List of Kings of Lesotho

King of Lesotho

Incumbent
Letsie III
Details
Style His Majesty
Heir apparent Lerotholi Seeiso
First monarch Moshoeshoe I (as paramount chief)
Formation 1822
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This page contains a list of paramount chiefs and kings of Lesotho. See also lists of incumbents.

Succession

The Succession to the throne of Lesotho is laid down in Chapter V of the African kingdom's constitution. The current King is Letsie III.

Chapter V Article 45 of Lesotho's constitution reads that:

(1) The College of Chiefs may at any time designate, in accordance with the customary law of Lesotho, the person (or the persons, in order of prior right) who are entitled to succeed to the office of King upon the death of the holder of, or the occurrence of any vacancy in, that office and if on such death or vacancy, there is a person who has previously been designated in pursuance of this section and who is capable under the customary law of Lesotho of succeeding to that office, that person (or, if there is more than one such person, that one of them who has been designated as having the first right to succeed to the office) shall become King.

(2) If, on the death of the holder of, or the occurrence of any vacancy in, the office of King, there is no person who becomes King under subsection (1), the College of Chiefs shall, with all practical speed and in accordance with the customary law of Lesotho, proceed to designate a person to succeed to the office of King and the person so designated shall thereupon become King.

Kings and Paramount Chiefs of Lesotho (Basutoland, 1822–1966)

Kings of Lesotho (1966–Present)

Name
Lifespan
Reign start
Reign end
Notes
Family
Image
Moshoeshoe II
(1st reign)
2 May 1938 – 15 January 1996 (aged 57) 4 October 1966 12 November 1990
(deposed)
Son of Simon Seeiso Griffith House of Moshoeshoe Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho
Letsie III
(1st reign)
17 July 1963 12 November 1990 25 January 1995
(abdicated)
Son of Moshoeshoe II House of Moshoeshoe Letsie III of Lesotho
Moshoeshoe II
(2nd reign)
2 May 1938 – 15 January 1996 (aged 57) 25 January 1995 15 January 1996 Son of Simon Seeiso Griffith House of Moshoeshoe Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho
Letsie III
(2nd reign)
17 July 1963 7 February 1996 Incumbent Son of Moshoeshoe II House of Moshoeshoe Letsie III of Lesotho

Royal Standards

See also