List of monarchs of Lesotho

King of Lesotho

Marena a Lesotho

Coat of arms of Lesotho

Incumbent
Letsie III
since 7 February 1996
Details
Style| His Majesty
Heir apparent| Lerotholi Seeiso
First monarch| Moshoeshoe I (as paramount chief)
Formation| 1822
Residence| Royal Palace, Maseru
Website| https://theking.parliament.ls/

Politics of Lesotho

Constitution

* Human rights

LGBT rights

Monarchy

* King

Letsie III

Government

* Prime Minister

Sam Matekane
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Speaker

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* General: 2015
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* Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations

Minister: Mpotjoane Lejone

* * *

* Diplomatic missions of / in Lesotho

* * *

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* Other countries

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This article list the monarchs (Marena) of Lesotho (also known as Basutoland until 1966).

## Succession

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The succession to the throne of Lesotho is laid down in Chapter V of the Constitution of Lesotho. The current King is Letsie III.

Chapter V Article 45 of the Constitution reads that:

(1) The College of Chiefs may at any time designate, in accordance with the customary law of Lesotho, the person (or the persons, in order of prior right) who are entitled to succeed to the office of King upon the death of the holder of, or the occurrence of any vacancy in, that office and if on such death or vacancy, there is a person who has previously been designated in pursuance of this section and who is capable under the customary law of Lesotho of succeeding to that office, that person (or, if there is more than one such person, that one of them who has been designated as having the first right to succeed to the office) shall become King.

(2) If, on the death of the holder of, or the occurrence of any vacancy in, the office of King, there is no person who becomes King under subsection (1), the College of Chiefs shall, with all practical speed and in accordance with the customary law of Lesotho, proceed to designate a person to succeed to the office of King and the person so designated shall thereupon become King.

## Compensation

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The king is granted a privy purse amounting to 52,778 USD annually.[1]

## Kings / Paramount Chiefs of Lesotho / Basutoland (1822–1966)

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* Moshoeshoe I: 1822 – 18 January 1870
* Letsie I: 18 January 1870 – 20 November 1891
* Lerotholi Letsie: 20 November 1891 – 19 August 1905
* Letsie II: 21 August 1905 – 28 January 1913
* Nathaniel Griffith Lerotholi: 11 April 1913 – 23 June 1939
* Simon Seeiso Griffith: 3 August 1939 – 26 December 1940
* Gabasheane Masupha (regent): 26 December 1940 – 28 January 1941
* 'Mantšebo Amelia 'Matšaba (regent): 28 January 1941 – 12 March 1960
* Moshoeshoe II: 12 March 1960 – 4 October 1966

## Kings of Lesotho (1966–present)

[edit]

Name| Lifespan| Reign start| Reign end| Notes| Family| Image

|
|
|
|
|
|

Moshoeshoe II
(1st reign)| (1938-05-02)2 May 1938 – 15 January 1996(1996-01-15) (aged 57)| 4 October 1966| 12 November 1990[a]
(24 years, 39 days)| Son of Simon Seeiso Griffith| House of Moshoeshoe|
Letsie III
(1st reign)|  (1963-07-17) 17 July 1963 (age 61)| 12 November 1990| 25 January 1995[b]
(4 years, 74 days)| Son of Moshoeshoe II| House of Moshoeshoe|
Moshoeshoe II
(2nd reign)| (1938-05-02)2 May 1938 – 15 January 1996(1996-01-15) (aged 57)| 25 January 1995| 15 January 1996†
(355 days)| Son of Simon Seeiso Griffith| House of Moshoeshoe|
Letsie III
(2nd reign)|  (1963-07-17) 17 July 1963 (age 61)| 7 February 1996| Incumbent
(28 years, 193 days)| Son of Moshoeshoe II| House of Moshoeshoe|

Regent Head of State

* Queen 'Mamohato: 5 June 1970 – 5 December 1970, 10 March 1990 – 12 November 1990 and 15 January 1996 – 7 February 1996[2]

### Timeline

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## Royal Standards

[edit]

* Royal Standard of Lesotho 1966-1987.

* Royal Standard of Lesotho 1987-2006.

* Royal Standard of Lesotho from October 4, 2006.

## See also

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* Politics of Lesotho
* History of Lesotho
* List of prime ministers of Lesotho

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Deposed by the military government of General Justin Lekhanya.
2. ^ Abdicated in favor of his father, Moshoeshoe II.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Ministry of Finance of the Kingdom of Lesotho. "BUDGET ESTIMATES BOOK FOR FINANCIAL YEAR 2018/2019" (PDF). www.finance.gov.ls.
2. ^ "Royal Deputy Heads of State in the 20th and 21st Century". Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership. Retrieved 4 January 2016.

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Monarchs of Lesotho

Paramount chiefs|

* Moshoeshoe I
* Letsie I
* Lerotholi
* Letsie II
* Nathaniel Griffith Lerotholi
* Seeiso
* Gabasheane Masupha*
* 'Mantšebo*
* Moshoeshoe II

Monarchs|

* Moshoeshoe II
* 'Mamohato*
* Moshoeshoe II
* 'Mamohato*
* Letsie III
* Moshoeshoe II
* 'Mamohato*
* Letsie III

*Regent

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