List of current monarchies

Absolute monarchies

Semi-constitutional monarchies

Parliamentary monarchies

Commonwealth realms (parliamentary monarchies in personal union)

Subnational monarchies

This is a list of current monarchies. As of 2025, there are 43 sovereign states in the world with a monarch as head of state. There are 13 in Asia, 12 in Europe, 9 in the Americas, 6 in Oceania, and 3 in Africa.[a]

## Types of monarchy

[edit]

These are the approximate categories which present monarchies fall into:[citation needed]

* Commonwealth realms. King Charles III is the monarch of fifteen Commonwealth realms (Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and the United Kingdom). They evolved out of the British Empire into fully independent states within the Commonwealth of Nations that retain the same King as head of state, unlike other Commonwealth countries that are either dependencies, republics or have a different royal house. All fifteen realms are constitutional monarchies and full democracies, where the King (or his representative) legally possesses vast prerogatives, but fulfills a largely ceremonial role.
* Other European constitutional monarchies. Andorra, Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Sweden are fully democratic states in which the monarch has a limited, largely, or entirely ceremonial role.
* Andorra is unique among all existing monarchies, as it is a diarchy, with the Co-Princeship being shared by the President of France and the Bishop of Urgell. This arrangement creates a unique situation among monarchies, as
* neither Co-Prince is of Andorran descent,
* one is elected by common citizens of a foreign country (France), but not by Andorrans as they cannot vote in the French Presidential Elections,
* the other, the bishop of Urgell, is appointed by a foreign head of state, the Pope.
* European mixed monarchies. Liechtenstein and Monaco are constitutional monarchies in which the Prince retains many powers of an absolute monarch. For example, the 2003 Constitution referendum gives the Prince of Liechtenstein the power to veto any law that the Landtag (parliament) proposes and vice versa. The Prince can hire or dismiss any elective member or government employee from their post. However, unlike an absolute monarch, the people can call for a referendum to end the Prince's reign. The Prince of Monaco has similar powers: he cannot hire or dismiss any elective member or government employee from their post, but he can select the minister of state, government council and judges.
* Muslim monarchies. Absolute monarchs remain in Brunei, Oman and Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates and Qatar are classified as mixed, meaning there are representative bodies of some kind, but the monarch retains most of his powers. Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia and Morocco are constitutional monarchies, but their monarchs still retain more substantial powers than in European equivalents.

* East and Southeast Asian constitutional monarchies. Bhutan, Cambodia, Japan, and Thailand have constitutional monarchies where the monarch has a limited or ceremonial role. Thailand changed from traditional absolute monarchy into a constitutional one in 1932, while Bhutan changed in 2008. Cambodia had its own monarchy after independence from the French Colonial Empire, which was deposed after the Khmer Rouge came into power. The monarchy was subsequently restored in the peace agreement of 1993.
* Other sovereign monarchies. Four monarchies do not fit into one of the above groups by virtue of geography or class of monarchy: Tonga, Eswatini, Lesotho and Vatican City. Of these, Lesotho and Tonga are constitutional monarchies, while Eswatini and Vatican City are absolute monarchies.
* Eswatini is increasingly being considered a diarchy. The King, or Ngwenyama, rules alongside his mother, the Ndlovukati, as dual heads of state originally designed to be checks on political power. The Ngwenyama, however, is considered the administrative head of state, while the Ndlovukati is considered the spiritual and national head of state, a position which has become largely symbolic in recent years.
* The Pope is the absolute monarch of Vatican City by virtue of his position as head of the Roman Catholic Church and Bishop of Rome; he is an elected rather than hereditary ruler. The Pope need not be a citizen of the territory prior to his election by the cardinals.
* Non-sovereign monarchies. A non-sovereign monarchy or subnational monarchy is one in which the head of the monarchical polity (whether a geographic territory or an ethnic group), and the polity itself, are subject to a sovereign state. The non-sovereign monarchies of Malaysia, Yogyakarta Sultanate in Indonesia, emirates of the United Arab Emirates, the Sultanate of Sulu, Afro-Bolivian monarchy, Order of Malta, Traditional Chieftaincies of Nigeria, and kingdoms of Uganda are examples of these.[2]

## Lines of succession

[edit]

Some of the extant sovereign monarchies have lines of succession that go back to the medieval period or antiquity:

