History of the English line of succession to the French succession. On the day of Henry IV's death, 20 March 1413, the line of succession to the English throne following agnatic primogeniture was: Upon his death, the throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Henry V. On the day of Henry V's death, 31 August 1422, the line of succession following agnatic primogeniture was: Upon his death, the throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Henry VI. On the day of Henry VI's first deposition, 4 March 1461, the line of succession following agnatic primogeniture was; However, during the
Succession to the British throne Abdication Act 1936, by which Edward VIII ceased to be Sovereign "immediately upon" his royal assent as King being signified in Parliament on 11 December. The Act provided that he and his descendants, if any, were not to have any "right, title or interest in or to the succession to the Throne". Edward died childless in 1972. Edward's abdication was "a demise of the Crown" (in the words of the Act), and the Duke of York, his brother who was then next in the line, immediately succeeded to the throne and to its "rights, privileges, and dignities", taking the regnal