Mnemonic verse of monarchs in England

A mnemonic verse listing the monarchs ruling in England since William the Conqueror was traditionally used by English schoolchildren in the era when rote learning formed a major part of the curriculum.^[1]

The verse as it is commonly set out lists the monarchs ruling in England since the Norman Conquest, with some omissions (see below). The failure to mention any pre-Conquest Saxon kings, and the presentation of the monarchs of a variety of kingdoms (England, then the joint crown of England and Scotland, then Great Britain, then Great Britain and Ireland, then Great Britain and Northern Ireland) as existing in one unbroken line arrogated to an "English" or "British" throne, ensure the simple flow of the mnemonic but also reflect a Whiggish view of history.^{[citation needed]}

The main part of the verse is largely constant, but the stanza from the 20th century has many variations, of which some are presented below. Alan Bennett's staging of the verse in Forty Years On works around the issue by stopping at Victoria.^[2]

Americans were introduced to a brief snippet of the mnemonic in the film King Ralph.

The verse

(Can be sung to the tune of "Good King Wenceslaus".)

Willie, Willie, Harry^[3],^[4] Stee,^[5]

Harry, Dick, John, Harry three;

One, two, three Neds, Richard two^[6]

Harrys four, five, six... then who?

Edwards four, five, Dick the bad,

Harrys twain ^{VII VIII[7]} and Ned the Lad;^[8]

^[9]Mary, Bessie^[10], James the Vain,^[11]

Charlie,^[12] Charlie, James again...

William^[13] and Mary, Anna Gloria^[14],

Four Georges ^{I II III IV}, William and Victoria;^[15]

Edward seven next, and then

George the fifth in 1910;

Ned the eighth soon abdicated

Then George the sixth was coronated;

After which Elizabeth

And that's the end until her death.^[16]

Alternatives to last 6 lines (Edward VII onwards)

Edward seven, George and Ned [or Ted],

George the sixth, now Liz instead.

Eddie, Georgie, Ned the Eighth;

George the sixth, Elizabeth.

Edward, George, and both again,

Now Bessie Two and that's the end.

Edward, George, the same again

And now Elizabeth doth reign

Ned, George, Ned, and George again,

And Bessie two, long may she reign!

Edward, George, then Ned the eighth

Quickly goes and abdicat’th,

Leaving George, then Liz the second,

And with Charlie next it’s reckoned.

Edward seven, Georgie five,

Ed eight, George six, Liz two, alive.

Edward seven, Georgie five,

Edward, George, and Liz alive.

Edward the seventh stands on his own

George, then Ned gave up the throne

George we love, the people say

And Elizabeth the second is Queen today.

Alternative to last 4 lines (Edward VIII onwards)

Ned went when Mrs Simpson beckoned

Leaving George and Liz the second.

Alternative to last 2 lines (Elizabeth II)

And if you've not lost your breath

Give a cheer for Elizabeth.

Alternative as used in Forty Years On (1976 Production)

(posted by Colin Jackson - from that production)

Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee

Harry, Dick, John, Harry Three

One Two Three Neds, Richard Two

Henrys Four Five Six, Eds Two

Dick, then Henrys seven and eight

Ned, Jane, Mary and Elizabeth.

James, two Charlies, James again

William and Mary, Anne the Plain

Four Georges from Hanover

William Four, Victoria.

Alternative as used in Horrible Histories

Similar wording is used as the chorus of the Kings & Queens song in Horrible Histories (2009 TV series):

William, William, Henry, Stephen, Henry, Richard, John,

Henry, Ed, Ed, Ed, Rich Two, then three more Henrys join our song.

Edward, Edward, Rich the Third, Henry, Henry, Ed again,

Mary One, Good Queen Bess, Jimmy, Charles and Charles and then

Jim, Will, Mary, Anna Gloria,

George, George, George, George, Will, Victoria.

Edward, George, Edward, George Six,

And Queen Liz Two completes the mix.

Another Mnemonic on the same subject

(Can be sung to the tune of "William the First was the First of Our Kings".)

First William the Norman

Then William his son

Henry, Stephen, Henry

Then Richard and John

Next Henry the Third

Edwards One, Two and Three

And again after Richard

Three Henrys we see

Two Edwards, Third Richard

If rightly I guess

Two Henrys, Sixth Edward

Queen Mary, Queen Bess

Then Jamie the Scotsman

Then Charles whom they slew

Yet received after Cromwell

Another Charles too.

Next James the Second

Acceded the Throne

Then good William and Mary

Together came on

Not till Anne, Georges Four

And Fourth William all passed

Came the reign of Victoria

Whose longest did last

Then Edward the Peacemaker

(He was her son)

The fifth of the Georges

Was next in the run

Edward the Eighth

Gave the Crown to his brother

Now God's sent Elizabeth

All of us love her.

Another alternative

Willie willie Harry Steve

Harry Dick John Harry 3.

Edward 1 2 3 Dick two

Harrys 4 5 6 then who?

Edward 4 5 Dick the bad,

Harrys twain and ned the lad.

Mary Bessie James you ken

Charlie Charlie James again.

William and Mary Anne of Gloria,

Georges (4) Will 4 Victoria.

Edward 7 Geargie 5

Edward George and Liz (alive)

Mnemonics detailing the Royal Houses of England and Great Britain

No Plan Like Yours To Study History Wisely

Never Play, Letting Your Trousers Slip Half-Way

Neighbors Persuaded Lovely Yvonne To Shut Her Window

(Norman, Plantagenet, Lancaster, York, Tudor, Stuart, Hanover, Windsor.)

As the Houses of Lancaster and York were really branches of the House of Plantagenet, the first mnemonic can be simplified to No Plan To Study History Wisely.

See also

• List of English monarchs

Notes and references

1. ^ British Monarchs: Kings and Queens of England, Scotland and Wales
2. ^ English Monarchs -- Anon
3. ^ or "Henry", throughout
4. ^ omitted: Maud (Matilda) (deposed)
5. ^ Sources have "Stee" here; "Steve" also fits, but is an inferior rhyme
6. ^ or "Edwards One, Two, Three, Dick Two"
7. ^ or "Hanks seven and eight"
8. ^ or "then Ned" or "then Ed the Lad" or "Ed six the lad"
9. ^ omitted: Lady Jane Grey (uncrowned)
10. ^ or "Lizzie"
11. ^ or "James ye ken" or "James you ken"
12. ^ omitted: the English Interregnum; republicans may cough at this point
13. ^ or just "Will"
14. ^ or "Anne O'Gloria"
15. ^ or "Then four Georges, Will, Victoria" or "Four Georges, William and Victoria"
16. ^ or "Has the throne, until her death."