* The Kings of Cambodia claim descent from Queen Soma (1st century), although the historiographical record is interrupted in the "Post-Angkor Period" (15th/16th centuries). A real unified Kingdom of Cambodia first came to existence in 802. The Monarchy in Cambodia was abolished between 1970 and 1993.
* There exist several suggestions on a possible line of succession in the Danish monarchy from the late 7th century and until Gorm the Old, but none of these suggestions have so far won universal acceptance. Most monarchs in Denmark since the 940s have been descendants of Gorm the Old's father Harthacnut and all monarchs in Denmark since 1047 have been descendants of titular Queen Estrid Svendsdatter. A formal law of succession was not adopted in Denmark until 1665.
* Japan, considered a constitutional monarchy under the Imperial House of Japan, is traditionally said to have originated with the mythical Emperor Jimmu. The first verifiable historiographical evidence begins with Emperor Kinmei in the 6th century. It is the oldest continuous hereditary monarchy in the world.[3]
* The Monarchs of Norway by virtue of descent from Harald I Fairhair, who united the realm in 872. Harald as a member of the House of Yngling is given a partly legendary line of succession from earlier petty kings in historiographical tradition. Far from all Monarchs of Norway since the 930s have been descendants of Harald Fairhair: at least seven or eight Norwegian kings from the period c. 970 – 1859 were not descendants of Harald Fairhair.
* The Kingdom of Spain by descent from the Catholic Monarchs (via the House of Habsburg), ultimately combining the lines of succession of Castile and León and Aragon, realms established in the 10th to 11th centuries in the course of the Reconquista, via the Kingdom of Asturias claiming descent from the Visigothic Kingdom (which, originally ruled by the Thervingi Kings, had become elective in the 6th century). The Monarchy of Spain was abolished twice in the 19th and 20th centuries (1873–1874 and 1931–1947) and replaced by republics.
* The Monarchs of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth realms inherit the throne by virtue of descent from Sophia of Hanover, according to the Act of Settlement 1701. Sophia was the granddaughter of James VI and I who inherited and held in union the Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland (Union of the Crowns) in 1603. Succession to the English throne originates with the House of Wessex, established in the 6th century; the Scottish throne with descent from Pictish kings who likewise enter the historical record around the 6th century.

## Current monarchies

[edit]

Further information: List of current monarchs of sovereign states and List of current non-sovereign monarchs

Monarchy  | Official local name(s)  | Title of Head of State  | Monarch  | Title of Head of Government  | Type of monarchy  | Succession  | Current constitution

