British Royals Whose Height Towers Above Expectations

As a global figure, Queen Elizabeth II loomed large, and she played an important role in shaping the modern monarchy throughout her 70-year reign. However, despite her outsized influence, in actuality, the late monarch was quite a diminutive individual. At her tallest, Elizabeth was said to be 5'4." Over the decades, she reportedly lost some inches. Sources differ, claiming she measured anywhere between 5'3" and 5'1" in her later years.

While Elizabeth broke the record for longest-reigning U.K. sovereign, she's didn't break any height-related records. At his tallest, King Charles I, who lived from 1600 to 1649, was approximately 5'4." At his shortest, some reports claim he was just 4'8." At Elizabeth's shortest, she was on par with another British monarch famed for a long reign: Queen Victoria. 

As a young woman, Victoria was purportedly 5'1.25," based on data collected by one of her portrait painters. She, too, became slighter shorter over time and was reputed to be 4'11” later in life. Victoria apparently aspired to be taller, and she reportedly said, "Everyone grows but me!" (via History Extra). While there wasn't a way for her to achieve her lofty goal, she might be gratified to know that quite a few of her royal descendants are surprisingly tall. Let's take a look.

Coming in at a reported 6'3" height, William, Prince of Wales, is the tallest member of the British royal family. Not only does William stand out when he's hanging with his family at royal events, his extra inches are obvious wherever he goes. When William and Donald Trump were photographed side by side in December 2024, it quickly became evident that Trump's claim of being 6'3" was false.

William's height is definitely a conversation starter when he's out meeting royal fans, and his stature complements his impressive demeanor. The prince's height is also notable in terms of record-setting, since he's on track to become the second-tallest king in British history. So far, Edward IV, who lived from 1442-1483, holds that honor, but not by much. Depending on the source, Edward's height was anywhere between 6'3.5" (based on examination of his skeleton) and 6'4.5". 

However, it's possible that Prince George could one day be the tallest. His mom, Catherine, Princess of Wales, is said to be 5'9", and George is quickly gaining in height. In 2023 and 2024, when the young prince attended Kate's "Together at Christmas" event, royal fans remarked on George's growth. At the end of 2024, 11-year-old George looked to be just at shoulder height with his dad. If puberty brings a growth spurt, he could potentially outgrow his dad by the time he reaches adulthood.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, is reputed to be 6'2", placing him firmly among the tallest British royals. While some sources believe Harry to be 6'1", this seems doubtful, also based on presidential evidence. In 2017, Harry and Barack Obama stood shoulder to shoulder in a photo. Harry's head was clearly ever so slightly taller than the former president, who's said to be 6'1". Harry's height is also accentuated when he stands beside his wife, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex. According to a copy of one of her acting resumes published by the Daily Mail, Meghan is 5'6" tall.

The prince is also taller than his dad, King Charles, whom most sources agree is 5'10." Unlike Harry and Meghan, Princess Diana was just as tall as her former husband. In their case, photographic evidence caused confusion, leading many to believe the false fact that Diana was actually shorter. In one instance, Diana's perched on a fence to give the illusion of Charles being taller. In others, shot framing conceals anything that could be used to boost Charles, such as a box, or his placement on a higher step on a staircase. 

Even so, people who saw Charles and Diana IRL were confused when a commemorative stamp revealed a notable height difference. While this was explained to be necessitated by postal regulations, The New York Times reported in 1981 that Buckingham Palace issued a statement that curiously claimed Charles was 5'11". 

At 5'10," King Charles is of average height for a man in the U.K. However, among the men of his family, he's an outlier. Not only are his kids taller, his brothers and father also top him by inches. Prince Philip was reportedly 6' even, and his sons Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Prince Edward (who inherited his dad's title and became Duke of Edinburgh) are said to be the same height. 

Andrew remains the tallest in his immediate family, since his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, is said to be 5'8", and their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, are reportedly 5'4" and 5'5", respectively. 

On the other hand, Edward, like his nephew William, Prince of Wales, may see his son surpass him in height. While his daughter, Lady Louise, is around 5'6", by April 2024, James, Earl of Wessex, just about matched his father. James' mom, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, is quite a bit shorter, purportedly 5'5". Even so, Sophie, like many other royal women, often boosts herself a few inches with her footwear. Royal fans marveled at James' statuesque physique, and noted how quickly he'd grown up. One person presumed the then-16-year old had inherited his stature from his granddad, Philip. "He might end up taller than William," predicted one poster on X (formerly Twitter).