Europe's next royal chapter could be written by queens

Europe could be heading towards a new era of female monarchs, with women currently first in line to the thrones of several countries, potentially reshaping the face of its royal families in the decades ahead.

Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, Princess Leonor of Spain and Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway are among the young royals expected to become queens one day. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden is also in line to inherit her country's throne.

Their positions reflect changing succession laws and the growing prominence of women in Europe's royal institutions, where several monarchies now recognise the eldest child as heir regardless of gender.

In Belgium, 25-year-old Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant, is the eldest child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde and the first in line to the throne. She is expected to become the country's first reigning queen. Elisabeth is currently pursuing a master's degree in public policy at Harvard University's Kennedy School, after completing a degree in history and politics at the University of Oxford.

The Netherlands' 22-year-old Princess Catharina-Amalia, known as the Princess of Orange, is the eldest daughter of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima. She became heir to the throne when her father ascended to the throne in 2013. She is studying Dutch law at the University of Amsterdam while also undertaking a part-time military programme.

Spain's Princess Leonor, 21, is the eldest daughter of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia and has been heir to the Spanish Crown since 2014. She is expected to become the country's first reigning queen since Isabella II, who left the throne in 1868.

Leonor has undergone military training across the army, navy and air force as part of preparations for her future role as head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

Norway's Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 22, is also expected to become queen. Following King Harald V's death in August 2026 and her father Haakon's accession to the throne, she became the country's first in line to succeed. She is studying social sciences at the University of Oslo as part of an exchange programme from the University of Sydney. Her accession would make her Norway's first reigning queen in more than six centuries.

Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria, 49, is another future queen. The eldest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, she became heir to the throne under Sweden's gender-neutral succession law, which took effect in 1980. She is expected to become the country's first queen regnant since the 18th century. Her daughter, Princess Estelle, is next in line after her.

While the timing of any royal transitions remains uncertain, the succession lines point to a significant shift in Europe's monarchies, with women poised to occupy several of the continent's most prominent royal positions.