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List of heirs to the Scottish throne

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{{About|heirs to the Scottish throne until 1707|heirs since the Union of Scotland and England in 1707|List of heirs to the British throne}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}

This is a list of the individuals who were, at any given time, considered the next in line to inherit the throne of Scotland, should the incumbent monarch die. Those who actually succeeded (at any future time) are shown in bold. Stillborn children and infants surviving less than a month are not included.

It may be noted that although the Crown could pass through the female line (for example to the House of Dunkeld in 1034), in the High Middle Ages it is doubtful whether a queen regnant would have been accepted as ruler.

Significant breaks in the succession, where the designated heir did not in fact succeed (due to usurpation, conquest, revolution, or lack of heirs) are shown as breaks in the table below.

1124 to 1290

{{unreferenced section|date=September 2022}}

{{original research section|date=September 2022|reason=Women were not generally considered as heirs in the 12th and 13th centuries.}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

! Heir

! Status

! Relationship to Monarch

! Became heir

! Reason

! Ceased to be heir

! Reason

| Monarch

Henry, Earl of Huntingdon

| Heir apparent

| Son

| 23 April 1124

| Father became king

| 12 June 1152

| Died

| rowspan=2 | David I

Malcolm

| Heir apparent

| Grandson

| 12 June 1152

| Father died

| 24 May 1153

| style="border-width:2px; border-color:#20F" | Became king

William, Earl of Northumbria

| Heir presumptive

| Younger brother

| 24 May 1153

| Brother became king

| 9 December 1165

| style="border-width:2px; border-color:#20F" | Became king

| Malcolm IV

David, Earl of Huntingdon

| Heir presumptive

| Younger brother

| 9 December 1165

| Brother became king

| 1193

| Daughter born to king

| rowspan=3 | William I

Margaret

| Heiress presumptive

| Eldest daughter

| 1193

| Born

| 24 August 1198

| Brother born

Alexander

| Heir apparent

| Son

| 24 August 1198

| Born

| 4 December 1214

| style="border-width:2px; border-color:#20F" | Became king

Margaret, Countess of Kent

| Heiress presumptive

| Elder sister

| 4 December 1214

| Brother became king

| 4 September 1241

| Son born to king

| rowspan=2 | Alexander II

Alexander

| Heir apparent

| Son

| 4 September 1241

| Born

| 8 July 1249

| style="border-width:2px; border-color:#20F" | Became king

Margaret, Countess of Kent

| Heiress presumptive

| Aunt

| 8 July 1249

| Nephew became king

| 25 November 1259

| Died

| rowspan=5 | Alexander III

Isabella, Countess of Norfolk

| Heiress presumptive

| Aunt

| 25 November 1259

| Sister died

| 28 February 1261

| Daughter born to king

Margaret

| Heiress presumptive

| Daughter

| 28 February 1261

| Born

| 21 January 1264

| Brother born

Alexander

| Heir apparent

| Eldest son

| 21 January 1264

| Born

| 28 January 1284

| Died

Margaret

| Heiress presumptive

| Granddaughter

| 28 January 1284

| Uncle died

| 19 March 1286

| style="border-width:2px; border-color:#20F" | Became lady and queen

colspan=7 | No recognised heir 1286–1290

| Margaret

1292 to 1296

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

! Heir

! Status

! Relationship to Monarch

! Became heir

! Reason

! Ceased to be heir

! Reason

! Monarch

Edward

| Heir apparent

| Eldest son

| 17 November 1292

| Father became king

| 10 July 1296

| Father abdicated

| John

1306 to 1371

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"

