Why are the duke of York and the earl of Wessex not 3rd and 4th in line of succession?

If I where King/Queen I'd definitely want my sons to have a turn instead of my grandsons.|||Because the law of succession determines that the children of the oldest son will inherit before the brothers (and sisters) of the oldest son.





In the same way that William's children will be ahead of Harry.





Andrew, Edward and Harry have been aware since birth that they are unlikely to ever become monarchs.|||The succession line goes through the eldest son's line, from the Queen's oldest Charles to his eldest child William, and in the future William's kids, then back to Harry and his kids, and then it would go back to Prince Andrew and his kids.





Line of Succession:





Queen Elizabeth II


1. Prince Charles, Prince of Wales


2. Prince William, Duke of Cambridge


3. Prince Henry of Wales


4. Prince Andrew, Duke of York


5. Princess Beatrice of York


6. Princess Eugenie of York


7. Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex


8. Viscount Severn


9. Lady Louise Windsor


10. The Princess Royal, Princess Anne


11. Mr Mark Philips|||The line has always gone from eldest son to eldest son (or now, eldest daughter if there is no son). It jumps to the junior line of a younger son or daughter only if the senior brother or sister has no children.





It would get messy if it went down through the line of all siblings belonging to a single generation: once they were all dead, how would you decide who the next monarch should be? Whose child would be next in line?





This is how virtually all monarchies work, because it provides for the most orderly transition.|||Because it goes to the current monarchs children first. So Charles is next as he's the Queens oldest, then it will go to William as he's charles oldest, then if Will and Kate have kids it will go to them before going back to Harry. Then harrys kids. Then if there's no surviving relatives it goes back up the line to find someone else. So next would be Prince Andrew.





http://www.royal.gov.uk/ThecurrentRoyalF鈥?/a>|||Because the line of succession goes:





King/Queen


First son


First grandson


Second grandson (in this case)


Second son


daughters


Third son.





It's just how it is done. Period. The queen has nothing to say about it. It's a law that was established over 1000 years ago.|||It goes to the direct line of descendants first, then collateral lines. The DUke of York is currently 4th in line, the Earl of Wessex is currently 7th in line|||You tend to get a lot of very old kings. Saudi Arabia is presently using that system. All the kings are in their 80's when they come to the throne.|||British succession always tries to move forward a generation.|||It's just the way it is.Not like you'll ever be King/Queen or your children..|||I wonder where the Duke of Earl is in line of succession