The following is a list, ordered by length of reign, of the monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1927–present), the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1801–1922), the Kingdom of Great Britain (1707–1801), the Kingdom of England (871–1707), the Kingdom of Scotland (878–1707), the Kingdom of Ireland (1542–1800), and the Principality of Wales (1216–1542).

Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning monarch in British history on 9 September 2015 when she surpassed the reign of her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria. On 6 February 2017, she became the first British monarch to celebrate a Sapphire Jubilee, commemorating 65 years on the throne. On 6 February 2022, Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to reign for 70 years, and large-scale celebrations for her Platinum Jubilee occurred on 2 to 5 June. At her death aged 96 later that year, she had reigned for 70 years and 214 days.

Ten longest-reigning British monarchs These are the ten longest-reigning monarchs in the British Isles for whom there is reliable recorded evidence. This list excludes Constantine II of Scotland who ruled for approximately 43 years from to 943.

Rank Portrait Monarch Age at accession Reign Duration From To Days Years, days 1 Elizabeth II 6 February 1952 8 September 2022 25,782 70 years, 214 days 2 Victoria 20 June 1837 22 January 1901 23,226 63 years, 216 days 3 George III 25 October 1760 29 January 1820 21,644 59 years, 96 days 4 James VI of Scotland 24 July 1567 27 March 1625 21,066 57 years, 246 days 5 Henry III 28 October 1216 16 November 1272 20,473 56 years, 19 days 6 Edward III 25 January 1327 20 June 1377 18,410 50 years, 147 days 7 William I of Scotland 24 years 9 December 1165 4 December 1214 17,892 48 years, 360 days 8 Llywelyn of Gwynedd 22 years 1195 11 April 1240 16,173–16,902 44–46 years 9 Elizabeth I 17 November 1558 24 March 1603 16,198 44 years, 127 days 10 David II of Scotland 7 June 1329 22 February 1371 15,235 41 years, 260 days

Complete list of the unitary monarchy

On 1 May 1707, under the Acts of Union 1707, the Kingdom of England united with the Kingdom of Scotland as the Kingdom of Great Britain. Then, on 1 January 1801, the Kingdom of Great Britain united with the Kingdom of Ireland to become the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, becoming the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland by Act of Parliament in 1927 following the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922.

NameReignDurationFromToYears, daysTotal daysElizabeth II6 February 19528 September 2022Victoria20 June 183722 January 1901George III25 October 176029 January 1820George II22 June 172725 October 1760George V6 May 191020 January 1936George VI11 December 19366 February 1952George I1 August 171411 June 1727George IV29 January 182026 June 1830Edward VII22 January 19016 May 1910Anne1 May 17071 August 1714William IV26 June 183020 June 1837Charles III8 September 2022presentEdward VIII20 January 193611 December 1936

Complete list of the kingdoms England

Includes English monarchs from the installation of Alfred the Great as King of Wessex in 871 to Anne (House of Stuart) and the Acts of Union on 1 May 1707, when the crown became part of the Kingdom of Great Britain.

