Georg V, the last King of Hanover, reigned 1851 – 1866; Credit – Wikipedia
In 1714, Queen Anne of Great Britain died without heirs and according to the terms of the Act of Settlement 1701, the British throne would go to Sophia, Electress of Hanover and her non-Catholic heirs. Sophia’s mother was Elizabeth Stuart, the second child and eldest daughter of King James VI of Scotland/King James I of England. Sophia narrowly missed becoming queen, having died two months before Queen Anne. Sophia’s son George, Elector of Hanover, became King George I of Great Britain. He still remained Elector of Hanover as did his successors King George II and King George III. In 1814, under the terms of the Congress of Vienna, the Electorate of Hanover was raised to the Kingdom of Hanover and King George III also became King of Hanover.
The Kingdom of Hanover in orange; Credit – Wikipedia
George III’s sons George IV and William IV succeeded him as King of the United Kingdom and King of Hanover. However, because the Kingdom of Hanover followed the Salic Law which did not allow female succession, Queen Victoria who succeeded her uncle William IV as Queen of the United Kingdom, could not become Queen of Hanover. Therefore, Queen Victoria’s paternal eldest surviving uncle Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland became King of Hanover.
King George V, Ernest Augustus’ son, was the last King of Hanover. Hanover backed the losing side in the Austro-Prussian War and was conquered by the Kingdom of Prussia in 1866 and became a Prussian province. Since then, the senior heir of the House of Hanover has been the pretender to the throne of the Kingdom of Hanover. Today the former Kingdom of Hanover is in the German state of Lower Saxony.
- Holy Roman Empire, German Confederation, North German Confederation, and the German Empire Explained
- The Constituent States of the German Empire
- Glossary of German Noble and Royal Titles
Below is an indexed listing with links to biographical articles about the Kings of Hanover and their families at Unofficial Royalty. Also listed below are links to Hanover Miscellaneous Articles, and Hanover Content Areas.
Kingdom of Hanover (1814 – 1866)
Family of George III, King of the United Kingdom, King of Hanover
- George III, King of the United Kingdom, King of Hanover (reigned as King of Hanover 1814 – 1820)
- Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Queen of the United Kingdom, Queen of Hanover (wife of George III)
- George IV, King of the United Kingdom, King of Hanover (see below)
- Prince Frederick, Duke of York
- William IV, King of the United Kingdom, King of Hanover (see below)
- Charlotte, Princess Royal, Queen of Württemberg
- Prince Edward, Duke of Kent
- Princess Augusta Sophia
- Princess Elizabeth, Landgravine of Hesse-Homburg
- Ernst August I, King of Hanover, Duke of Cumberland (see below)
- Prince Augustus, Duke of Sussex
- Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge
- Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester
- Princess Sophia
- Prince Octavius
- Prince Alfred
- Princess Amelia
Family of George IV, King of the United Kingdom, King of Hanover
- George IV, King of the United Kingdom, King of Hanover (reigned 1820 – 1830)
- Caroline of Brunswick, Queen of the United Kingdom, Queen of Hanover (wife of George IV)
- Princess Charlotte of Wales (died in childbirth)
Family of William IV, King of the United Kingdom, King of Hanover
- William IV, King of the United Kingdom, King of Hanover (reigned 1830 – 1837)
- Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, Queen of the United Kingdom, Queen of Hanover (wife of William IV, no surviving issue)
Family of Ernst August I, King of Hanover, Duke of Cumberland
- Ernst August I, King of Hanover, Duke of Cumberland (reigned 1837 – 1851)
- Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Queen of Hanover, Duchess of Cumberland (wife of Ernst August I)
- King George V of Hanover (see below)
Family of Georg V, King of Hanover, Duke of Cumberland
- Georg V, King of Hanover, Duke of Cumberland (reigned 1851 – 1866, monarchy abolished when Hanover was annexed by Prussia)
- Marie of Saxe-Altenburg, Queen of Hanover, Duchess of Cumberland (wife of Georg V)
- Notable Issue: Ernst August II, Crown Prince of Hanover
- Thyra of Denmark, Crown Princess of Hanover (wife of Ernst August II)
- Notable Issue: Alexandra of Hanover and Cumberland, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
- Notable Issue: Ernst August III, Duke of Brunswick
- Viktoria Luise of Prussia, Duchess of Brunswick (wife of Ernst August III)
- Notable Issue: Ernst August IV, Hereditary Prince of Brunswick, Prince of Hanover
- Notable Issue: Ernst August V, Prince of Hanover
- Notable Issue: Ernst August IV, Hereditary Prince of Brunswick, Prince of Hanover
Pretenders to the Throne
- LAST REIGNING: King Georg V of Hanover
- Former: Ernst August II, Crown Prince of Hanover
- Former: Ernst August III, Duke of Brunswick
- Former: Ernst August IV, Hereditary Prince of Brunswick
- Current: Ernst August V, Hereditary Prince of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick