The question of whether Queen Elizabeth II would still have become queen if she had a brother is an interesting one. It requires looking at the history of the British monarchy and the rules of succession that have been in place over the centuries.
The Current Rule of Succession
Today, succession to the British throne is governed by absolute primogeniture. This means that the monarch’s eldest child, regardless of gender, is first in line to the throne. However, this rule only came into effect in 2015 under the Succession to the Crown Act 2013. Prior to this, males took precedence over females in the line of succession.
Therefore, had Queen Elizabeth been born prior to 2015 with a younger brother, he would have become king after their father instead of Elizabeth. The only exception would have been if the brother was born after Elizabeth and died before inheriting the throne, in which case Elizabeth would have still become queen.
Historical Context
Queen Elizabeth II was born in 1926 as the eldest child of the Duke and Duchess of York, who later became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. At the time of her birth, succession to the throne was governed by male-preference primogeniture, under which younger sons could displace elder daughters in the line of succession.
This meant that despite being the eldest child, Elizabeth was third in line to the throne after her uncle, Edward VIII, and her father, George VI. Any younger brothers she may have had would have pushed her further down the line of succession.
Reign of Edward VIII
In 1936, when Elizabeth was 10 years old, her uncle Edward VIII became king. However, later that same year he abdicated the throne in order to marry Wallis Simpson, an American socialite and divorcee. This unexpected turn of events lead to Elizabeth’s father George VI ascending the throne.
As Edward VIII had no children, Elizabeth became heir presumptive. Had she had a younger brother prior to 1936, he would have become heir apparent ahead of her. But as George VI’s eldest child, Elizabeth was now first in line to succeed him.
Changes During George VI’s Reign
During King George VI’s reign in the 1930s and 40s, there were still opportunities for Elizabeth to be displaced as heir if she had a younger brother. Any son born during this time would have taken precedence over her in the succession. However, Elizabeth remained an only child and retained her position as heir presumptive.
Opportunities for a Younger Brother
Given the male-preference succession laws in place prior to 2015, there were a few key occasions where Queen Elizabeth II could have had a younger brother who displaced her in the line of succession:
- If born between Elizabeth and Margaret (1930 to 1933)
- If born after Margaret before Edward VIII’s abdication (1933 to 1936)
- If born during George VI’s reign (1936 to 1952)
A brother born during any of these periods would have taken precedence over Elizabeth. The closer in age he was to Elizabeth, the more likely he could have assumed the role of heir apparent and eventually become king instead of Elizabeth.
Possibilities if Elizabeth had a Younger Brother
If Queen Elizabeth had a younger brother who was heir apparent, there are several possibilities for how history may have played out differently:
Elizabeth’s brother succeeds George VI
The most likely scenario is that if Elizabeth had a younger brother, he would have directly succeeded King George VI in 1952 when he passed away. Elizabeth would have remained a senior royal, but more in the role of a King’s sister rather than queen in her own right.
Elizabeth’s brother passes away before George VI
There is a possibility that even if Elizabeth had a younger brother, he may have passed away before becoming king. If her brother died while George VI was still reigning, Elizabeth would once again become heir presumptive and ultimately succeed to the throne.
Uncle proceeds Elizabeth’s brother
If Elizabeth had a younger brother born in the 1930s who was heir apparent, another scenario is their uncle Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester may have become king instead. As the closest male relative of George VI, Prince Henry may have been chosen to succeed him over Elizabeth’s younger brother who was still a child.
Elizabeth becomes Queen consort
If Elizabeth had a younger brother who became king, she may have still become a Queen consort by marrying into the royal family. As a senior royal, it’s likely she would have married someone like Prince Phillip and still lived a life of duty alongside her brother the king.
How Elizabeth’s Reign Would Be Different
If Queen Elizabeth II had a younger brother who assumed the throne instead of her, a number of things would likely be different today:
- British currency, stamps, etc. would bear a different monarch’s portrait
- The role and public profile of the royal family may have looked quite different
- Major political events may have unfolded differently with a king as monarch
- There would have been a different succession timeline, with Elizabeth’s brother having different children and heirs
- The Commonwealth realms may have evolved differently under a different monarch
- The tradition of a Queen regnant wouldn’t have been reestablished in the 20th century
While it’s impossible to say exactly how history would have transpired with a different monarch, Elizabeth’s long reign as Queen has had an enormous influence on the monarchy and Britain as a whole.
Conclusion
In summary, due to the male preference succession laws in place for most of the 20th century, Queen Elizabeth II very likely would have been displaced as heir to the throne if she had a younger brother. Unless this hypothetical brother passed away early or chose to abdicate, it’s highly improbable Elizabeth would have become queen if not the eldest child. The British monarchy would undoubtedly look quite different today if Elizabeth had not reigned for over 70 years as queen.
| Decade | Elizabeth’s Position | Possibility of Brother Displacing Her |
|---|---|---|
| 1900s | Not born | N/A |
| 1910s | Not born | N/A |
| 1920s | Born 3rd in line | High |
| 1930s | Becomes 1st in line | High |
| 1940s | Remains 1st in line | High |
| 1950s | Becomes Queen | Not Possible |
| 1960s-2000s | Remains Queen | Not Possible |