Name Reign Duration From To Days Years, days Henry III 28 October 1216 16 November 1272 20,473 56 years, 19 days Edward III 25 January 1327 21 June 1377 18,410 50 years, 147 days Elizabeth I 17 November 1558 24 March 1603 16,198 44 years, 127 days Henry VI 1 September 142231 October 1470<br/ >  4 March 146111 April 1471<br/ >  14,064162Total: 14,226 38 years, 184 days162 daysTotal: 38 years, 347 days Æthelred II 18 March 9783 February 1014<br/ >  25 December 101323 April 1016<br/ >  13,065810Total: 13,875 35 years, 282 days2 years, 80 daysTotal: 37 years, 362 days Henry VIII 22 April 1509 28 January 1547 13,795 37 years, 281 days Henry I 5 August 1100 1 December 1135 12,901 35 years, 118 days Henry II 25 October 1154 6 July 1189 12,673 34 years, 254 days Edward I 20 November 1272 7 July 1307 12,646 34 years, 229 daysAlfred the Great 24 April 871 26 October 899 10,412 28 years, 185 days Edward the Elder 27 October 899 17 July 924 9,029 24 years, 264 days Charles II 29 May 1660 6 February 1685 9,019 24 years, 253 days Charles I 27 March 1625 30 January 1649 8,710 23 years, 309 days Henry VII 22 August 1485 21 April 1509 8,642 23 years, 242 days Edward the Confessor 8 June 1042 5 January 1066 8,612 23 years, 211 days Richard II 22 June 1377 29 September 1399 8,134 22 years, 99 days James I 24 March 1603 27 March 1625 8,039 22 years, 3 days Edward IV 4 March 146111 April 1471<br/ >  3 October 14709 April 1483<br/ >  3,5004,381Total: 7,881 9 years, 213 days11 years, 363 daysTotal: 21 years, 211 days William I 12 December 1066 9 September 1087 7,563 20 years, 258 days Edward II 8 July 1307 20 January 1327 7,136 19 years, 196 days Cnut 30 November 1016 12 November 1035 6,921 18 years, 347 days Stephen 22 December 1135 25 October 1154 6,883 18 years, 308 days John 6 April 1199 19 October 1216 6,406 17 years, 196 days Edgar I 1 October 959 8 July 975 5,759 15 years, 280 days Æthelstan 2 August 924(or 925) 27 October 939 5,564 or 5,199 15 years, 86 daysor 14 years, 86 days Henry IV 30 September 1399 20 March 1413 4,919 13 years, 171 days William III 13 February 1689 8 March 1702 4,770 13 years, 23 days Henry the Young King 14 June 1170 11 June 1183 4,745 12 years, 362 days William II 26 September 1087 2 August 1100 4,693 12 years, 310 days Richard I 6 July 1189 6 April 1199 3,561 9 years, 274 days Eadred 26 May 946 23 November 955 3,468 9 years, 181 days Henry V 21 March 1413 31 August 1422 3,450 9 years, 163 days Edmund I 27 October 939 26 May 946 2,403 6 years, 211 days Edward VI 28 January 1547 6 July 1553 2,351 6 years, 159 days Mary II 13 February 1689 28 December 1694 2,144 5 years, 318 days Mary I 19 July 1553 17 November 1558 1,947 5 years, 121 days Anne 8 March 1702 30 April 1707 1,879 5 years, 53 days Harold I 12 November 1035 17 March 1040 1,586 4 years, 126 days Eadwig 23 November 955 1 October 959 1,408 3 years, 312 days James II 6 February 1685 11 December 1688 1,404 3 years, 309 days Edward the Martyr 9 July 975 18 March 978 984 2 years, 253 days Harthacnut 17 March 1040 8 June 1042 813 2 years, 83 days Richard III 26 June 1483 22 August 1485 788 2 years, 57 days Harold II 5 January 1066 14 October 1066 282 282 days Edmund II 23 April 1016 30 November 1016 221 221 days Matilda 7 April 1141 1 November 1141 208 208 days Edward V 9 April 1483 26 June 1483 78 78 days Edgar II 15 October 1066 17 December 1066 63 63 days Sweyn Forkbeard 25 December 1013 3 February 1014 40 40 days Ælfweard 17 July 924 2 August 924 16 16 days Jane 10 July 1553 19 July 1553 9 9 days

Scotland

Includes Scottish monarchs from the installation of Kenneth I (House of Alpin) in 848 to Anne (House of Stuart) and the Acts of Union on 1 May 1707, when the crown became part of the Kingdom of Great Britain.

