“I believe that many people have forgotten what their roots are. This is one of the advantages of countries with a monarchy. The monarch offers identity across generations, and is a part of these roots and this native country.”

 How Many Monarchies Are There in the World Today?

As of 2025, there were 43 sovereign states in the world with a monarch as head of state. They are spread across the globe with 13 in Asia, 12 in Europe, 9 in the Americas, 6 in Oceania, and 3 in Africa.

Monarchy today is far more varied than many people realise. Some monarchs reign in long-established parliamentary democracies, some retain stronger constitutional powers, and a small number still rule in absolute monarchies. What unites them is that the head of state is a king, queen, emperor, sultan, emir, prince, grand duke, pope, or co-prince rather than an elected president.

The Commonwealth Realms

King Charles III is monarch of 15 Commonwealth realms: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and the United Kingdom. These are independent countries that share the same Crown while remaining constitutionally separate states. All are constitutional monarchies.

Europe’s Monarchies

Europe has 12 sovereign monarchies: Andorra, Belgium, Denmark, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Vatican City, and the United Kingdom. They include kingdoms, a grand duchy, principalities, a co-principality, and the elective monarchy of Vatican City.

Some of the smaller monarchies are especially distinctive. Luxembourg is the world’s only grand duchy, and since October 2025 its monarch has been Grand Duke Guillaume. Monaco is a principality under Prince Albert II. Liechtenstein is notable because its prince retains comparatively strong constitutional powers, especially after reforms approved in 2003. Andorra is unique in having two heads of state: the Bishop of Urgell and the President of France.

Asia and the Middle East

Asia contains the largest number of monarchies, with 13 sovereign monarchies. These include constitutional monarchies such as Japan, Cambodia, Thailand, Bhutan, and Malaysia, alongside monarchies in which rulers retain greater governing authority, such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, Brunei, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

It is important not to treat all of these states as the same. Some are parliamentary constitutional monarchies; some are mixed systems; and some are generally classed as absolute monarchies. That distinction matters when comparing monarchy across the world.

Africa’s Monarchies

Africa has three sovereign monarchies: Morocco, Lesotho, and Eswatini. Morocco and Lesotho are constitutional monarchies, while Eswatini remains an absolute monarchy.

More Than Kings and Queens

Modern monarchy is not limited to kingdoms alone. It also includes grand duchies, principalities, emirates, sultanates, and even the papal monarchy of Vatican City. In addition, some countries also preserve subnational or traditional monarchies within a larger sovereign state. Malaysia, for example, is itself a sovereign federal elective monarchy, while various traditional kingships and chieftaincies continue to exist across Africa.

A Living Institution

Far from being only a relic of the past, monarchy remains a living institution across much of the world. In some countries it is primarily ceremonial; in others it still carries substantial political authority. But in all 43 sovereign monarchies, the crown continues to provide a visible link between history, national identity, and the modern state.