This is a list of currently reigning sovereign monarchs, listed beside their respective dominions. These monarchs reign as head of state in their respective sovereign states. For monarchs reigning over a constituent division, cultural or traditional polity, see List of current constituent monarchs.
^Succession is subject to customary law, and does not follow primogeniture. A council of elders selects who among the reigning king's wives will be mother of the next king. This woman will succeed as Ndlovukati upon her son's ascension to throne, and will rule alongside him for the duration of his reign. The king's first two wives are considered ineligible.
America
^ abcdefghiElizabeth II previously reigned over this country as Queen of the United Kingdom, from 6 February 1952 until the nation's independence and the creation of a separate crown.
^The king is selected for life by the Royal Council of the Throne from amongst the male descendants of kings Ang Duong, Norodom, and Sisowath.
^"Akihito" is the current emperor's given name, but it is not his regnal name, and he is never referred to as this in Japanese. The era of Akihito's reign bears the name "Heisei", and according to custom he will be renamed "Emperor Heisei" following his death.
^Official title: Yang di-Pertuan Agong. It is commonly rendered in English as "King".
^Coronation took place 26 April 2007. Mizan has previously served as regent from 8 October to 21 November 2001, thereafter reigning as acting Yang di-Pertuan Agong until 13 December 2001.
^The present Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the Sultan of Terengganu, whose ruling line is the Bendahara dynasty.
^The Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Supreme Head of State) is elected to a five-year term by and from amongst the nine hereditary rulers of the Malay states, who form the Council of Rulers. The position has to date been, by informal agreement, systematically rotated between the nine; the order was originally based on seniority.
^Hamad ibn Isa reigned as Amir of the State of Bahrain until 14 February 2002, when he assumed the new title of King of Bahrain under a new Constitution.
^Succession is not based upon primogeniture. The reigning king selects who will be his successor.
^The heir is appointed by the reigning emir, and the nomination must also be approved by a majority of members in the National Assembly. The throne is also traditionally alternated between the two main branches of the Al Sabah family: the Al Salem and Al Jaber. The current emir is of the Al Jaber branch.
^ abMonarchy is constitutional by law, but remains absolute in practice.
^Succession is determined by consensus within the House of Saud as to who will be Crown Prince. This consensus may change depending on the Crown Prince's actions.
^The Al Nahyan are a branch of the Al Falahi, a clan of the Yas tribe.
^The Prime Minister is the head of the government. However, the position—whilst elective—can only be held by one of the reigning monarchs of the seven constituent emirates.
^According to the Constitution, the President of the United Arab Emirates is elected by the Federal Supreme Council from among the individual rulers of the seven emirates. However, by informal agreement the Presidency is always passed to the head of the Al Nahyan clan, the Emir of Abu Dhabi, which makes it a de facto hereditary position. In addition, the elected Prime Minister has always been the head of the Al Maktoum clan and Emir of Dubai.
^ abcdThe House of Windsor is a line of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, which itself is a branch of the House of Wettin. "Windsor" is the official name adopted by the royal family of the United Kingdom since 1917.
^Elizabeth II previously reigned over Papua New Guinea as Queen of Australia, from 6 February 1952 until the nation's independence and the creation of a separate crown.
^ abElizabeth II previously reigned over this country as Queen of the United Kingdom, from 6 February 1952 until the nation's independence and the creation of a separate crown.