List of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom by age
This is a list of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom by age. This table can be sorted to display Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom by name, order of office, date of birth, age at appointment, length of retirement, or lifespan. Age at appointment is determined by the day a prime minister assumed office for the first time. Length of retirement is determined from the day a prime minister leaves office for the final time until their death.
Two measures of longevity are given; this is to allow for the differing number of leap days occurring within the life of each Prime Minister. The first figure is the number of days between date of birth and date of death, allowing for leap days; in parentheses the same period given in years and days, with the number of whole years that the Prime Minister had lived, and the days being the remaining number of days from their last birthday. Where the prime minister in question is still living, the longevity is calculated up to April 19, 2024.
Overview[edit]
The average age of accession is 53 years and 43 days, which falls between Earl of Derby (23rd) and Margaret Thatcher (24th). The youngest Prime Minister to assume office was William Pitt the Younger (aged 24 years, and 205 days). The youngest Prime Minister to leave office was Duke of Grafton (aged 34 years, and 122 days). The oldest Prime Minister to assume office for the first time was Viscount Palmerston (aged 70 years, and 109 days). The oldest Prime Minister to be appointed overall was William Ewart Gladstone (aged 82 years, and 230 days) when he was appointed for the fourth and final time on August 15, 1892. Gladstone was also the oldest Prime Minister to leave office (aged 84 years and 63 days) at his final retirement on March 2, 1894.
The oldest living former Prime Minister is John Major, born March 29, 1943 (aged 81 years, 21 days). Gordon Brown is the second oldest, 7 years, and 328 days younger than Major. Brown was born on February 20, 1951 (aged 73 years, 59 days). The youngest living former Prime Minister is Tony Blair, born May 6, 1953 (aged 70 years, 349 days). The youngest living Prime Minister is the incumbent, David Cameron, born October 9, 1966 (aged 57 years, 193 days).
The longest-lived prime minister was James Callaghan, who died on the eve of his 93rd birthday on March 26, 2005. Harold Macmillan was the second longest-lived, 42 days short of Callaghan. The oldest living prime minister, John Major, will tie Macmillan if he lives to February 15, 2036, and tie Callaghan if he lives to March 28, 2036. The second-oldest living living prime minister, Gordon Brown, will tie Macmillan if he lives to January 8, 2044, and tie Callaghan if he lives to February 19, 2044. The shortest-lived prime minister was Duke of Devonshire who was 44 years, and 147 days when he died on October 2, 1764.
The prime minister with the longest retirement is Duke of Grafton, at 41 years and 45 days. He achieved this record on January 1, 1799, surpassing Earl of Bute, who died 28 years, and 337 days after leaving office. Bute held the record for 7 years. The closest anyone has been to Grafton's record since was Henry Addington, who left office on May 10, 1804, and died 39 years, and 281 days later on February 15, 1844. Of the three former prime ministers currently alive, John Major has been retired the longest, he left office on May 2, 1997. If he is still alive on June 24, 2038, he will surpass Grafton's record and become the longest lived prime minister after office. The prime minister with the shortest retirement is Henry Campbell-Bannerman, who died only 19 days after leaving office.