! Heir

! Status

! Relationship to Monarch

! Became heir
Reason

! Ceased to be heir
Reason

! Monarch

colspan=5 style="text-align:center"|No recognised heir 1306–1315

| rowspan=5|Robert I

Edward Bruce, Earl of Carrick

| {{nowrap|Heir presumptive}}

| Brother

| 27 April 1315
Proclaimed heir

| 14 October 1318
Died

colspan=5 style="text-align:center"|No recognised heir Oct–Dec 1318
Robert Stewart

| Heir presumptive

| Grandson

| 3 December 1318
Proclaimed heir

| 5 March 1324
{{nowrap|Twin sons born to king}}

David Bruce, Earl of Carrick

| Heir apparent

| Son

| 5 March 1324
Born

| style="border-width:2px; border-color:#20F"|7 June 1329
Became king

{{nowrap|Robert Stewart, 7th High Steward of Scotland}}

| Heir presumptive

| {{nowrap|Half-nephew}}

| 7 June 1329
{{nowrap|Half-uncle became king}}

| style="border-width:2px; border-color:#20F"|22 February 1371
Became king

| David II

1371 to 1707

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"

! Heir

! Status

! Relationship to Monarch

! Became heir
Reason

! Ceased to be heir
Reason

! Next in succession
Relation to heir

! Monarch

colspan=6 style="text-align:center"|No recognised heir Feb–Mar 1371

| rowspan=4|Robert II

rowspan=3|John Stewart, Earl of Carrick

| rowspan=3|Heir apparent

| rowspan=3|Son

| rowspan=3|27 March 1371
Proclaimed heir

| rowspan=3 style="border-width:2px; border-color:#20F"|19 April 1390
Became king

| None
1371–1373

Robert Stewart, Earl of Fife
1373–1378, Brother
David Stewart, Duke of Rothesay
1378–1390, Son
rowspan=2|David Stewart, Duke of Rothesay

| rowspan=2|Heir apparent

| rowspan=2|Son

| rowspan=2|19 April 1390
Father became king

| rowspan=2|26 March 1402
Died in captivity

| Robert Stewart, Earl of Fife
1390–1394, Uncle

| rowspan=3|Robert III

James Stewart
1394–1402, Brother
James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay

| Heir apparent

| Son

| 26 March 1402
Brother died

| style="border-width:2px; border-color:#20F"|4 April 1406
Became king

| Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany
Uncle

Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany

| {{nowrap|Heir presumptive}}

| Uncle

| 4 April 1406
Nephew became king

| 3 September 1420
Died

| Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany
Son

| rowspan=7|James I

rowspan=3|Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany

| rowspan=3|Heir presumptive

| rowspan=3|First cousin

| rowspan=3|3 September 1420
Father died

| rowspan=3|25 May 1425
Executed

| Robert Stewart
1420–1421, Son

Walter Stewart
1421–1425, Son
Alexander Stewart
1425, Son
Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl

| Heir presumptive

| Half-uncle

| 25 May 1425
Half-nephew executed

| 16 October 1430
Twin sons born to king

| Alan Stewart, Earl of Caithness
Son

Alexander Stewart, Duke of Rothesay

| Heir apparent

| Son

| 16 October 1430
Born

| 1430
Died

| James Stewart
Brother

James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay

| Heir apparent

| Son

| 1430
Brother died

| style="border-width:2px; border-color:#20F"|21 February 1437
Father assassinated, became king

| Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl
Granduncle

Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl

| Heir presumptive

| Half-granduncle

| 21 February 1437
Half-grandnephew became king

| 26 March 1437
Executed, grandson executed on same day

| Robert Stewart, Master of Atholl
Grandson

| rowspan=4|James II

colspan=6 style="text-align:center"|No recognised heir 1437–1451
rowspan=2|James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay

| rowspan=2|Heir apparent

| rowspan=2|Son

| rowspan=2|10 July 1451
Born

| rowspan=2 style="border-width:2px; border-color:#20F"|3 August 1460
Became king

| None
1451–1454

Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany
1454–1460, Brother
Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany

| Heir presumptive

| Brother

| 3 August 1460
Brother became king

| 17 March 1473
Son born to king

| John Stewart, Earl of Mar
Brother

| rowspan=3|James III

rowspan=2|James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay

| rowspan=2|Heir apparent

| rowspan=2|Son

| rowspan=2|17 March 1473
Born

| rowspan=2 style="border-width:2px; border-color:#20F"|11 June 1488
{{nowrap|Father killed in battle, became king}}

| Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany
1473–1476, Uncle

James Stewart, Duke of Ross
1476–1488, Brother
rowspan=2|James Stewart, Duke of Ross

| rowspan=2|Heir presumptive

| rowspan=2|Brother

| rowspan=2|11 June 1488
Brother became king

| rowspan=2|January 1504
Died

| John Stewart, Earl of Mar
1488–1503, Brother

| rowspan=8|James IV

John Stewart, Duke of Albany
1503–1504, First cousin
John Stewart, Duke of Albany

| Heir presumptive

| First cousin

| January 1504
First cousin died

| 21 February 1507
Son born to king

| James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran
First cousin

James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay

| Heir apparent

| Son

| 21 February 1507
Born

| 27 February 1508
Died

| John Stewart, Duke of Albany
First cousin once-removed

John Stewart, Duke of Albany

| Heir presumptive

| First cousin

| 27 February 1508
First cousin once-removed died

| 20 October 1509
Son born to king

| James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran
First cousin

Arthur Stewart, Duke of Rothesay

| Heir apparent

| Son

| 20 October 1509
Born

| 14 July 1510
Died

| John Stewart, Duke of Albany
First cousin once-removed

John Stewart, Duke of Albany

| Heir presumptive

| First cousin

| 14 July 1510
First cousin once-removed died

| 10 April 1512
Son born to king

| James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran
First cousin

James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay

| Heir apparent

| Son

| 10 April 1512
Born

| style="border-width:2px; border-color:#20F"|9 September 1513
Father killed in battle, became king

| John Stewart, Duke of Albany
First cousin once-removed

John Stewart, Duke of Albany

| Heir presumptive

| First cousin once-removed

| 9 September 1513
First cousin once-removed became king

| 30 April 1514
Posthumous son born to James IV

| James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran
First cousin

| rowspan=11|James V

Alexander Stewart, Duke of Ross

| Heir presumptive

| Brother

| 30 April 1514
Born posthumously

| 18 December 1515
Died

| John Stewart, Duke of Albany
First cousin once-removed

rowspan=2|John Stewart, Duke of Albany

| rowspan=2|Heir presumptive

| rowspan=2|First cousin once-removed

| rowspan=2|18 December 1515
First cousin once-removed died

| rowspan=2|2 June 1536
Died

| James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran
1515–1529, First cousin

James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran
1529–1536, First cousin once-removed
rowspan=2|James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran

| rowspan=2|Heir presumptive

| rowspan=2|Second cousin

| rowspan=2|2 June 1536
First cousin once-removed died

| rowspan=2|22 May 1540
Son born to king

| Helen Campbell, Countess of Argyll
1536–1537, Sister

James Hamilton
1537–1540, Son
rowspan=3|James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay

| rowspan=3|Heir apparent

| rowspan=3|Son

| rowspan=3|22 May 1540
Born

| rowspan=3|21 April 1541
Died

| James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran
1540–1541, Second cousin once-removed

Arthur Stewart, Duke of Albany
1541, Brother
James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran
1541, Second cousin once-removed
James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran

| Heir presumptive

| Second cousin

| 21 April 1541
Second cousin once-removed died

| 8 December 1542
Daughter born to king

| James Hamilton
Son

Mary Stewart

| {{nowrap|Heiress presumptive}}

| Daughter

| 8 December 1542
Born

| style="border-width:2px; border-color:#20F"|14 December 1542
Became queen

| James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran
Second cousin once-removed

James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran

| Heir presumptive

| Second cousin once-removed

| 14 December 1542
{{nowrap|Second cousin once-removed became queen}}

| 19 June 1566
Son born to queen

| James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran
Son

| rowspan=2|Mary I

James Stuart, Duke of Rothesay

| Heir apparent

| Son

| 19 June 1566
Born

| style="border-width:2px; border-color:#20F"|24 July 1567
Mother abdicated, became king

| James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran
Second cousin twice-removed

