List of living former sovereign monarchs

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of former monarchs of sovereign states who are living to date. While most monarchs retain their position for their lifetime, some choose to abdicate in favour of a younger heir, while other monarchs are deposed when their monarchies are abolished or when another ruler seizes power by force. By international courtesy, these individuals are usually still addressed by their monarchical titles.

Living former monarchs of sovereign states[]

Ages as of 17:40, Wednesday, March 23, 2022 (UTC).
Name Title Reign Born Age Note
Benedict XVI Sovereign of the Vatican City State 2005–2013 16 Apr 1927 94 years, 341 days Resigned
Jamshid bin Abdullah Sultan of Zanzibar 1963–1964 16 Sep 1929 92 years, 188 days Monarchy abolished
Akihito Emperor of Japan 1989–2019 23 Dec 1933 88 years, 90 days Abdicated
Albert II King of the Belgians 1993–2013 6 Jun 1934 87 years, 290 days Abdicated
Simeon II Tsar of the Bulgarians 1943–1946[1] 16 Jun 1937 84 years, 280 days Monarchy abolished
Juan Carlos I King of Spain 1975–2014 5 Jan 1938 84 years, 77 days Abdicated
Beatrix Queen of the Netherlands 1980–2013 31 Jan 1938 84 years, 51 days Abdicated
Constantine II King of the Hellenes 1964–1973 2 Jun 1940 81 years, 294 days Monarchy abolished
Gyanendra King of Nepal 1950–1951 and 2001–2008 7 Jul 1947 74 years, 259 days Monarchy abolished
Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Emir of Qatar 1995–2013 1 Jan 1952 70 years, 81 days Abdicated
Fuad II King of Egypt and the Sudan 1952–1953 16 Jan 1952 70 years, 66 days Monarchy abolished
Jigme Singye Wangchuck King of Bhutan 1972–2006 11 Nov 1955 66 years, 132 days Abdicated

Besides these, there are three living former holders of the title Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Sirajuddin of Perlis, Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu and Muhammad V of Kelantan) in Malaysia (who are not listed because they remain leaders of one of the nine subnational Malay states), as well as two living former Presidents of France (Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande) who served as Co-Princes of Andorra.

Other territorial ex-monarchs[]

Name Title Reign Born Age Note
Ghalib II al-Qu'aiti Sultan of Qu'aiti 1966–1967 7 Jan 1948 74 years, 75 days Monarchy abolished

Queen Elizabeth II[]

Further information: List of states headed by Elizabeth II

Elizabeth II was Sovereign of the following 17 independent states until they later became republics. Years shown are from her accession in 1952 or independence chronologically up to the abolition of the monarchy.

State Reign
Pakistan 1952–1956
Ghana 1957–1960
South Africa 1952–1961
Tanganyika 1961–1962
Nigeria 1960–1963
Uganda 1962–1963
Kenya 1963–1964
Malawi 1964–1966
The Gambia 1965–1970
Guyana 1966–1970
Sierra Leone 1961–1971
Ceylon 1952–1972
Malta 1964–1974
Trinidad and Tobago 1962–1976
Fiji 1970–1987[2]
Mauritius 1968–1992
Barbados 1966–2021

Notes[]

  1. ^ Simeon returned to Bulgaria in 1996 after a half-century in exile and was elected Prime Minister under the name Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (Simeon Sakskoburggotski) in 2001, serving until 2005.
  2. ^ Elizabeth was recognized as Paramount Chief of Fiji by the former Great Council of Chiefs after 1987 until 2012.

See also[]

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