List of Prime Ministers[edit]
- a indicates the prime minister died in office
| Order of office |
Prime Minister |
Date of birth |
Date of (first) appointment | Age at (first) appointment | End date of (final) term | Age at leaving office |
Length of retirement |
Date of death |
Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robert Walpole | August 26, 1676 | April 4, 1721 | 44 years, 221 days | February 11, 1742 | 65 years, 169 days | 3 years, 35 days | March 18, 1745 | 68 years, 204 days |
| 2 | Earl of Wilmington | 1673 | February 16, 1742 | 69 years | July 2, 1743 | N/A | N/A | July 2, 1743a | 70 years |
| 3 | Henry Pelham | September 25, 1694 | August 27, 1743 | 48 years, 336 days | March 6, 1754 | N/A | N/A | March 6, 1754a | 59 years, 162 days |
| 4 | Duke of Newcastle | July 21, 1693 | March 16, 1754 | 60 years, 238 days | May 26, 1762 | 68 years, 309 days | 6 years, 175 days | November 17, 1768 | 75 years, 119 days |
| 5 | Duke of Devonshire | May 8, 1720 | November 16, 1756 | 36 years, 192 days | June 25, 1757 | 37 years, 48 days | 7 years, 99 days | October 2, 1764 | 44 years, 147 days |
| 6 | Earl of Bute | May 25, 1713 | May 26, 1762 | 49 years, 1 day | April 8, 1763 | 49 years, 318 days | 28 years, 337 days | March 10, 1792 | 78 years, 290 days |
| 7 | George Grenville | October 14, 1712 | April 16, 1763 | 50 years, 184 days | July 13, 1765 | 52 years, 272 days | 5 years, 123 days | November 13, 1770 | 58 years, 30 days |
| 8 | Marquess of Rockingham | May 13, 1730 | July 13, 1765 | 35 years, 61 days | July 1, 1782 | N/A | N/A | July 1, 1782a | 52 years, 49 days |
| 9 | William Pitt the Elder | November 15, 1708 | July 30, 1766 | 57 years, 257 days | October 14, 1768 | 59 years, 334 days | 9 years, 209 days | May 11, 1778 | 69 years, 177 days |
| 10 | Duke of Grafton | September 28, 1735 | October 14, 1768 | 33 years, 16 days | January 28, 1770 | 34 years, 122 days | 41 years, 45 days | March 14, 1811 | 75 years, 167 days |
| 11 | Lord North | April 13, 1732 | January 28, 1770 | 37 years, 290 days | March 22, 1782 | 49 years, 343 days | 10 years, 136 days | August 5, 1792 | 60 years, 114 days |
| 12 | Earl of Shelburne | May 2, 1737 | July 4, 1782 | 45 years, 63 days | April 2, 1783 | 45 years, 335 days | 22 years, 35 days | May 7, 1805 | 68 years, 5 days |
| 13 | Duke of Portland | April 14, 1738 | April 2, 1783 | 44 years, 353 days | October 4, 1809 | 71 years, 173 days | 26 days | October 30, 1809 | 71 years, 199 days |
| 14 | William Pitt the Younger | May 28, 1759 | December 19, 1783 | 24 years, 205 days | January 23, 1806 | N/A | N/A | January 23, 1806a | 46 years, 240 days |
| 15 | Henry Addington | May 30, 1757 | March 17, 1801 | 43 years, 291 days | May 10, 1804 | 46 years, 346 days | 39 years, 281 days | February 15, 1844 | 86 years, 261 days |
| 16 | William Grenville | October 25, 1759 | February 11, 1806 | 46 years, 109 days | March 31, 1807 | 47 years, 157 days | 26 years, 287 days | January 12, 1834 | 74 years, 79 days |
| 17 | Spencer Perceval | November 1, 1762 | October 4, 1809 | 46 years, 363 days | May 11, 1812 | N/A | N/A | May 11, 1812a | 49 years, 192 days |
| 18 | Earl of Liverpool | June 7, 1770 | June 8, 1812 | 42 years, 1 day | April 9, 1827 | 56 years, 306 days | 1 year, 239 days | December 4, 1828 | 58 years, 180 days |
| 19 | George Canning | April 11, 1770 | April 10, 1812 | 56 years, 364 days | August 8, 1827 | N/A | N/A | August 8, 1827a | 57 years, 119 days |
| 20 | Viscount Goderich | November 1, 1782 | August 31, 1827 | 44 years, 303 days | January 21, 1828 | 45 years, 81 days | 31 years, 7 days | January 28, 1859 | 76 years, 88 days |
| 21 | Duke of Wellington | May 1, 1769 | January 22, 1828 | 58 years, 266 days | December 10, 1834 | 65 years, 223 days | 17 years, 279 days | September 14, 1852 | 83 years, 136 days |
