Current reigning monarchs by length of reign

This is a list of currently enthroned monarchs and lifelong leaders sorted by length of service.

Note that the list is not restricted to heads of state; for example, King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu is not the head of a sovereign state. This list also excludes rulers whose status as a true monarch is unknown. For example, Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama, has been the enthroned ruler of the exiled Tibetan government since November 17, 1950, which would have placed him above Elizabeth II; however, his position as a monarch remains controversial. Also, this list does not include former monarchies such as Michael of Romania.

List

No. Name Nation(s) Born Ascended Years reigned
1. King Bhumibol Adulyadej (King Rama IX) Thailand 01927-12-05 5 December 1927 01946-06-09 9 June 1946 &1000000000000006500000065 years, &10000000000000258000000258 days
2. Queen Elizabeth II United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand 01926-04-21 21 April 1926 01952-02-06 6 February 1952 &1000000000000006000000060 years, &1000000000000001600000016 days
3. Sultan Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah Kedah (Malaysia) 01927-11-28 28 November 1927 01958-07-14 14 July 1958 &1000000000000005300000053 years, &10000000000000223000000223 days
Oba Sikiru Adetona, The Awujale of Ijebu Land Ijebu Land, Nigeria 01934-05-10 10 May 1934 01960-04-02 2 April 1960 &1000000000000005100000051 years, &10000000000000326000000326 days
Queen Elizabeth II Jamaica 01926-04-21 21 April 1926 01962-08-06 6 August 1962 &1000000000000004900000049 years, &10000000000000200000000200 days
Queen Elizabeth II Barbados 01926-04-21 21 April 1926 01966-11-30 30 November 1966 &1000000000000004500000045 years, &1000000000000008400000084 days
4. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Brunei 01946-07-15 15 July 1946 01967-10-05 5 October 1967 &1000000000000004400000044 years, &10000000000000140000000140 days
5. King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu Zulu people (South Africa) 01948-07-14 14 July 1948 01968-09-17 17 September 1968 &1000000000000004300000043 years, &10000000000000158000000158 days
6. Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said Oman 01940-11-18 18 November 1940 01970-07-23 23 July 1970 &1000000000000004100000041 years, &10000000000000214000000214 days
7. Queen Margrethe II Denmark 01940-04-16 16 April 1940 01972-01-14 14 January 1972 &1000000000000004000000040 years, &1000000000000003900000039 days
8. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohamed Al-Qassimi III Sharjah (United Arab Emirates) 01939-07-02 2 July 1939 01972 1972 &1000000000000004000000040 years
Queen Elizabeth II Bahamas 01926-04-21 21 April 1926 01973-07-10 10 July 1973 &1000000000000003800000038 years, &10000000000000227000000227 days
9. King Carl XVI Gustaf Sweden 01946-04-30 30 April 1946 01973-09-15 15 September 1973 &1000000000000003800000038 years, &10000000000000160000000160 days
Queen Elizabeth II Grenada 01926-04-21 21 April 1926 01974-02-07 7 February 1974 &1000000000000003800000038 years, &1000000000000001500000015 days
10. Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Pahang (Malaysia) 01930-10-24 24 October 1930 01974-05-07 7 May 1974 &1000000000000003700000037 years, &10000000000000291000000291 days
11. Emir Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi Fujairah (United Arab Emirates) 01948-08-25 25 August 1948 01974-09-18 18 September 1974 &1000000000000003700000037 years, &10000000000000157000000157 days
Queen Elizabeth II Papua New Guinea 01926-04-21 21 April 1926 01975-09-16 16 September 1975 &1000000000000003600000036 years, &10000000000000159000000159 days
12. King Juan Carlos I Spain 01938-01-05 5 January 1938 01975-11-22 22 November 1975 &1000000000000003600000036 years, &1000000000000009200000092 days
Queen Elizabeth II Solomon Islands 01926-04-21 21 April 1926 01978-07-07 7 July 1978 &1000000000000003300000033 years, &10000000000000220000000220 days
