Succession is the process where the title of King or Queen passes from one person to another. The line of succession is determined by the order of birth of members of the Royal Family.
The Royal Succession Act 2013 outlines the law of succession in New Zealand. This is almost identical to the law of succession in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth Realms.
Charles, the former Prince of Wales, was first in line to the Throne after his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II. That is why he has become King in her place.
The King has granted Prince William and Catherine the titles Prince and Princess of Wales. William has also succeeded his father as the Duke of Cornwall and the Duke of Rothesay in Scotland, so the Prince and Princess of Wales are also now officially known as the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge.
The current line of succession is:
- The Prince of Wales, Prince William, elder son of the King (born 1982)
- Prince George of Cambridge, elder son of Prince William (born 2013)
- Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, daughter of Prince William (born 2015)
- Prince Louis of Cambridge, younger son of Prince William (born 2018)
- The Duke of Sussex, Prince Henry, younger son of the King (born 1984)
- Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, son of Prince Henry (born 2019)
- Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor, daughter of Prince Henry (born 2021)
- The Duke of York, Prince Andrew, second son of Queen Elizabeth II (born 1960)
- Princess Beatrice of York, elder daughter of Prince Andrew (born 1988)
- Princess Eugenie of York, younger daughter of Prince Andrew (born 1990)