Some people believe that monarchies represent an outdated and unnecessary system. But it still has a purpose, in my opinion. In this day and age, monarchs, at least in western Europe, can be stabilizing figures of the nation. While politicians come and go, monarchy is enduring, and the monarch is a stable, enduring figure. The monarch represents the nation on the world stage, and monarchs participate in many campaigns for change as well as important charitable causes.
Charles III, King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Head of the Commonwealth
Starting off with the most well-known monarch in the world: Charles III is the head of state of 14 countries besides the United Kingdom (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Jamaica, the Bahamas, the Solomon Islands, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, Granada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Tuvalu). Even while battling cancer, Charles III has continued to attend many public engagements. The King was born during the reign of his grandfather George VI (some thought Charles III would take the throne as George VII to honor his grandfather; plus the first two Charles weren’t the best of kings) and was heir to the throne for 70 years. Another title that His Majesty uses is Defender of the Faith, a distinction originally given to Henry VIII. This title refers to the king in his capacity as the head of the Church of England. Because of Queen Victoria and Christian IX, The King is also fairly closely related to the Spanish, Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian kings. The heir to Charles III is Prince William, Prince of Wales, and then his son Prince George.
Felipe VI, King of Spain
His Majesty King Felipe VI (Philip in English) has been King of Spain since the abdication of his father in 2014. The King and Queen Letizia have two children, Their Royal Highnesses Princess Leonor, Princess of Asturias, and Infanta Sofia. The King changed the Spanish succession laws so that his daughter, the Princess of Asturias, could become the Queen in the future. Felipe VI is also a descendant of Queen Victoria and Christian IX, just as Charles III is. Lastly, he is a maternal first cousin of Pavlos, the Crown Prince of Greece.
Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden
The King of Sweden is currently one of the longest-reigning monarchs in the world after the abdication of his first cousin Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. He has been on the throne for a long time since his father died in a plane crash when the King was just a baby. So Carl XVI Gustaf became King following the death of his grandfather, Gustaf VI Adolf. He was recently at Windsor Castle and planted a tree with his cousin Charles III (it was also the day after his birthday), using the same shovel that his great-grandfather, Gustaf V, used in 1908. His heir is Crown Princess Victoria, and after her, the line of succession goes to his granddaughter, Princess Estelle. Carl XVI Gustaf also made Sweden the first monarchy in the world with absolute primogeniture, where birth order is the only factor that matters and not gender.
Frederik X, King of Denmark
The newest European monarch is the King of Denmark. Frederik X ascended to the throne after the abdication of his mother, Margrethe II, in 2024. His mother’s abdication has led to there being no queens regnant in the world for the first time since 1837. The King’s wife, Queen Mary, is from Tasmania in Australia. He is also a maternal first cousin of Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece. His heir is his son, Crown Prince Christian, and he also has twin children.
Philippe, King of the Belgians
As I’m sure you noticed, King Philippe is not King of Belgium, but rather King of the Belgians. He became King in 2013 after his father, Albert II, abdicated. He is also a cousin of Charles III since the first King of the Belgians, Leopold I, was the uncle of Queen Victoria. His Royal Highness Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, is King Philippe’s first cousin. He is also related to Empress Carlotta of Mexico because she was the daughter of Leopold I. His heir is his daughter, Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Brabant, who would become the first queen regnant in Belgium’s history. She also studied at the University of Oxford.
Grand Duke Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
The Grand Duke of Luxembourg is the only sovereign Grand Duke in the world. He has been Grand Duke since his father Jean’s 2000 abdication. The Grand Duchess of Luxembourg was born in Cuba. Their son, Guillaume, will become Grand Duke in October when Grand Duke Henri abdicates. Prince Charles will then be the youngest heir to a monarchy in the world.
King Harold V, King of Norway
The King of Norway has been king since 1991. Harold V is the third monarch of Norway since its 1905 independence. His grandfather, Haakon VII, born a Danish prince as the son of Frederik VIII, was made king in 1905 after Norway’s independence. He is also 81st in line to the British throne as his grandmother, Queen Maud, was the daughter of Edward VII. His heir is Crown Prince Haakon, and after him in the line of succession is the Crown Prince’s daughter, Princess Ingrid Alexandra.
King Willem-Alexander, King of the Netherlands
The King of the Netherlands is another European monarch who came to the throne after the abdication of a parent. In 2013, he became king after his mother Queen Beatrix abdicated (which has become a tradition with the last few Dutch monarchs). Willem-Alexander is the first Dutch King since his second great-grandfather. From 1890-2013 the Netherlands had three straight queens. The next Dutch monarch will also be a queen, as the heir to the throne is Princess Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange. The wife of Willem-Alexander, Queen Maxima, was born in Argentina.
Pope Leo XIV, Leader of the Holy See and Bishop of Rome
Cardinal Robert Prevost became the first American-born pope last week. He took the Chair of Saint Peter with the papal name of Leo XIV. He grew up in the Chicago area and worked in a variety of roles both in the United States and in Peru, where he attained dual citizenship as one of the terms of becoming Bishop of Chiclayo. Prevost also spent time working in the Vatican, where he attained the rank of cardinal. He is fluent in several languages besides his native English: Spanish, Italian, French, and Portuguese. He can also read Latin and German.