Queen Elizabeth II Tuvalu 01926-04-21 21 April 1926 01978-10-01 1 October 1978 &1000000000000003300000033 years, &10000000000000144000000144 days
Queen Elizabeth II Saint Lucia 01926-04-21 21 April 1926 01979-02-22 22 February 1979 &1000000000000003300000033 years, &100000000000000000000000 days
Queen Elizabeth II Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 01926-04-21 21 April 1926 01979-10-27 27 October 1979 &1000000000000003200000032 years, &10000000000000118000000118 days
13. Queen Beatrix Netherlands 01938-01-31 31 January 1938 01980-04-30 30 April 1980 &1000000000000003100000031 years, &10000000000000298000000298 days
14. Emir Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi Ajman (United Arab Emirates) 01931 1931 01981-09-06 6 September 1981 &1000000000000003000000030 years, &10000000000000169000000169 days
Queen Elizabeth II Belize 01926-04-21 21 April 1926 01981-09-21 21 September 1981 &1000000000000003000000030 years, &10000000000000154000000154 days
Queen Elizabeth II Antigua and Barbuda 01926-04-21 21 April 1926 01981-11-01 1 November 1981 &1000000000000003000000030 years, &10000000000000113000000113 days
Queen Elizabeth II Saint Kitts and Nevis 01926-04-21 21 April 1926 01983-09-19 19 September 1983 &1000000000000002800000028 years, &10000000000000156000000156 days
15. Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Perak (Malaysia) 01928-04-19 19 April 1928 01984-02-03 3 February 1984 &1000000000000002800000028 years, &1000000000000001900000019 days
16. King Mswati III Swaziland 01968-04-19 19 April 1968 01986-04-25 25 April 1986 &1000000000000002500000025 years, &10000000000000303000000303 days
17. Emperor Akihito Japan 01933-12-23 23 December 1933 01989-01-07 7 January 1989 &1000000000000002300000023 years, &1000000000000004600000046 days
18. Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwana X Yogyakarta (Indonesia) 01946-04-02 2 April 1946 01989-03-07 7 March 1989 &1000000000000002200000022 years, &10000000000000352000000352 days
19. Prince Hans-Adam II Liechtenstein 01945-02-14 14 February 1945 01989-11-13 13 November 1989 &1000000000000002200000022 years, &10000000000000101000000101 days
20. King Letsie III Lesotho 01963-07-17 17 July 1963 01990-11-12 12 November 1990 &1000000000000002100000021 years, &10000000000000102000000102 days
21. King Harald V Norway 01937-02-21 21 February 1937 01991-01-17 17 January 1991 &1000000000000002100000021 years, &1000000000000003600000036 days
22. Kabaka Muwenda Mutebi II Buganda (Uganda) 01955-04-13 13 April 1955 01993-07-24 24 July 1993 &1000000000000001800000018 years, &10000000000000213000000213 days
23. King Albert II Belgium 01934-06-06 6 June 1934 01993-08-09 9 August 1993 &1000000000000001800000018 years, &10000000000000197000000197 days
24. Omugabe Ntare VI Ankole (Uganda) 01940-01-10 10 January 1940 01993-11-20 20 November 1993 &1000000000000001800000018 years, &1000000000000009400000094 days
25. Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Qatar 01952-01-01 1 January 1952 01995-06-27 27 June 1995 &1000000000000001600000016 years, &10000000000000240000000240 days
26. Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV Toro (Uganda) 01992-04-16 16 April 1992 01995-09-13 13 September 1995 &1000000000000001600000016 years, &10000000000000162000000162 days
27. Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Terengganu (Malaysia) 01962-01-22 22 January 1962 01998-05-15 15 May 1998 &1000000000000001300000013 years, &10000000000000283000000283 days
28. King Abdullah II Jordan 01962-01-30 30 January 1962 01999-02-07 7 February 1999 &1000000000000001300000013 years, &1000000000000001500000015 days
29. King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa Bahrain 01950-01-28 28 January 1950 01999-03-06 6 March 1999 &1000000000000001200000012 years, &10000000000000353000000353 days
30. Asantehene Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II Ashanti Kingdom (Ghana) 01950-05-06 6 May 1950 01999-04-26 26 April 1999 &1000000000000001200000012 years, &10000000000000302000000302 days