James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran

| Heir presumptive

| {{nowrap|Second cousin twice-removed}}

| 24 July 1567
Second cousin twice-removed became king

| 22 January 1575
Died

| James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran
Son

| rowspan=6|James VI

James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran

| Heir presumptive

| Third cousin once-removed

| 22 January 1575
Father died

| 19 February 1594
Son born to king

| John Hamilton
Brother

rowspan=3|Henry Frederick Stuart, Duke of Rothesay

| rowspan=3|Heir apparent

| rowspan=3|Son

| rowspan=3|19 February 1594
Born

| rowspan=3|6 November 1612
Died

| James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran
1594–1596, Third cousin twice-removed

Elizabeth Stuart
1596–1600, Sister
Charles Stuart, Duke of Albany
1600–1612, Brother
Charles Stuart, Duke of Rothesay

| Heir apparent

| Son

| 6 November 1612
Brother died

| style="border-width:2px; border-color:#20F"|27 March 1625
Became king

| Elizabeth, Electress Palatine
Sister

rowspan=2|Elizabeth, Electress Palatine

| rowspan=2|Heiress presumptive

| rowspan=2|Sister

| rowspan=2|27 March 1625
Brother became king

| rowspan=2|13 May 1629
Son born to king

| {{nowrap|Electoral Prince Frederick Henry of the Palatinate
1625–1629, Son}}

| rowspan=7|Charles I

Electoral Prince Charles Louis of the Palatinate
1629, Son
{{nowrap|Charles James Stuart, Duke of Rothesay{{Citation |last=Cokayne |first=George Edward |title=The Complete Peerage |date=1913 |volume=III |place=London |publisher=St Catherine Press |last2=Gibbs |first2=Vicary |last3=Doubleday |first3=Arthur |author-link=George Edward Cokayne |author-link2=Vicary Gibbs (St Albans MP) |title-link=The Complete Peerage |page=[https://archive.org/stream/completepeerageo03coka#page/446/mode/1up 446]}}}}

| Heir apparent

| Son

| 13 May 1629
Born

| 13 May 1629
Died

| Elizabeth, Electress Palatine
Aunt

Elizabeth, Electress Palatine

| Heiress presumptive

| Sister

| 13 May 1629
Nephew died

| 29 May 1630
Son born to king

| Prince Charles Louis of the Palatinate
Son

rowspan=3|Charles Stuart, Duke of Rothesay

| rowspan=3|Heir apparent

| rowspan=3|Son

| rowspan=3|29 May 1630
Born

| rowspan=3 style="border-width:2px; border-color:#20F"|30 January 1649
Proclaimed king

| Elizabeth, Electress Palatine
1630–1631, Aunt

Mary Stuart
1631–1633, Sister
James Stuart
1633–1649, Brother
rowspan=11|James Stuart, Duke of Albany

| rowspan=11|Heir presumptive

| rowspan=11|Brother

| rowspan=11|30 January 1649
Brother proclaimed king

| rowspan=11 style="border-width:2px; border-color:#20F"|6 February 1685
Became king

| Henry Stuart
1649–1660, Brother

| rowspan=11|Charles II

Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange
1660, Sister
Charles Stuart
1660–1661, Son
William III, Prince of Orange
1661–1662, Nephew
Mary Stuart
1662–1663, Daughter
James Stuart
1663–1667, Son
Mary Stuart
1667, Daughter
Edgar Stuart
1667–1671, Son
Mary, Princess of Orange
1671–1677, Daughter
Charles Stuart
1677, Son
Mary, Princess of Orange
1677–1685, Daughter
Mary, Princess of Orange

| Heiress presumptive

| Daughter

| 6 February 1685
Father became king

| 10 June 1688
Son born to king

| Princess Anne of Denmark
Sister

| rowspan=2|{{nowrap|James VII}}

James Stuart, Duke of Rothesay

| Heir apparent

| Son

| 10 June 1688
Born

| 11 May 1689
Father deposed, excluded from succeeding

| Mary, Princess of Orange
Sister

William II

| rowspan=2|Mutual heirsClaim of Right 1689

| Husband

| rowspan=2|13 February 1689
Became joint monarchs

| style="border-width:2px; border-color:#20F"|28 December 1694
{{nowrap|Became sole monarch}}