| 22 | Earl Grey | March 13, 1764 | November 22, 1830 | 66 years, 254 days | July 16, 1834 | 70 years, 125 days | 11 years, 1 day | July 17, 1845 | 81 years, 126 days |
| 23 | Viscount Melbourne | March 15, 1779 | July 16, 1834 | 55 years, 123 days | August 30, 1841 | 62 years, 168 days | 7 years, 86 days | November 24, 1848 | 69 years, 254 days |
| 24 | Robert Peel | February 5, 1788 | December 10, 1834 | 46 years, 308 days | June 29, 1846 | 58 years, 144 days | 4 years, 3 days | July 2, 1850 | 62 years, 147 days |
| 25 | Lord John Russell | August 18, 1792 | June 30, 1846 | 53 years, 316 days | June 28, 1866 | 73 years, 314 days | 11 years, 334 days | May 28, 1878 | 85 years, 283 days |
| 26 | Earl of Derby | March 29, 1799 | February 23, 1852 | 52 years, 331 days | February 27, 1868 | 68 years, 335 days | 1 year, 238 days | October 23, 1869 | 70 years, 208 days |
| 27 | Earl of Aberdeen | January 28, 1784 | December 19, 1852 | 68 years, 326 days | January 30, 1855 | 71 years, 2 days | 5 years, 319 days | December 14, 1860 | 76 years, 321 days |
| 28 | Viscount Palmerston | October 20, 1784 | February 6, 1855 | 70 years, 109 days | October 18, 1865 | N/A | N/A | October 18, 1865a | 80 years, 363 days |
| 29 | Benjamin Disraeli | December 21, 1804 | February 27, 1868 | 63 years, 68 days | April 21, 1880 | 75 years, 122 days | 363 days | April 19, 1881 | 76 years, 119 days |
| 30 | William Ewart Gladstone | December 29, 1809 | December 3, 1868 | 58 years, 340 days | March 2, 1894 | 84 years, 63 days | 4 years, 78 days | May 19, 1898 | 88 years, 141 days |
| 31 | Marquess of Salisbury | February 3, 1830 | June 23, 1885 | 55 years, 140 days | July 11, 1902 | 72 years, 158 days | 1 year, 42 days | August 22, 1903 | 73 years, 200 days |
| 32 | Earl of Rosebery | May 7, 1847 | March 5, 1894 | 46 years, 302 days | June 22, 1895 | 48 years, 46 days | 33 years, 333 days | May 21, 1929 | 82 years, 14 days |
| 33 | Arthur Balfour | July 25, 1848 | July 11, 1902 | 53 years, 351 days | December 5, 1905 | 57 years, 133 days | 24 years, 104 days | March 19, 1930 | 81 years, 237 days |
| 34 | Henry Campbell-Bannerman | September 7, 1836 | December 5, 1905 | 69 years, 89 days | April 3, 1908 | 71 years, 209 days | 19 days | April 22, 1908 | 71 years, 228 days |
| 35 | Herbert Henry Asquith | September 12, 1852 | April 5, 1908 | 55 years, 206 days | December 5, 1916 | 64 years, 84 days | 11 years, 72 days | February 15, 1928 | 75 years, 156 days |
| 36 | David Lloyd George | January 17, 1863 | December 7, 1916 | 53 years, 325 days | October 22, 1922 | 59 years, 278 days | 22 years, 155 days | March 26, 1945 | 82 years, 68 days |
| 37 | Andrew Bonar Law | September 16, 1858 | October 23, 1922 | 64 years, 37 days | May 22, 1923 | 64 years, 248 days | 161 days | October 30, 1923 | 65 years, 44 days |
| 38 | Stanley Baldwin | August 3, 1867 | May 23, 1923 | 55 years, 293 days | May 28, 1937 | 69 years, 298 days | 10 years, 133 days | December 14, 1947 | 80 years, 133 days |
| 39 | Ramsay MacDonald | October 12, 1866 | January 22, 1924 | 57 years, 102 days | June 7, 1935 | 68 years, 238 days | 2 years, 155 days | November 9, 1937 | 71 years, 28 days |
| 40 | Neville Chamberlain | March 18, 1869 | May 28, 1937 | 68 years, 71 days | May 10, 1940 | 71 years, 53 days | 183 days | November 9, 1940 | 71 years, 236 days |
| 41 | Winston Churchill | November 30, 1874 | May 10, 1940 | 65 years, 162 days | April 6, 1955 | 80 years, 127 days | 9 years, 293 days | January 24, 1965 | 90 years, 55 days |
| 42 | Clement Attlee | January 3, 1883 | July 26, 1945 | 62 years, 204 days | October 26, 1951 | 68 years, 296 days | 15 years, 347 days | October 8, 1967 | 84 years, 278 days |
