Changing Centuries of Royal Tradition: How Europe Paved the Way for a New Era of Queens

For centuries, royal history followed a rigid and unyielding rule: an older princess could be instantly pushed down the line of succession for one simple reason—the birth of a younger brother. Across European monarchies, sons automatically inherited the crown before their sisters, regardless of birth order.

Everything changed when Sweden decided to rewrite the rules of royal inheritance. In 1979, the nation passed a landmark law establishing absolute primogeniture, decreeing that the monarch’s eldest child would inherit the throne, regardless of gender. When the law took effect on January 1, 1980, Princess Victoria officially moved ahead of her younger brother, Prince Carl Philip, becoming the Crown Princess of Sweden.

This historic shift sparked a wave of modernization across the continent. The Netherlands reformed its laws in 1983, followed by Norway in 1990, Belgium in 1991, Denmark in 2009, and Luxembourg in 2011. The United Kingdom later adopted the same principle through the Succession to the Crown Act for royal family members born after October 28, 2011.

Today, these legal reforms are shaping the future of European royalty. Crown Princess Victoria stands first in line in Sweden. Princess Catharina-Amalia is the direct heir in the Netherlands, while Princess Elisabeth is set to become Belgium’s first reigning queen. In Norway, Princess Ingrid Alexandra is second in line behind her father.

Spain remains a notable exception. While Princess Leonor is currently heir presumptive, Spanish law still favors a younger son over an older daughter; Leonor retains her position simply because she has no brothers.

Laws once written to favor princes are gradually disappearing, replaced by a fundamental principle: a firstborn child should never lose her crown simply because she was born a girl. Through these steady reforms, centuries of tradition have evolved, opening the doors for a new generation of female monarchs.