As the monarch at the head of a modernising monarchy, Charles III has six grandchildren who occupy notable positions in the royal family and the line of succession. This guide explains their names, parentage, birthdays, roles, and how succession rules shape their public duties, offering a durable reference for how the King’s family is structured today. Their positions reflect long-standing tradition while adapting to reforms such as equal primogeniture and streamlined royal working lives.
Grandchildren of Charles III in order of birth
Born between 1973 and 2014, Charles’s grandchildren form a cohort shaped by significant constitutional reforms. As working royals, they balance public duties with private lives, with roles defined by both seniority and specialism. The order below follows birth date and illustrates how each generation fits into the broader monarchy.
| Name | Birth date | Line of succession rank | Parent(s) | Key roles or notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Phillips | 15 November 1977 | First grandchild; not in top 50 by 2024 reforms | Son of Anne, Princess Royal, and Mark Phillips | Business professional; first grandchild |
| Zara Tindall | 15 May 1981 | Outside top 50 by 2024 reforms | Daughter of Anne, Princess Royal, and Mark Phillips | Equestrian and philanthropist; closest in age to Peter Phillips |
| Prince William, Prince of Wales | 21 June 1982 | Second in line to the throne | Eldest son of Charles III and Diana, Princess of Wales | Carries out major national and Commonwealth duties as the senior working royal |
| Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex | 31 August 1984 | Fifth before 2013; sixth after 2023 arrivals | Younger son of Charles III and Diana, Princess of Wales | International advocate and content creator; retains military and royal ties |
| Princess Beatrice | 8 August 1988 | Outside top 50 by 2024 reforms | Eldest daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah Ferguson | Business and creative sectors; married to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi |
| Princess Eugenie | 23 March 1990 | Outside top 50 by 2024 reforms | Youngest daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah Ferguson | Married to Jack Brooksbank; involved in conservation and the arts |
| Prince George of Wales | 22 July 2013 | Third in line to the throne | Eldest son of William and Catherine, Princess of Wales | Elementary school pupil; future king under current rules |
| Princess Charlotte of Wales | 5 May 2015 | Fourth in line to the throne | Daughter of William and Catherine, Princess of Wales | Elementary school pupil; protected by equal primogeniture |
| Prince Louis of Wales | 23 April 2018 | Fifth in line to the throne | Son of William and Catherine, Princess of Wales | Infant as of 2024; third son ensures continued male line under current succession |
| Lilibet of Sussex | 4 June 2021 | Sixth in line to the throne | Daughter of Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex | Childhood in the U.S.; subject of family privacy measures |
Key succession points
- First in line: William and his children (George, Charlotte, Louis)
- Harry remains sixth as of 2024, ahead of his niece and nephew born after him
- Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, though first grandchildren, are not in the top 50 due to 2013 succession reforms removing male-preference primogeniture for those born after 28 October 2011
Context: Succession reforms and the 2013 changes
The 2013 Succession to the Crown Act updated the rules governing birth order and gender, introducing equal primogeniture for those born after 28 October 2011. These changes moved Princess Charlotte ahead of younger brothers in other hypothetical scenarios and removed automatic precedence for sons over daughters among grandchildren of the sovereign. For Charles’s family, the law explains why George leads Charlotte and Louis, and why Harry remains above his niece and nephew in the line despite later births.
Roles and public duties today
Not all grandchildren undertake the same level of royal engagements. William and Harry historically carried heavy national schedules, while Peter Phillips and Zara Tindby largely stepped back from full royal duties to pursue private careers. Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie maintain charitable and commercial roles, often focused on technology, the arts, and conservation. The Wales children—George, Charlotte, and Louis—are being prepared for future constitutional roles through education and select public appearances. This mix reflects the monarchy’s modern emphasis on working royals with clear vocations and streamlined commitments.
Family structure and surname use
Surname choices vary by household: the Wales children use ‘Cambridge’ at school, while Harry and Meghan’s children use ‘Sussex’ in some settings and ‘Mountbatten-Windsor’ for official purposes. Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall chose not to use royal titles for their children, illustrating the family’s pragmatic approach to tradition. Such decisions highlight how each generation balances heritage with personal and professional identity.
Privacy, security, and public interest
All grandchildren operate under varying degrees of media attention and security protocols, shaped by their roles and public profiles. William and Catherine’s family benefit from carefully managed visibility, while Harry and Meghan’s children have faced intense scrutiny in international media. Succession reforms and stepped-back roles aim to balance public service with sustainable, secure private lives for younger royals.
FAQs
How many grandchildren does Charles III have?
Charles has six grandchildren, with a seventh on the way as of 2024 reports.
Who is first in line among Charles’s grandchildren?
Prince William’s eldest, Prince George, is first in line, followed by Princess Charlotte and then Prince Louis. After them comes Harry’s son Archie, then Lilibet.
Why are Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall not highly ranked in succession?
They were born before the 2013 reforms that removed male-preference primogeniture for those born after 28 October 2011, so they fall outside the top ranks despite being the King’s first grandchildren.
Do all grandchildren use the surname Mountbatten-Windsor?
Not uniformly. School forms for the Wales children list ‘Cambridge’, while Harry and Meghan’s children use ‘Sussex’ or ‘Mountbatten-Windsor’ depending on context. Phillips and Tindall use different surnames for professional and personal purposes.
Can female descendants now equal male descendants in succession?
Yes. Equal primogeniture applies to those born after 28 October 2011, meaning birth order, not gender, determines precedence among Charles’s line going forward.