Theory:Timeline - British monarchy

This page lists the British monarchy in chronological order. This timeline is based upon observations of the Doctor Who universe and the events that occur during each of these stories.

Years given for their reign are the ones confirmed by DWU stories.

English monarchs

 * The Doctor
 * ‘Apparently,’ he said as he chewed, ‘Arthur was supposed to take the sword out of the stone himself. Lot of fuss about nothing, if you ask me. But I did get to be King of England for a day before I abdicated in his favour. No real harm done.’ (PROSE: Silhouette)


 * King Arthur
 * 785: King Egfrith
 * 'I dab oil onto your er, hands, your breast and the crown of your head. This is the most sacred part of the ceremony. It was first performed in 785 on Egfrith, King of Merc-' (PROSE: The Dying Days)


 * Late 8XX: King Alfred the Great
 * 'My father Ethelwulf died of his worries...' the King continued in a flat emotionless drawl. 'Ethelred... Ethelbald... All my older brothers... All have died fighting the Danish invaders before I became king. Five good men have had to lose their lives for me to stand here before you.' (PROSE: The Man Who Wouldn't Give Up)


 * 924: King Athelstan of England
 * Doctor: "...the Court of King Athelstan in 924 AD." "It's the Cup of Athelstan, given to the first King of Britain as a coronation gift from Hywel, King of the Welsh." (TV: Planet of the Dead)


 * 1016: King Ethelred
 * 'Ethelred; said the Doctor sternly before Tegan could reply, 'died in the year 1016. So we know roughly when we are.' (PROSE: The Immortals)


 * King Cnut
 * 1055-1066: King Edward the Confessor
 * DOCTOR: Ah, one of my favourite times and places. London in the year 1055. The court of King Edward, known as the Confessor. During the time known as the Rule of Solomon. (AUDIO: Seasons of Fear)


 * 1066: King Harold Godwinson
 * DOCTOR: Now, if Harold is king, and Edward was laid to rest at the beginning of the year, then it must be 1066! (TV: The Time Meddler)


 * 1066: King William the Conqueror
 * DOCTOR: And King Harold will defeat them. Yes, and then in a few weeks time, he loses the battle of Hastings to William the Conqueror. Well, at least that's what the history books said happened. (TV: The Time Meddler)
 * "She had been born in Canterbury the day William the Conqueror died." (PROSE: Vampire Science)


 * 1190?-1199: King Richard I
 * 1199-1216: King John
 * DOCTOR: Oh, Tegan. 1215? King John, of course.
 * TEGAN: The one who lost something in the Wash?
 * DOCTOR: Well, you could put it like that. This particular shirt turned out to be the Crown Jewels, but that's next year. (PROSE: The King's Demons)


 * King Henry III
 * 1399: King Richard II
 * 1399-1400: King Henry IV
 * 1415: King Henry V
 * "The clearing burst momentarily into light as another rocket raced high into the night sky, seeding the clouds above with chemicals causing the downpour that, the next day, would bring King Henry V his famous victory." (PROSE: The Reign Makers)


 * King Edward IV
 * 1483: King Edward V
 * 1483-1485: King Richard III
 * 1485-1509: King Henry VII (TV: The Coach with the Dragon Tattoo)
 * 1509-1547: King Henry VIII (TV: The Coach with the Dragon Tattoo)
 * 1547-1553: King Edward VI (TV: The Coach with the Dragon Tattoo)
 * 10-19 July 1553: Lady Jane Grey
 * Rani: On this the nineteenth day of July, 1553, Lady Mary makes just claim to the Crown of England. And she calls upon all of her subjects to reject any unlawful claimants.
 * Jane: We each have a path that we must tread, and this is mine. All I hope is that I will be remembered even though I was Queen just nine days. (TV: Lost in Time)


 * 1553-1558: Queen Mary I
 * 1558-1603: Queen Elizabeth I
 * 1603-1625?: King James I
 * 'They arrived at London in 1603 to a glorious parade, a magnificent spectacle, according to family legend. It was seen as the glorious union of the English and Scottish crowns. James the Sixth of Scotland would become James the First of the United Kingdom.'


 * 1625?-1649: King Charles I
 * "The morning of January the thirtieth 1649 was a cold one and Charles Stuart insisted upon wearing an extra shirt so that his enemies would not mistake his shivering for fear." (PROSE: The Roundheads)

Lord Protector

 * c.1649-1658: Oliver Cromwell
 * "Oliver Cromwell, the man who was soon to become Lord Protector of the Kingdom, stared into the bright winter morning as though gazing through time itself." (PROSE: The Roundheads)
 * ‘Oliver Cromwell,’ he murmured, ‘1599 to 1658.’


 * 1658: Richard Cromwell
 * ‘It says I will be known as “Tumbledown Dick”! That I shall rule for only a few scant months after my father’s death and I shall never be half the man he is!’

English monarchs

 * King Charles II
 * King James II
 * Queen Mary II & King William of Orange
 * Queen Anne

British monarchs

 * Queen Anne
 * King George I
 * King George II
 * King George III
 * Queen Victoria
 * King Edward VII
 * Summary: The TARDIS brings the Tenth Doctor and Martha to Balmoral in 1902.
 * Doctor: "No King Edward the Seventh means no George the Fifth, so no George the Sixth. No Elizabeth the Second, God bless her, and no King Charles the Third and Queen Camilla, no King William the Fifth - no, you haven't got there yet, have you? Anyway you see what I mean." (PROSE: Revenge of the Judoon)


 * King George V
 * 1936: King Edward VIII
 * 1936-1952: King George VI
 * 1953: Queen Elizabeth II
 * MAGPIE: What do you mean? The Coronation.
 * ROSE: It's the Queen's. Queen Elizabeth. (TV: The Idiot's Lantern)
 * One source says Queen Elizabeth is alive in 2015. (PROSE: The Last Pharaoh) Others indicate she died by the 1990s, (TV: Battlefield) the 2000s, (AUDIO: The Longest Night) 2010, (PROSE: Mad Dogs and Englishmen) 2020, (AUDIO: Black and White), and 2027. (AUDIO: A Death in the Family)


 * King Charles III
 * 'No Elizabeth the Second, God bless her, and no King Charles the Third and Queen Camilla, no King William the Fifth - no, you haven't got there yet, have you?' (PROSE: Revenge of the Judoon)
 * 2027: Unnamed King (AUDIO: A Death in the Family)


 * King William V
 * 'No Elizabeth the Second, God bless her, and no King Charles the Third and Queen Camilla, no King William the Fifth - no, you haven't got there yet, have you?' (PROSE: Revenge of the Judoon)
 * 2050: Unnamed King
 * Interviewer: Apologies to all those who complained about missing the broadcast of the King's birthday message, and to those unhappy about seeing it twice. (TV: Oroborus)


 * King Henry XII
 * Liz Ten: Old drinking buddy of Henry Twelve. (TV: The Beast Below)


 * 28XX-5145: Queen Elizabeth X
 * DOCTOR: Yeah, an antique made by craftsmen over two hundred years ago and perfectly sculpted to your face. They slowed your body clock, all right, but you're not fifty. Nearer three hundred. And it's been a long old reign. (TV: The Beast Below)
 * LIZ: This is the Royal Collection, and I'm the bloody Queen. What are you doing here? (TV: The Pandorica Opens)