The 10 Longest Reigning Monarch
- Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Of Brunei
- King Carl XVI Of Sweden
- Queen Margrethe II Of Denmark
- Queen Elizabeth II Of England
- Mswati III Of Eswatini
- Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi Of Sharjah(UAE)
- Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi III Of Ajman(UAE)
- Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi Of Fujairah(UAE)
- Hans-Adam II, Prince Of Liechtenstein
- Harald V Of Norway
- Letsie III Of Lesotho
- Mizan Zainal Abidin Of Terengganu
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Of Brunei
Hassanal Bolkiah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien III was born on July 15, 1946, and has been the Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei since 1967. He also serves as the Prime Minister of Brunei since the country gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1984. As one of the few absolute monarchs in the world, he succeeded to the throne after his father, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III, abdicated on October 5, 1967.
The Sultan is known to be one of the wealthiest individuals globally, with a net worth of $30 billion as of 2023. He is also the world’s longest-reigning current monarch and the longest-serving current head of state. On October 5, 2017, Bolkiah celebrated his Golden Jubilee to mark his 50th year of reign. He leads over a small state surrounded by the state of Sarawak in Malaysia and bordering the South China Sea, known for its high living standards due to rich oil and gas reserves. The royal family possesses a vast private fortune, and its citizens pay no taxes.
Aside from being the Sultan, Bolkiah serves as the prime minister and heads various ministries, including defence and finance. He also holds the title of general in the armed forces, honorary admiral in the Royal Navy, and police inspector general. The Sultan resides in the Istana Nurul Iman, the most enormous palace in the world, which boasts 1,788 rooms.
King Carl XVI Of Sweden
Carl XVI Gustaf, also known as Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus, was born on April 30, 1946, and is the current King of Sweden. He became King in 1973 after the death of his grandfather, Gustaf VI Adolf. Carl Gustaf is the youngest child and only son of Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten, and Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Unfortunately, his father died in an aeroplane crash in Denmark when he was only nine months old. As a result, he became second in line to the throne after his grandfather, Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf. When King Gustaf V passed away in 1950, Gustaf Adolf became the King, and Carl Gustaf became the new crown prince and heir to the throne at four.
Once Carl Gustaf became King, the 1974 Instrument of Government was enacted. This stripped him of his remaining executive power, which means he no longer performs many of the duties of a head of state. However, as head of the House of Bernadotte, he can still make decisions about the titles and positions of its members. The new instrument limited the King to ceremonial functions and required him to be regularly informed of state affairs. The King’s heir apparent is Crown Princess Victoria, his eldest child with his wife, Queen Silvia. Before a new law was passed in 1980 establishing absolute primogeniture, his younger son, Prince Carl Philip, was briefly the heir apparent. Carl XVI Gustaf is the longest-reigning monarch in Swedish history, surpassing King Magnus IV’s reign of 44 years and 222 days on April 26, 2018.
Carl Gustaf XVI broke tradition by abandoning the title “King of the Swedes, the Goths or Geats and the Wends” to become solely known as the King of Sweden. He is also known for presenting the Nobel Prize. Carl Gustaf was the youngest of five children and became King following his grandfather, King Gustaf VI Adolf. He married Silvia Sommerlath, who is German-Brazilian, in 1976. The night before their wedding, Abba performed “Dancing Queen” for the first time at a special concert. Although the Swedish monarch has a ceremonial role rather than a political one, he is still an essential figure in Swedish history.
Queen Margrethe II Of Denmark
Queen Margrethe II, also known affectionately as Daisy, was born on April 16, 1940, and is the current monarch of Denmark. She has reigned for over 50 years, making her Europe’s longest-serving head of state and the world’s longest-serving female head of state. As the only Queen regnant in the world, Margrethe comes from the House of Glücksburg, a cadet branch of the House of Oldenburg, and is the eldest child of King Frederick IX and Queen Ingrid.
Margrethe became heir presumptive to her father in 1953 after a constitutional amendment allowed women to inherit the throne. She succeeded her father upon his death on January 14, 1972, becoming the first female monarch of Denmark since Margrethe I, who ruled the Scandinavian kingdoms during the Kalmar Union from 1376-1412. Margrethe married Henri de Laborde de Monpezat in 1967, and they have two sons: Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim. Aside from her royal duties, Margrethe is known for her intense passion for archaeology and has participated in several international excavations. She has also received 42 official state visits as a sovereign and has undertaken 55 foreign state visits herself. The monarchy in Denmark has consistent support, with Margrethe’s popularity remaining high.
Margrethe’s father, King Frederick IX, and his wife, Ingrid of Sweden, had a family of three girls and enjoyed much popular support. Following a referendum in 1953, a new act of succession was passed to allow a woman to ascend the throne. Margrethe was inspired by Queen Elizabeth’s statement on her coronation 19 years earlier, in which she vowed to dedicate herself to serving the nation. Margrethe is Denmark’s first queen and second longest-reigning monarch since King Christian IV. She is widely respected and loved by her country and known for her passion for archaeology, state visits, and dedication to serving her nation.
