Mnemonic verses of monarchs in England

Various versions of the verse exist. One version is:[1]

Willie Willie Harry Stee

Harry Dick John Harry three;

One two three Neds, Richard two

Harrys four five six ... then who?

Edwards four five, Dick the bad,

Harrys (twain),^{VII VIII} Ned six (the lad);

Mary, Bessie, James you ken,

Then Charlie, Charlie, James again...

Will and Mary, Anna Gloria,

Georges four,^{I II III IV} Will four, Victoria;

Edward seven next, and then

Came George the fifth in nineteen ten;

Ned the eighth soon abdicated

Then George six was coronated;

After which Elizabeth

And that's all folks until her death.

A slightly shorter version that is sometimes used is:[1]

Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee,

Harry, Dick, John, Harry three;

One two three Neds, Richard two,

Harrys four five six, ... then who?

Edwards four five, Dick the bad,

Harrys (twain),^{VII VIII} Ned six (the lad);

Mary, Bessie, James you ken,

Then Charlie, Charlie, James again;

Will and Mary, Anna Gloria,

Georges four,^{I II III IV} Will four, Victoria;

Edward seven, George and Ted,

George the sixth, now Liz instead.

These lists omit several disputed monarchs (including Empress Matilda, Henry the Young King, Louis VIII of France, Philip II of Spain and Lady Jane Grey), and do not mention the Commonwealth of England.

Both of these versions were written before the death of Elizabeth II in 2022. The current monarch is Charles III, the successor to Elizabeth II.

A different mnemonic is used to remember the sequence of English and British royal houses or dynasties.

No Plan Like Yours To Study History Wisely[6]

The initial letters of which give the royal houses:

Norman, Plantagenet, Lancaster, York, Tudor, Stuart, Hanover, Windsor

This list of royal houses differs from the views of many historians. For example, Lancaster and York are considered cadet branches of the House of Plantagenet, and the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was renamed as Windsor in 1917.

• List of English monarchs
• List of British monarchs