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Andorra[4] | In Catalan: Principat d'Andorra | Co-Princes | Josep-Lluís Serrano Pentinat
Emmanuel Macron | Prime Minister | Parliamentary  | Ex officio | 1993
Antigua and Barbuda[5] | In English: Antigua and Barbuda | King | Charles III | Hereditary | 1981
Australia[6] | In English: Commonwealth of Australia | King | 1901
The Bahamas[7] | In English: Commonwealth of the Bahamas | King | 1973
Bahrain[8] | In Arabic: Mamlakat al- Baḥrayn | King | Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa | Semi-constitutional  | 2002
Belgium[9] | In Dutch: Koninkrijk België
In French: Royaume de Belgique
In German: Königreich Belgien | King[b] | Philippe | Parliamentary  | Hereditary[b] | 1831
Belize[10] | In English: Belize | King | Charles III | Hereditary  | 1981
Bhutan[11] | In Dzongkha: Druk Gyal Khap | Dragon King | Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck | Semi-constitutional  | 2007
Brunei[12] | In Malay: Negara Brunei Darussalam | Sultan | Hassanal Bolkiah | Sultan | Absolute  | 1959
Cambodia | In Khmer: Preăh Réachéanachâk Kâmpŭchéa | King | Norodom Sihamoni | Prime Minister  | Parliamentary  | Hereditary and elective  | 1993
Canada[13] | In English and French: Canada | King | Charles III | Hereditary  | 1982
Kingdom of Denmark[14] | In Danish: Kongeriget Danmark
In Faroese: Kongsríki Danmark
In Greenlandic: Kunngeqarfik Danmarki | King | Frederik X | 1849
Eswatini[15] | In Swazi: Umbuso weSwatini
In English: Kingdom of Eswatini | King | Mswati III | Absolute  | Hereditary and elective | 1968
Grenada[16] | In English: Grenada | King | Charles III | Parliamentary  | Hereditary  | 1974
Jamaica[17] | In English: Jamaica | King | 1962
Japan[18] | In Japanese: 日本国 (Nippon-koku/Nihon-koku) | Emperor | Naruhito | 1947
Jordan[19] | In Arabic: al-Mamlakah al-Urdunīyah al-Hāshimīyah | King | Abdullah II | Semi-constitutional  | Hereditary and elective  | 1952
Kuwait[20] | In Arabic: Dawlat al-Kuwait | Emir | Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah | 1962
Lesotho[21] | In Sotho: Muso oa Lesotho
In English: Kingdom of Lesotho | King | Letsie III | Parliamentary  | 1993
Liechtenstein[22] | In German: Fürstentum Liechtenstein | Sovereign Prince | Hans-Adam II | Semi-constitutional  | Hereditary  | 1862
Luxembourg[23] | In French: Grand-Duché de Luxembourg
In German: Großherzogtum Luxemburg
In Luxembourgish: Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg | Grand Duke | Henri | Parliamentary  | 1868
Malaysia[24] | In Malay: Malaysia | Yang di-Pertuan Agong | Ibrahim Iskandar | Parliamentary & Federal | Elective | 1957
Monaco[25] | In French: Principauté de Monaco
In Monégasque: Principatu de Múnegu | Sovereign Prince | Albert II | Minister of State | Semi-constitutional  | Hereditary  | 1911
Morocco[26] | In Arabic: al-Mamlaka al-Maghribiyya
In Berber: Tageldit n Lmaɣrib
In English: Kingdom of Morocco | King | Mohammed VI | Prime Minister  | 2011
Kingdom of the Netherlands[27] | In Dutch: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden
In West Frisian: Keninkryk fan de Nederlannen | King | Willem-Alexander | Parliamentary  | 1815
New Zealand[28] | In English: New Zealand
In Māori: Aotearoa | King | Charles III | 1907
Norway[29] | In Bokmål: Kongeriket Norge
In Nynorsk: Kongeriket Noreg
In Northern Sami: Norgga gonagasriika | King | Harald V | 1814
Oman[30] | In Arabic: Salṭanat ‘Umān | Sultan | Haitham bin Tariq | Sultan | Absolute  | 1996
Papua New Guinea[31] | In English: Independent State of Papua New Guinea
In Tok Pisin: Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini
In Hiri Motu: Papua Niu Gini | King | Charles III | Prime Minister  | Parliamentary  | 1975
Qatar[32] | In Arabic: Dawlat Qaṭar | Emir | Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani | Semi-constitutional  | 2004
Saint Kitts and Nevis[33] | In English: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis | King | Charles III | Parliamentary  | 1983
Saint Lucia[34] | In English: Saint Lucia | King | 1979
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines[35] | In English: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | King | 1979
Saudi Arabia[36] | In Arabic: Al-Mamlakah al-Arabiyah as-Sa'ūdiyah | King | Salman | Absolute  | Hereditary and elective  | 1992[c]
Solomon Islands | In English: Solomon Islands | King | Charles III | Parliamentary  | Hereditary  | 1978
Spain | In Spanish: Reino de España | King | Felipe VI | President of the Government | 1978
Sweden[40] | In Swedish: Konungariket Sverige | King | Carl XVI Gustaf | Prime Minister  | 1974
Thailand[41] | In Thai: Ratcha Anachak Thai | King | Rama X | 2017
Tonga[42] | In Tonga: Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga
In English: Kingdom of Tonga | King | Tupou VI | Semi-constitutional  | 1970
Tuvalu[43] | In English: Tuvalu | King | Charles III | Parliamentary  | 1986
United Arab Emirates[44] | In Arabic: Dawlat al-ʾImārāt al-ʿArabiyyah al-Muttaḥidah | President | Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan | Semi-constitutional & Federal | Hereditary and elective | 1971
United Kingdom[45] | In English: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
In Welsh: Teyrnas Unedig Prydain Fawr a Gogledd Iwerddon
In Irish: Ríocht Aontaithe na Breataine Móire agus Thuaisceart Éireann
In Scots Gaelic: Rìoghachd Aonaichte Bhreatainn agus Èirinn a Tuath | King | Charles III | Parliamentary  | Hereditary  | No codified constitution
Vatican City[46] | In Latin: Status Civitatis Vaticanae
In Italian: Stato della Città del Vaticano | Pope | Leo XIV | President of the Pontifical Commission | Absolute  | Elective | 2023

In Wallis and Futuna, an overseas territory of France in the South Pacific, there are three chiefdoms, Uvea, Alo and Sigave, whose monarchs are chosen by local noble families.[47] Similarly, Malaysia, which is itself monarchy, also consists of 13 states, 9 of which are monarchies in their own right. Additionally, one of those states, Negeri Sembilan, consists of a number of monarchial chiefdoms.

