Introducing the 26 royal families of the world: From Britain to Bahrain to Bhutan
When you think of the Royal Family, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and Prince William probably spring to mind.
But the UK doesn’t have the monopoly on the monarchy: there are kings and queens, emirs, sultans and emperors dotted across the world.
Not all have lasted the long-haul - Nepal’s monarchy was most recently dissolved, in 2008 - but, there are still 26 in existence globally.
Bahrain
Current ruler: King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, born 28 January 1950 (age 69).
How did it begin: In 1783, Bahrain fell under the control of Khalifa bin Mohammed, who began the Al Khalifa dynasty. The country has been ruled by them ever since.
Fun fact: Bahrain is the smallest country in the Middle East and is Asia’s third smallest country.
Belgium
Current ruler: King Philippe, born 15 April 1960 (age 59).
How did it begin: Leopold I became the first King of the Belgians in 1831, when Belgium separated from the Kingdom of the Netherlands and became its own country.
Fun fact: The monarchs originally belonged to the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. The family name was changed by Albert I in 1920 to the House of Belgium as a result of anti-German sentiment after the First World War.
Bhutan
Current ruler: Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, born 21 February 1980 (age 39), also known as Druk Gyalpo or “Dragon King”.
How did it begin: The House of Wangchuck has ruled since 1907, when Ugyen Wangchuck was elected unanimously by the representatives of the people, the officials and the clergy and enthroned as the first King of Bhutan.
Fun fact: In 2008, Bhutan transitioned from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy.
Brunei
Current ruler: Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, born 15 July 1946 (age 73).
How did it begin: The beginning of the monarchy is thought to be 1363, when Muhammad Shah established the Sultanate of Brunei.
Fun fact: The sultan is considered one of the wealthiest royals in the world, with an estimated net worth of $20 billion.
Cambodia
Current ruler: King Norodom Sihamoni, born 14 May 1953 (age 66).
How did it begin: According to historical records, the first ruler of Cambodia was Queen Soma, who reigned during the first century.
Fun fact: Since 1993, the King of Cambodia is an elected monarch, making Cambodia one of the few elective monarchies of the world. The king is chosen for life from among the members of the Norodom and Sisowath bloodline who are at least 30 years old by the Royal Council of the Throne.
Denmark
Current ruler: Queen Margrethe II, born 16 April 1940 (age 79).
When did it begin: The unified Kingdom of Denmark was founded by the Viking king Gorm the Old in 935. The present queen is from the House of Glücksburg, which has also produced multiple monarchs for Norway, Greece and several northern German states. It was created by Friedrich Wilhelm in 1825.
Fun fact: Queen Margrethe II is the first female monarch of Denmark since Margrethe I, who ruled between 1375-1412.
Japan
Current ruler: Emperor Naruhito, born 23 Feburary 1960 (age 59).
When did it begin: The origins of the Japanese monarchy is not fully known, but according to legend, the first ruler of Japan is Emperor Jimmu. His reign is traditionally dated from 660 BC to 585 BC.
Fun fact: The previous emperor abdicated in favour of his son due to his failing health. This was the first time in more than 200 years this has happened in Japanese history.
Jordan
Current ruler: King Abdullah II, born 30 January 1962 (age 57).
When did it begin: The House of Hashim, the ruling family of Jordan, began in 1916 when Hussein bin Ali declared himself King of Hejaz - now a region in the west of Saudi Arabia.
Fun fact: In 2016 King Abdullah II was regarded as the most influential Muslim in the world by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre.
Kuwait
Current ruler: Emir Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, born 16 June 1929 (age 90).
When did it begin: According to official Kuwaiti history, Abu Abdullah Sabah I bin Jaber Al Sabah was unanimously chosen to be sheikh, an honorific title for male royal family members. He was the first ruler of Kuwait and reigned from 1752 to 1762.
Fun fact: The brother of the current emir is the oldest crown prince in the world, at the age of 82.
Lesotho
Current ruler: King Letsie III, born 17 July 1963 (age 56).
When did it begin: In 1822, Moshoeshoe, the son of a minor chieftain, formed his own clan and took his people to a stronghold in the mountains which became known as Basutoland, a British Crown colony. It was renamed as the Kingdom of Lesotho in 1966 after it gained independence from Britain.
Fun fact: King Letsie III succeeded to the throne in 1996 after his father King Moshoeshoe II, 57, was killed in a car accident. He had set out to visit his cattle at one in the morning, but on his return journey his car plummeted off a mountain road.
Liechtenstein
Current ruler: Prince Hans Adam II, Prince Regnant of Liechtenstein, born 14 February 1945 (age 74).
When did it begin: The House of Liechtenstein was founded in 1608 by Karl I.
Fun fact: The family has a long history with the name - they have owned Castle Liechtenstein in Lower Austria on and off since 1140.
Luxembourg
Current ruler: Grand Duke Henri, born 16 April 1955 (age 64).
When did it begin: The first monarch was William I of the Netherlands in 1815, when the two countries entered a personal union. The union ended in 1890 as after the death of William III, the Netherlands’ crown passed to his daughter Wilhelmina, but a law prohibited women ruling Luxembourg and the throne passed to Adolph of Nassau-Weilburg.
Fun fact: Luxembourg is the world's only sovereign grand duchy, a territory where the official head of state has the title grand duke or duchess. Grand Duke Henri is a first cousin of King Philippe of Belgium.
