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· collected 2026-08-18 · by TOI World Desk
Liechtenstein's House of Liechtenstein announced on its national day, August 15, that it will amend its royal rules to allow women to inherit the throne. The change from male primogeniture to absolute primogeniture means that the firstborn child, regardless of sex, will become heir to the throne. This decision does not affect current leadership, but rather applies to future descendants of Prince Alois and his wife, Princess Sophie, including their four children aged 25-31. The rule change aims to ensure that the person best prepared for responsibility leads the Principality of Liechtenstein.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Liechtenstein, a small European country with a population of 44,000, has changed its royal succession rules to allow women to ascend the throne. The rule change, announced on August 15, the national day of Liechtenstein, replaces male primogeniture with absolute primogeniture, meaning that the first-born child, regardless of sex, will become heir to the throne. This change only applies to descendants of Hereditary Prince Alois and his wife, and does not affect the current leadership of Prince Hans-Adam II and his heir, Hereditary Prince Alois. The decision aims to ensure that the person best prepared for the responsibility leads both the Principality of Liechtenstein and the Princely House. This change is significant because it brings Liechtenstein in line with other European countries where women can inherit the throne.
Written for “Liechtenstein Royal Succession Rule” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Several European nations have female leaders next in line for the throne, but one of them has recently initiated the norm.
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one → have → norm
Liechtenstein has become the latest country to amend its royal rules and allow women to take the throne.
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women → become → throne
During its national day celebrations on Saturday, August 15, the country announced the change.
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country → announce → change
“The order of succession is being changed from male primogeniture to absolute primogeniture,” the House of Liechtenstein said in a statement.
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House → change → statement
“This means that in future the first-born child, regardless of sex, will become heir to the throne and later princess or prince of Liechtenstein.
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child → mean → Liechtenstein
The decision will not affect the current leadership of the nation of just 44,00 people.
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decision → affect → people
Liechtenstein is a tiny, doubly landlocked country tucked away between Switzerland and Austria, whose ruler enjoys sweeping political powers, unlike many of his counterparts in Europe.
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ruler → tuck → Europe
On Liechtenstein's national day 22 years ago, August 15, 2004, Prince Hans-Adam named his eldest child, Hereditary Prince Alois, as his regent.
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Adam → name → regent
This means that, for the past two decades, Prince Alois, 58, has overseen most official royal duties while Prince Hans-Adam remains the official monarch and head of state.
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Adam → mean → state
(Prince Hans-Adam’s father, the late Prince Franz Joseph II, did the same for him in 1984, five years before his death.)
The rule change does not apply to the current members of the royal family.
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change → do → family
It will go into effect for the future descendants of Prince Alois and his wife, Princess Sophie.
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It → go → Alois
The couple shares Prince Joseph Wenzel, 31, Princess Marie Caroline, 29, Prince Georg Antonius, 27, and Prince Nikolaus Sebastian, 25.
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couple → share → Wenzel
“With this change in the law, we want to ensure that both the Principality of Liechtenstein and the Princely House are led by the person who has been best prepared for this responsibility,” said Prince Alois in a statement as per a report by PEOPLE.
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Alois → want → PEOPLE
Rule changes allowing for female monarchs are becoming more common around the world.
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changes → allow → world
Several European nations currently have a female next in line to the throne, including Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria, Belgium’s Princess Elisabeth, Spain’s Princess Leonor and the Netherlands’ Princess Catharina-Amalia.
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nations → have → Victoria
In 2011, Great Britain and the rest of the Commonwealth made the Perth Agreement, which replaced male-preference primogeniture with absolute primogeniture, which does not take sex into account in the line of succession.
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which → make → succession
This meant that when Prince Louis was born in April 2018, Princess Charlotte did not move below him, making her the first British princess in history to rank above her brother.
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her → mean → brother
However, hesitation to change the rules has led to looming questions about succession in other countries like Japan.
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hesitation → change → Japan
In July, the Japanese parliament passed a bill allowing distant male relatives over 15 to be adopted into the imperial line of succession.
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relatives → pass → succession
The rule change , the first amendment to the main text of the Imperial House Law since 1949, comes amid concern about dwindling male heirs.
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change → come → heirs
However, no changes have been made to the law that prevents women from inheriting the throne, meaning that Emperor Naruhito’s only child, Princess Aiko, is still ineligible to succeed her father on the throne.
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child → make → throne
Currently, the emperor’s 60-year-old brother, Fumihito, also known as Crown Prince Ashikino, is in line to inherit, followed by his 19-year-old son, Prince Hisahito.
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brother → know → son
Interestingly, per the BBC, recent polls indicate that a majority of Japanese citizens would be in favour of a female empress.
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majority → indicate → empress