Queen Elizabeth II Of England
The late Queen Elizabeth II is included in this list due to the length and significance of her reign and the fact that she just recently passed. Following the death of Thai’s King Bhumibol, Elizabeth II added the title “world’s longest-reigning living monarch” to her extensive list of tags before passing. Elizabeth became Queen in 1952 at age 25, while on tour in Kenya with her husband, Prince Philip, following the death of her father, King George VI. She was crowned the following year, on June 2, 1953.
On September 9, 2015, Elizabeth II surpassed the 63-year, 7-month, and 2-day reign of her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, ruling for over 70 years, making her the longest-serving monarch in UK history. Elizabeth II has been married to Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, for 69 years, with over 64 years as Queen. Her son, now crowned King of England, Prince Charles, was the longest-serving heir apparent in British history. At the beginning of her reign, Joseph Stalin was the leader of the Soviet Union, and Harry Truman was the President of the United States, coinciding with the power of the late Thai King.
Mswati III Of Eswatini
Mswati III, also known as Makhosetive, was born on April 19, 1968, and is the King of Eswatini and leader of the Swazi royal family. He was born in Manzini, then part of the Protectorate of Swaziland, to King Sobhuza II and Ntfombi Tfwala, one of his younger wives. At 18, on April 25 1986, he became the youngest ruling monarch in the world when he was crowned as Mswati III, Ingwenyama and King of Swaziland.
As an absolute monarch, Mswati III can appoint the prime minister, other top government officials, and traditional posts alongside his mother, Ntfombi Tfwala, now known as the Queen Mother (Ndlovukati). Mswati III is known for practising polygamy, although the state appoints at least two wives. At 54, he had 15 wives and more than 45 children, while his father reportedly had at least 70.
Mswati III was introduced as the crown prince in September 1983 and was subsequently crowned King on April 25 1986, making him one of the youngest reigning monarchs of the late 20th century. He rules jointly with his mother, who holds the title of Indlovukati (“Great She-Elephant”). Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, is a small country located in southern Africa. Mswati III is the continent’s last absolute monarch and has been on the throne since 1986.
Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi Of Sharjah(UAE)
Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, born on July 2, 1939, is the ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah and a member of the Federal Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates. He has been in power in Sharjah since January 1972, except for a brief period in June 1987 when his elder brother, Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Al-Qasim, attempted a coup. Sultan became emir after his brother Khalid bin Mohammed Al Qasimi was assassinated on January 25, 1972. Before becoming emir, he served as the minister of education for the Emirates and held several educational positions. He has been the President of the American University of Sharjah and the University of Sharjah since 1997. In 1998, he was named a visiting professor at his alma mater, the University of Exeter. He became a professor of the modern history of the Gulf at the University of Sharjah in 1999. Additionally, in 2008, he became a visiting professor at Cairo University. Sultan celebrated his 50th anniversary of accession to the throne on January 25, 2022, and is the longest reigning Arab ruler, surpassing Qaboos bin Said’s record of 49 and a half years.
Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi III Of Ajman(UAE)
The current ruler of the Emirate of Ajman is Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi III, born in 1931. He is a prominent Emirati royal and politician, as well as a member of the Federal Supreme Council. Sheikh Humaid succeeded his father, Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi III, as the 10th ruler of Ajman on September 6, 1981, after serving as deputy ruler since 1960.
Sheikh Humaid received his early education in Dubai in the 1940s and 1950s and later furthered his studies in Cairo. He became actively involved in the affairs of the state in the early 1970s, when Ajman joined the United Arab Emirates in December 1971 and was required to act as deputy ruler. He is a member of the Al Na’im tribe, and his sister, the late Sheikha Fatima bint Rashid Al Nuaimi, passed away on December 14, 2014. Her only son is the current ruler of Fujairah, Sheikh Hamad Al Sharqi.
Sheikh Humaid’s reign has been long and prosperous, and in 2019 he ranked 11th on the list of the world’s longest-reigning rulers (if Elizabeth II is counted in many realms), which places him sixth today. As a respected and influential figure in the UAE, Sheikh Humaid continues to serve his people with distinction.
Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi Of Fujairah(UAE)
Hans-Adam II, Prince Of Liechtenstein
Harald V Of Norway
King Harald V of Norway was born on February 21, 1937, and ascended to the throne on January 17, 1991. He was the third child and only son of King Olav V of Norway and Princess Märtha of Sweden and was second in line for the throne after his father. Due to the German occupation during World War II, Harald and his family went into exile, spending part of his childhood in Sweden and the United States. Harald returned to Norway in 1945 and pursued his studies at the University of Oslo, the Norwegian Military Academy, and Balliol College, Oxford.
After his grandfather Haakon VII passed away in 1957, Harald became crown prince as his father took over the throne. In addition to his royal duties, Harald was a talented athlete and represented Norway in sailing at the 1964, 1968, and 1972 Olympic Games. He also became the patron of World Sailing. In 1968, Harald married Sonja Haraldsen, despite initial controversy due to her status as a commoner. They have two children, Märtha Louise and Haakon. Harald became King with Haakon after his father’s death in 1991 as his heir apparent.
Letsie III Of Lesotho
Mizan Zainal Abidin Of Terengganu
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