| rowspan=2|Princess Anne of Denmark
Sister(-in-law)

| Mary II

Mary II

| Wife

| 28 December 1694
Died

| rowspan=3|William II

rowspan=2|Princess Anne of Denmark

| rowspan=2|Heiress apparent

| rowspan=2|Sister-in-law / First cousin

| rowspan=2|28 December 1694
Sister died

| rowspan=2 style="border-width:2px; border-color:#20F"|8 March 1702
Became queen

| Prince William of Denmark
1694–1700, Son

None
1700–1702
colspan=6 style="text-align:center"|No recognised heir 1702–1707Act of Security 1704

| Anne

Jacobite succession, 1689–1807

The following are the heirs of the Jacobite pretenders to the throne to the death of the last Stuart pretender. For other persons in this lineage, see Jacobite succession.

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"

! Heir

! Status

! Relationship to Pretender

! Became heir
Reason

! Ceased to be heir
Reason

! Next in succession
Relation to heir

! Pretender

rowspan=2|James Stuart, Prince of Wales

| rowspan=2|Heir apparent

| rowspan=2|Son

| rowspan=2|13 February 1689
Father deposed

| rowspan=2|16 September 1701
Became pretender

| Mary, Princess of Orange
1689–1694, Sister

| rowspan=2|James VII

Princess Anne of Denmark
1694–1701, Sister
rowspan=2|Princess Anne of Denmark

| rowspan=2|{{nowrap|Heiress presumptive}}

| rowspan=2|Sister

| rowspan=2|16 September 1701
Brother became pretender

| rowspan=2|1 August 1714
Died

| Louisa Maria Stuart, Princess Royal
1701–1712, Sister

| rowspan=6|James VIII
"The Old Pretender"

Anne Marie, Queen of Scilly
1712–1714, First cousin
rowspan=2|Anne Marie, Queen of Sardinia

| rowspan=2|Heiress presumptive

| rowspan=2|First cousin

| rowspan=2|1 August 1714
First cousin died

| rowspan=2|31 December 1720
Son born to pretender

| Victor Amadeus, Prince of Piedmont
1714–1715, Son

{{nowrap|Charles Emmanuel, Prince of Piedmont}}
1715–1720, Son
rowspan=2|Charles Stuart, Prince of Wales

| rowspan=2|Heir apparent

| rowspan=2|Son

| rowspan=2|31 December 1720
Born

| rowspan=2|1 January 1766
Became pretender

| Anne Marie, Queen of Sardinia
1720–1725, First cousin once-removed

Henry Stuart, Duke of York
1725–1766, Brother
rowspan=2|Henry Stuart, Duke of York

| rowspan=2|Heir presumptive

| rowspan=2|Brother

| rowspan=2|1 January 1766
Brother became pretender

| rowspan=2|31 January 1788
Became pretender

| King Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia
1766–1773, Second cousin

| rowspan=2|Charles III
{{nowrap|"The Young}} Pretender"

King Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia
{{nowrap|1773–1788, Second cousin once-removed}}
King Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia

| Heir presumptive

| Second cousin once-removed

| 31 January 1788
{{nowrap|Second cousin once-removed became pretender}}

| 14 October 1796
Died

| Charles Emmanuel, Prince of Piedmont
Son

| rowspan=2|Henry I
"Cardinal York"

{{nowrap|King Charles Emmanuel IV of Sardinia}}

| Heir presumptive

| {{nowrap|Second cousin twice-removed}}

| 14 October 1796
Father died

| 13 July 1807
{{nowrap|Last Stuart pretender died}}

| King Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia
Brother

See also

References

{{reflist| colwidth=30em}}

  • http://www.burkes-peerage.net/articles/roking.aspx {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010053436/http://www.burkes-peerage.net/articles/roking.aspx |date=10 October 2007 }}
  • http://www.wargs.com/essays/succession/strathearn.html

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