's home in Montecito, California.

Princess Anne

The second child of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Princess Anne was born Aug. 15, 1950. An accomplished equestrian, Anne became the first British royal to compete in the Olympics in 1976.

She married Captain Mark Phillips in 1973. The couple had two children, Peter and Zara, before their 1992 divorce. That same year, she married Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.

As a working royal, Anne performs official duties on behalf of the King and is the patron of over 300 charities.

Sir Timothy Laurence

Timothy Laurence and Princess Anne met while he was working as an equerry for Queen Elizabeth. They got married in 1992 following Anne's divorce from Phillips. In 2004, the retired naval officer was named personal aide-de-camp to the Queen.

Peter Phillips

Born Nov. 15, 1977, Peter Phillips is the first child of Princess Anne and Mark Phillips. A businessman, Peter has worked for Jaguar Racing and the Royal Bank of Scotland and has owned his own sports management company, SEL UK, since 2012.

He married Canadian management consultant Autumn Phillips in 2008. The couple had two children together, Savannah and Isla, before their 2021 divorce.

Savannah Phillips

Born on Dec. 29, 2010, Savannah Phillips was Queen Elizabeth's first great-grandchild. She and her younger sister Isla made their royal debuts in 2017 at the Trooping the Color. The next year at the ceremony, she went viral for shushing her second cousin Prince George.

Isla Phillips

Peter and Autumn's second child, Isla Phillips, was born on March 29, 2012. Isla is often seen attending royal events and playing with cousins Mia, Lena and Lucas Tindall.

Zara Tindall

Born May 15, 1981, Zara is Princess Anne and Mark Phillips' second child. A talented equestrian like her mother, Zara competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics and won a silver medal in team eventing. In 2011, she married rugby player Mike Tindall, and together they have three children, Mia, Lena and Lucas.

Mike Tindall

Mike Tindall first met his future wife Zara at the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

In 2022, he competed on the British reality show I'm a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! and was eliminated just before the finale. A former rugby player, he played for Bath and Gloucester and was part of the English team that won the World Cup in 2003.

Mia Tindall

Zara and Mike's first child, Mia Tindall, was born on Jan. 17, 2014. She's close with second cousins George, Charlotte and Louis, even getting caught on camera distracting George during a 2022 Christmas walk.

Lena Tindall

Zara and Mike's second child, Lena Tindall, was born on June 18, 2018. Although she's young, Lena has already become a royal favorite, having been seen playing with cousins Savannah and Isla at equestrian events and crashing her dad Mike's podcast, House of Rugby.

Lucas Tindall

The youngest child of Zara and Mike, Lucas Tindall was born on March 21, 2021. His birth was anything but smooth, however, with Mike revealing that he was born at home in the bathroom.

Prince Andrew

The third child of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Prince Andrew was born on Feb. 19, 1960, at Buckingham Palace. A career naval officer, Andrew married Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson in 1986. The couple welcomed two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, before their divorce in 1996.

In 2019, Prince Andrew was accused of sexual abuse by Jeffrey Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre and was later sued, though he has denied the allegations. In 2022, he was stripped of his military affiliations and royal patronages, and a settlement was reached.

Sarah Ferguson

Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson first met Prince Andrew when Princess Diana invited the soon-to-be Duchess of York to the Royal Ascot in 1985. The two married in 1986, welcoming daughters Beatrice in 1988 and Eugenie in 1990. However, the couple separated in 1992 and finalized their divorce four years later.

In the years since, she and Andrew have remained close, living together after the split and even adopting the Queen's corgis after her death.

Princess Beatrice

The first child of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, Princess Beatrice was born on Aug. 8, 1988. In 2020, she married property developer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, and the two welcomed their daughter Sienna in 2021.

Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi

Property developer Edoardo "Edo" Mapelli Mozzi first met Princess Beatrice through mutual friends. They debuted their relationship at a 2019 gala for the National Portrait Gallery. The two married in an intimate 2020 wedding and welcomed daughter Sienna in 2021. Edo also shares son Christopher Woolf, known as "Wolfie," with ex-girlfriend and American architect Dara Huang.

Sienna Mapelli Mozzi

Beatrice and Edo's first child together, Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi, was born on Sept. 18, 2021. Sienna's middle name, Elizabeth, is a nod to Princess Beatrice's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, while her first name, Sienna, is reportedly inspired by the red hair that Beatrice and her mother, Sarah Ferguson, share.

Princess Eugenie

The second daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, Princess Eugenie was born on March 23, 1990. In 2018, she wed her longtime partner Jack Brooksbank, and in 2021, they welcomed their first child, August Philip Hawke. Eugenie is currently pregnant with her second baby.

Jack Brooksbank

Jack Brooksbank first met Princess Eugenie on a 2010 ski trip in Verbier, Switzerland. The two married in 2018 and welcomed their first child, August, in 2021.

August Brooksbank

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's first child, August Philip Hawke Brooksbank —affectionately nicknamed Augie — was born on Feb. 9, 2021. He made his royal debut in June 2022 for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Pageant, showing off his wave in a Union Jack sweater.

Prince Edward

The youngest child of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip, Prince Edward was born on March 10, 1964, at Buckingham Palace. After graduating from the University of Cambridge and completing a brief stint in the Royal Marines, Edward went into theater and formed his own company, Ardent Productions. In 1999, he married Sophie Rhys-Jones; the couple would go on to welcome two children, Lady Louise and James Mountbatten-Windsor. In 2002, he stepped down from Ardent to become a full-time working royal and is now the Duke of Edinburgh.

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, wed Prince Edward in 1999. They have since welcomed two children, Lady Louise and James, Earl of Wessex. After working in public relations, Sophie became a full-time working member of the royal family in 2002.

Lady Louise

Edward and Sophie's first child, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, was born on Nov. 8, 2003, about a month before her due date. Lady Louise's premature birth resulted in the young royal having an eye condition called esotropia (which Sophie explained is a "profound squint").

When she was 7, Lady Louise was a bridesmaid for Prince William and Kate's 2011 wedding. In 2018, she served as a special attendant at Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's wedding. She currently attends St. Andrews University.

James, Earl of Wessex

Louise's younger brother James was born on Dec. 17, 2007. While James was styled as Viscount Severn since birth, in March 2023, he became Earl of Wessex when his father Edward received the title of Duke of Edinburgh.