31. Kanjeng Gusti Pangeran Adipati Ario Paku Alam IX Pakualaman (Indonesia) 01938-05-07 7 May 1938 01999-05-26 26 May 1999 &1000000000000001200000012 years, &10000000000000272000000272 days
32. King Mohammed VI Morocco 01963-08-21 21 August 1963 01999-07-23 23 July 1999 &1000000000000001200000012 years, &10000000000000214000000214 days
33. Raja Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Perlis (Malaysia) 01943-05-16 16 May 1943 02000-04-17 17 April 2000 &1000000000000001100000011 years, &10000000000000311000000311 days
34. Grand Duke Henri Luxembourg 01955-04-16 16 April 1955 02000-10-07 7 October 2000 &1000000000000001100000011 years, &10000000000000138000000138 days
35. Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Selangor (Malaysia) 01945-10-24 24 October 1945 02001-11-21 21 November 2001 &1000000000000001000000010 years, &1000000000000009300000093 days
36. King Norodom Sihamoni Cambodia 01953-05-14 14 May 1953 02004-10-14 14 October 2004 &100000000000000070000007 years, &10000000000000131000000131 days
37. Emir Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) 01945-01-25 25 January 1945 02004-11-03 3 November 2004 &100000000000000070000007 years, &10000000000000111000000111 days
38. Prince Albert II Monaco 01958-03-14 14 March 1958 02005-04-06 6 April 2005 &100000000000000060000006 years, &10000000000000322000000322 days
39. Pope Benedict XVI Vatican City 01927-04-16 16 April 1927 02005-04-19 19 April 2005 &100000000000000060000006 years, &10000000000000309000000309 days
40. King Abdullah Saudi Arabia 01924-08-01 1 August 1924 02005-08-01 1 August 2005 &100000000000000060000006 years, &10000000000000205000000205 days
41. Emir Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Dubai (United Arab Emirates) 01949-07-22 22 July 1949 02006-01-04 4 January 2006 &100000000000000060000006 years, &1000000000000004900000049 days
42. Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Kuwait 01929-06-06 6 June 1929 02006-01-29 29 January 2006 &100000000000000060000006 years, &1000000000000002400000024 days
43. Tuheitia Paki Māori King (New Zealand) 01955-04-21 21 April 1955 02006-08-21 21 August 2006 &100000000000000050000005 years, &10000000000000185000000185 days
44. King George Tupou V Tonga 01948-05-04 4 May 1948 02006-09-11 11 September 2006 &100000000000000050000005 years, &10000000000000164000000164 days
45. King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck Bhutan 01980-02-21 21 February 1980 02006-12-15 15 December 2006 &100000000000000050000005 years, &1000000000000006900000069 days
46. Lavelua Kapiliele Faupala Wallis Island (Uvea) (Wallis and Futuna) 01940 1940 02008-06-25 25 June 2008 &100000000000000030000003 years, &10000000000000242000000242 days
47. Yang di-Pertuan Besar Tunku Muhriz Negeri Sembilan (Malaysia) 01948-01-14 14 January 1948 02008-12-29 29 December 2008 &100000000000000030000003 years, &1000000000000005500000055 days
48. Emir Saud bin Rashid Al Mu'alla Umm al-Quwain (United Arab Emirates) 01952-10-01 1 October 1952 02009-01-02 2 January 2009 &100000000000000030000003 years, &1000000000000005100000051 days
49. Sultan Ibrahim Ismail Johor (Malaysia) 01958-11-22 22 November 1958 02010-01-22 22 January 2010 &100000000000000020000002 years, &1000000000000003100000031 days
50. Tu`i Polikalepo Kolivai Sigave (Wallis and Futuna) 01939 1939 02010-07-07 7 July 2010 &100000000000000010000001 year, &10000000000000230000000230 days
51. Sultan Muhammad V Kelantan (Malaysia) 01969-10-06 6 October 1969 02010-09-13 13 September 2010 &100000000000000010000001 year, &10000000000000162000000162 days
52. Emir Saud bin Saqr al Qasimi Ras al-Khaimah (United Arab Emirates) 01956-02-10 10 February 1956 02010-10-27 27 October 2010 &100000000000000010000001 year, &10000000000000118000000118 days
53. Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah (also ranked as number 3 above) Malaysia 01927-11-28 28 November 1927 02011-12-13 13 December 2011 &100000000000000000000000 years, &1000000000000007100000071 days

See also