Expert: Joseph Logue - 4/23/2007

Question
What happened to the Tudor to bring the Windsor's to the British monarchy?  

Answer
Hello Clorinda,

I think what you're asking me is why did the Windsors succeed the Tudors, which is not the case.  The Tudors were succeeded by their cousins the Stuarts.  King James VI of Scotland was the first cousin twice removed of Elizabeth I, whom he succeeded to the throne in 1603 as King James I.  The Stuarts reigned until 1714, when Queen Anne died and was succeeded by her distant cousins the Hanovers.  George I, the first Hanover king of England, was the grandson of King James I's youngest daughter, Elizabeth.  The Hanovers reigned until Victoria's eldest son came to the throne in 1901 as King Edward VII.  He was the first king of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, because that is the duchy of which his father, Albert, was a prince.  Edward VII was succeeded by his son as George V.  Anti-German feeling was running very high in England because of World War I, so in 1917 the name of the royal house was changed to that of Windsor.  The granddaughter of George V is today's Queen Elizabeth II, head of the House of Windsor.

Interestingly, Elizabeth II is a direct descendant of the first Tudor, Henry VII, the first Stuart, James I, the first Hanover, George I, and the first Windsor, George V.  Here we see that though the name of the royal house may change, the succession has its own integrity.

I hope this helps Clorinda.  Thanks for visiting AllExperts.

Sincerely,

Joseph Logue