## See also

[edit]

* Politics portal

* Abolition of monarchy
* List of oldest institutions in continuous operation

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ In addition, Samoa is sometimes considered a de facto monarchy. The O le Ao o le Malo (head of state) of Samoa is similar to a constitutional monarch, but is now elected by the fono (legislature) for five years.[1] Until the death of Malietoa Tanumafili II in 2007, the office was held for life. All office holders have been chosen from the matai (chiefs).
2. ^ a b Belgium is the only existing popular monarchy – a system in which the monarch's title is linked to the people rather than a state. The title of Belgian kings is not King of Belgium, but instead King of the Belgians. Another unique feature of the Belgian system is that the new monarch does not automatically assume the throne at the death or abdication of his predecessor; he only becomes monarch upon taking a constitutional oath.
3. ^ Basic Law of Saudi Arabia[37][38][39]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Samoa: Government Archived 2022-11-02 at the Wayback Machine at Commonwealth of Nations website. 2020. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
2. ^ Robert Aldrich and Cindy McCreery. Crowns and Colonies: European Monarchies and Overseas Empires. Manchester University Press, 2016. p. 44. Archived 2023-04-04 at the Wayback Machine ISBN 9781526100894
3. ^ "5 Things to know about Japan's emperor and imperial family". 8 August 2016. Archived from the original on 25 April 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
4. ^ "Europe :: Andorra". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2022-12-08. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
5. ^ "Central America and Caribbean :: Antigua and Barbuda". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-08-27. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
6. ^ "Australia-Oceania :: Australia". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-01-09. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
7. ^ "Central America and Caribbean :: The Bahamas". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-01-26. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
8. ^ "Central America and Caribbean :: Bahrain". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-11-20. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
9. ^ "Europe :: Belgium". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-01-09. Retrieved 2021-01-24.
10. ^ "Central America and Caribbean :: Belize". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-01-09. Retrieved 2021-01-24.
11. ^ "Asia ::Bhutan". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2023-03-08. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
12. ^ "Asia ::Brunei Darussalam". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2015-07-21. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
13. ^ Adam Dodek (2016). The Canadian Constitution. Dundurn - University of Ottawa Faculty of Law. p. 13\. ISBN 978-1-4597-3505-7.
14. ^ "Europe::Denmark". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-01-09. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
15. ^ "Africa:: Eswatini". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2018-12-31. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
16. ^ "Central America and Caribbean :: Grenada". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2022-08-11. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
17. ^ "Central America and Caribbean :: Jamaica". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
18. ^ "Asia :: Japan". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-01-05. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
19. ^ "Asia :: Jordan". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2023-02-27. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
20. ^ "Asia :: Kuwait". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-01-10. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
21. ^ "Africa :: Lesotho". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-07-02. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
22. ^ "Europe:: Liechtenstein". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-03-10. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
23. ^ "Europe:: Luxembourg". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-01-09. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
24. ^ "Asia:: Malaysia". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2008-11-18. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
25. ^ "Europe:: Monaco". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-12-30. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
26. ^ "Africa:: Morocco". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2022-12-02. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
27. ^ "Europe:: Netherlands". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-07-30. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
28. ^ "Australia-Oceania :: New Zealand". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-01-09. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
29. ^ "Europe :: Norway". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
30. ^ "Asia:: Oman". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-03-13. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
31. ^ "Asia :: Papua New Guinea". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
32. ^ "Asia:: Qatar". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
33. ^ "Central America and Caribbean :: Saint Kitts and Nevis". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2020-12-05. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
34. ^ "Central America and Caribbean :: Saint Lucia". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2022-02-12. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
35. ^ "Central America and Caribbean :: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2022-08-12. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
36. ^ "Asia :: Saudi Arabia". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2024-05-18. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
37. ^ Saudi Arabia - ConstitutionArchived 2007-02-06 at the Wayback Machine
38. ^ "Empty Reforms: Saudi Arabia's New Basic Laws May 1992". Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
39. ^ Article title[usurped] The Basic Law - Saudi Arabia Information
40. ^ "Europe:: Sweden". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-01-18. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
41. ^ "Europe:: Thailand". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-06-10. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
42. ^ "Australia-Oceania :: Tonga". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-01-09. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
43. ^ "Australia-Oceania :: Tuvalu". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-01-12. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
44. ^ "Asia:: United Arab Emirates". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-01-10. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
45. ^ "Europe:: United Kingdom". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2021-01-09. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
46. ^ "Europe :: Holy See". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2010-07-11. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
47. ^ "Wallis and Futuna: Royal dispute sees palace occupied in French territory". BBC News. 14 April 2016.