Malaysia
Current ruler: Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah, born 30 July 1959 (age 59).
When did it begin: The office was established in 1957, after Malaysia gained independence from the United Kingdom.
Fun fact: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, known as the Supreme Head or just King, is chosen once every five years, making Malaysia one of the few elective monarchies in the world.
Monaco
Current ruler: Prince Albert II, 14 March 1958 (age 61).
When did it begin: The House of Grimaldi has long been connected with the state, and the first ruler of the area now known as Monaco was Rainier I, who lived from 1267-1314.
Fun fact: Prince Albert II is the son of Prince Rainier III and Grace, Princess of Monaco, formerly known as Grace Kelly.
Morocco
Current ruler: King Mohammed VI, born 21 August 1963, (age 55).
When did it begin: The Alaouite dynasty has been ruling Morocco since 1631, when it was founded by Sharif ibn Ali.
Fun fact: One of the sultans, Moulay Abdullah, ascended the throne six times due to being deposed many times by his brothers.
Netherlands
Current ruler: King Willem-Alexander, born 27 April 1967 (age 52).
When did it begin: William I, Prince of Orange, inherited the lands from his cousin when he was 11 in 1544, and is now known as the the Father of the nation. For a long time the country was governed by Spanish rule, but he revolted against them and created an independent Dutch state.
Fun fact: Willem-Alexander is an avid pilot and during the reign of his mother, he regularly flew the Dutch royal airplane.
Norway
Current ruler: King Harald V, born 21 February 1937 (age 82).
When did it begin: The first recored king to claim sovereignty over all of Norway was Harald I, Harald Hårfager in Norwegian (born c. 860 - died c. 940).
The current dynasty comes from the House of Glücksburg, a family that has produced multiple monarchs for Norway, Denmark, Greece and several northern German states, created by Friedrich Wilhelm in 1825.
Fun fact: Prince Philip, the Queen’s husband, is from this lineage.
Oman
Current ruler: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said, born 18 November 1940 (age 78).
When did it begin: The House of Al Said has ruled Oman since around 1744. Founded by Ahmad bin Said al-Busaidi, who was a governer of Sohar, a port city, he consolidated power when he liberated the country from Persian occupancy.
Fun fact: Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said is the longest serving leader in the Middle East and Arab world, having held the office since 1970.
Qatar
Current ruler: Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, born 3 June 1980 (age 39).
When did it begin: The Al Thani dynasty has been ruling Qatar since the family house was established in 1825 by Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani.
Fun fact: At present, Sheikh Tamim is the youngest sovereign worldwide.
Saudi Arabia
Current ruler: Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, born 31 December 1935 (age 83).
When did it begin: Ibn Saud, the current king’s father, was the first monarch and founder of modern Saudi Arabia. He established his reign through conquest and created the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932.
Fun fact: After Ibn Saud, all subsequent kings have been his sons.
Spain
Current ruler: King Felipe VI, born 30 January 1968 (age 51).
When did it begin: The monarchy in Spain has had a very turbulent history - at one point it was even abolished during the 20th century until it was reinstated in 1975.
The first rulers of the area known as Spain today were Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. Through their union they brought together their respective lands under one dominion.
The present ruling family hails from the House of Bourbon, which began its rule in 1700 with King Philip V.
Fun fact: Last year, the budget for the Spanish monarchy was €7.9 million, one of the lowest public expenditures for a royal family in Europe.
Swaziland/Eswatini
Current ruler: King Mswati III, born 19 April 1968 (age 51).
When did it begin: Ngwane III is considered to be the first king of modern Swaziland, he began his reign in 1745.
Fun fact: The kings practice polygamy and therefore have many wives and children. King Mswati III has 14 wives and 35 children.
Sweden
Current ruler: King Carl XVI Gustaf, born 30 April 1946 (age 73).
When did it begin: In 1818, the House of Bernadotte was begun by Charles XIV John, born Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, as the previous king was childless.
Fun fact: In 1947 the current king’s father died in an airplane crash in Denmark when Carl XVI Gustaf was just nine months old.
Thailand
Current ruler: King Maha Vajiralongkorn (also known as King Rama X), born 28th July 1952 (age 66).
When did it begin: Military leader Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok (Rama I) seized control over Siam - which later changed its name to Thailand - after overpowering a rebellion, and crowned himself as the monarch in 1782. This rise to power started the roots of the Chakri Dynasty.
Fun fact: The previous king was the longest reigning monarch in history - he was on the throne for 70 years and 126 days (1946-2016).
Tonga
Current monarch: King Tupou VI, born 12 July 1959 (age 59).
When did it begin: Originally Tonga was made up of three ruling houses, however, they ended up going to war with each other for the first half of the 19th century. Taufa’ahau emerged victorious and was later crowned King George Tupou I in 1845.
Fun fact: Tupou’s first daughter, Salote Tupou III, became the first and only Queen of Tonga, and was on the throne for 47 years, longer than any other Tongan monarch.
United Kingdom
Current monarch: Queen Elizabeth II, born 21 April 1926 (age 93).
When did it begin: Multiple families have commanded the British Isles, but the current household is the House of Windsor. It was originally the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, but the name was changed in 1917 due to anti-German sentiment.
Fun fact: There have been 66 monarchs of England and Britain spread over a period of 1,500 years.