Name Reign Duration From To (days) (years, days) James VI 24 July 1567 27 March 1625 William I 9 December 1165 4 December 1214 Constantine II 900 943 c. 15,500 c. 43 years David II 7 June 1329 22 February 1371 Alexander III 6 July 1249 19 March 1286 Malcolm III 17 March 1058 13 November 1093 Alexander II 4 December 1214 6 July 1249 James I 4 April 1406 21 February 1437 Malcolm II 25 March 1005 25 November 1034 James V 9 September 1513 14 December 1542 David I 23 April 1124 24 May 1153 James III 3 August 1460 11 June 1488 Charles II 30 January 164929 May 1660<br/ >  3 September 16516 February 1685<br/ >  Total: 9,965 Total: 27 years, 104 days James IV 11 June 1488 9 September 1513 Mary I 14 December 1542 24 July 1567 Charles I 27 March 1625 30 January 1649 Kenneth II 971 995 c. 8,700 c. 23–24 years James II 21 February 1437 3 August 1460 Edward Balliol<br/ >(disputed) 24 September 1332 20 January 1356 Robert I 25 March 1306 7 June 1329 Robert II 22 February 1371 19 April 1390 Alexander I 8 January 1107 23 April 1124 Macbeth 14 August 1040 15 August 1057 Robert III 19 April 1390 4 April 1406 Constantine I 862 877 c. 5,400 c. 15 years Kenneth MacAlpin 843 13 February 858 c. 5,100 c. 14 years William II 11 May 1689 8 March 1702 Malcolm IV 24 May 1153 9 December 1165 Giric 878 889 c. 4.000 c. 11 years Donald II 889 900 c. 4,000 c. 11 years Malcolm I 943 954 c. 3,600 c. 10–11 years Edgar 1097 8 January 1107 c. 3,600 c. 10 years Kenneth III 997 25 March 1005 c. 2,900 c. 8 years Indulf 954 962 c. 2,700 c. 8 years Duncan I 25 November 1034 14 August 1040 Mary II 11 April 1689 28 December 1694 Amlaíb 971 977 c. 2,000 c. 5–6 years Anne 8 March 1702 30 April 1707 Dub 962 c. 966-967 c. 1,800 c. 5 years Cuilén c. 966-967 971 c. 1,800 c. 5 years Domnall mac Ailpín 858 13 April 862 c. 1.300 c. 4 years James VII 6 February 1685 11 December 1688 Margaret 25 November 1286 26 September 1290 John Balliol 17 November 1292 10 July 1296 Donald III 13 November 1093 1097 c. 1,000 c. 3–4 years Áed mac Cináeda 877 878 c. 365 c. 1 year Constantine III 995 997 c. 485 16 months Skene, Chronicles of the Picts and Scots, p. 131 Lulach 15 August 1057 17 March 1058 Duncan II May 1094 12 November 1094 c. "less than 7 months"

List of the Principalities Gwynedd (incomplete list)

The Principality (or Kingdom) of Gwynedd (5th century–1216), located in northwest Wales, was one of the most prominent early medieval Welsh kingdoms. Its rulers were often acclaimed as "King of the Britons," symbolizing their influence over other Welsh territories and their resistance to external threats. Gwynedd faced repeated challenges, including civil wars, Saxon incursions, and Norman invasions, which gradually eroded its dominance. In 1216, it transitioned into the Principality of Wales, although the title "Prince of Wales" was not formally adopted until the 1240s under the leadership of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, also known as Llywelyn the Last.

Gwynedd’s heartland was the mountainous and hilly region of Snowdonia, which provided natural defenses and contributed to its resilience against invaders. The kingdom played a central role in preserving Welsh identity, language, and culture during a period of significant cultural and social upheaval in Britain.

Gwynedd’s political and military structure helped shape the foundations of later Welsh governance. Its rulers, particularly under the House of Aberffraw, established enduring principles of leadership and unity that influenced medieval Welsh law and identity. As historian R. R. Davies notes in The Age of Conquest: Wales 1063–1415, Gwynedd stood as “the nucleus of Welsh political life,” embodying both resistance and renewal amid centuries of external pressure. Name Reign Duration From To (days) (years, days) Gruffudd ap Cynan 1081 1137 55–56 years Llywelyn the Great 1195 11 April 1240 > 16,172 44–45 years Owain Gwynedd 1137 1170 > 11,688 33 years Dafydd ab Owain Gwynedd 1170 1195 > 8,766 25 yearsCynan ab Iago 1023 1039 5,840 16 years Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd 1170 1170 < 1 year

Wales

The Principality of Wales (1216–1542) was a client state of England for much of its history, except for brief periods when it was de facto independent under a Welsh Prince of Wales (see House of Aberffraw). From 1301 it was first used as a title of the English (and later British) heir apparent. The Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 formally incorporated all of Wales within the Kingdom of England.

Name Reign Duration From To (days) (years, days)Llywelyn ab Iorwerth11951240> 16,436 45 yearsDafydd ap Llywelyn12401246> 2190 6 years Llywelyn ap Gruffudd 1253 11 December 1282 > 10,572 29 yearsDafydd ap Gruffudd12821283> 365 1 year Owain Glyndŵr 16 September 1400 1416 > 5,585 16 years Owain Goch ap Gruffydd 25 February 1246 1255 > 3,000 9 years Owain Lawgoch May 1372 July 1378 > 2,221 6 years Dafydd ap Llywelyn 12 April 1240 25 February 1246 Dafydd ap Gruffydd 11 December 1282 3 October 1283 days

See also