Line of succession to the former German throne

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The German Empire and Kingdom of Prussia were abolished in 1918. The current head of the former ruling House of Hohenzollern is Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia. The law of succession used is agnatic primogeniture.[citation needed]

The head of the House of Hohenzollern is styled His Imperial and Royal Highness the Prince of Prussia. The house is smaller now than it was in 1918 because after the monarchy was deposed, many princes married morganatically, excluding their descendants from the list of dynastic princes. For example, the two eldest sons of Louis Ferdinand, Prince of Prussia married morganatically.

Members of this family compose the Prussian royal family. There was no German imperial family as the only individuals with German imperial titles were the emperor, his consort, empresses dowager, the crown prince and the crown princess. There were no princes of Germany, only princes of Prussia.

Present line of succession[edit]

•  German Emperor Wilhelm II (1859–1941)
  • German Crown Prince Wilhelm (1882–1951)
    • Prince Louis Ferdinand (1907–1994)
      • Prince Louis Ferdinand (1944–1977)
        • Prince Georg Friedrich (born 1976)
          • (1) Prince Carl Friedrich (b. 2013)
          • (2) Prince Louis Ferdinand (b. 2013)
          • (3) Prince Heinrich (b. 2016)
      • (4) Prince Christian-Sigismund (b. 1946)
        • (5) Prince Christian Ludwig (b. 1986)
  • Prince Joachim (1890–1920)
    • Prince Karl Franz (1916–1975)
      • (6) Prince Franz Wilhelm (b. 1943)
        • (7) Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia (b. 1981)

Line of succession in November 1918[edit]

•  King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia (1770–1840)
  •  King Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia (1795–1861)
  •  German Emperor Wilhelm I (1797–1888)
    •  German Emperor Friedrich III (1831–1888)
      •  German Emperor Wilhelm II (born 1859)
        • (1) German Crown Prince Wilhelm (b. 1882)
          • (2) Prince Wilhelm (b. 1906)
          • (3) Prince Louis Ferdinand (b. 1907)
          • (4) Prince Hubertus (b. 1909)
          • (5) Prince Frederick (b. 1911)
        • (6) Prince Eitel Friedrich (b. 1883)
        • (7) Prince Adalbert (b. 1884)
        • (8) Prince August Wilhelm (b. 1887)
          • (9) Prince Alexander Ferdinand (b. 1912)
        • (10) Prince Oskar (b. 1888)
          • Count Oskar von Ruppin (b. 1915, born of morganatic marriage; later granted succession rights following the abolition of the monarchy)
          • Count Burchard von Ruppin (b. 1917, born of morganatic marriage; later granted succession rights following the abolition of the monarchy)
        • (11) Prince Joachim (b. 1890)
          • (12) Prince Karl Franz (b. 1916)
      • (13) Prince Henry (b. 1862)
        • (14) Prince Waldemar (b. 1889)
        • (15) Prince Sigismund (b. 1896)
  • Prince Charles (1801–1883)
    • Prince Friedrich Karl (1828–1885)
      • (16) Prince Friedrich Leopold (b. 1865)
        • (17) Prince Friedrich Sigismund (b. 1891)
        • (18) Prince Friedrich Leopold (b. 1895)
  • Prince Albert (1809–1872)
    • Prince Albert (1837–1906)
      • (19) Prince Friedrich Heinrich Albrecht (b. 1874)
      • (20) Prince Joachim Albert (b. 1876)
      • (21) Prince Friedrich Wilhelm (b. 1880)