| 43 | Anthony Eden | June 12, 1897 | April 6, 1955 | 57 years, 298 days | January 10, 1957 | 59 years, 212 days | 20 years, 4 days | January 14, 1977 | 79 years, 216 days |
| 44 | Harold Macmillan | February 10, 1894 | January 10, 1957 | 62 years, 335 days | October 18, 1963 | 69 years, 250 days | 23 years, 72 days | December 29, 1986 | 92 years, 322 days |
| 45 | Alec Douglas-Home | July 2, 1903 | October 18, 1963 | 60 years, 108 days | October 16, 1964 | 61 years, 106 days | 30 years, 358 days | October 9, 1995 | 92 years, 99 days |
| 46 | Harold Wilson | March 11, 1916 | October 16, 1964 | 48 years, 219 days | April 5, 1976 | 60 years, 25 days | 19 years, 49 days | May 24, 1995 | 79 years, 74 days |
| 47 | Edward Heath | July 9, 1916 | June 19, 1970 | 53 years, 345 days | March 4, 1974 | 57 years, 238 days | 31 years, 135 days | July 17, 2005 | 89 years, 8 days |
| 48 | James Callaghan | March 27, 1912 | April 5, 1976 | 64 years, 9 days | May 4, 1979 | 67 years, 38 days | 25 years, 326 days | March 26, 2005 | 92 years, 364 days |
| 49 | Margaret Thatcher | October 13, 1925 | May 4, 1979 | 53 years, 203 days | November 28, 1990 | 65 years, 46 days | 22 years, 131 days | April 8, 2013 | 87 years, 177 days |
| 50 | John Major | March 29, 1943 | November 28, 1990 | 47 years, 244 days | May 2, 1997 | 54 years, 34 days | 26 years, 353 days | 81 years, 21 days | |
| 51 | Tony Blair | May 6, 1953 | May 2, 1997 | 43 years, 361 days | June 27, 2007 | 54 years, 52 days | 16 years, 297 days | 70 years, 349 days | |
| 52 | Gordon Brown | February 20, 1951 | June 27, 2007 | 56 years, 127 days | May 11, 2010 | 59 years, 80 days | 13 years, 344 days | 73 years, 59 days | |
| 53 | David Cameron | October 9, 1966 | May 11, 2010 | 43 years, 214 days | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | 57 years, 193 days | |
| Order of office | Prime Minister | Date of birth | Date of (first) appointment | Age at (first) appointment | End date of (final) term | Age at leaving office | Length of retirement | Date of death | Lifespan |
Oldest living Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom[edit]
Not all prime ministers live to become the oldest of their time. Of the 49 deceased prime ministers, 30 eventually became the oldest of their lifetime, while 19 did not (including 4 of the 7 prime ministers who died in office, Earl of Wilmington, Henry Pelham, and Viscount Palmerston being the only exceptions). Henry Addington became the oldest living prime minister when Duke of Grafton died in 1811 and remained so until his death in 1844, for a record of almost 33 years. Edward Heath became the oldest living prime minister after the death of James Callaghan, but he survived Callaghan by only 113 days. On two occasions the oldest living prime minister lost this distinction not by his death, but due to the appointment of a prime minister who was older. Robert Walpole lost this distinction when Earl of Wilmington was appointed, then a year later when Wilmington died in office Walpole regained it again until his own death in 1745 for a total period of 22 years, and 207 days. Earl of Rosebery lost it when Henry Campbell-Bannerman was appointed, but regained it again when Campbell-Bannerman died. Consequently, Rosebery too was the oldest living prime minister twice: first from 1903 to 1905 (after the death of Lord Salisbury), and a second time after Campbell-Bannerman's death in 1908 until his own death in 1929 for a total period of 23 years, and 134 days. Edward Heath was the oldest to acquire this distinction at age 89. Anthony Eden, who was 79 years and 216 days old when he died, was the oldest prime minister to die without also being the oldest prime minister.
| Prime Minister | Became oldest living prime minister | Ceased to be oldest living prime minister | Age at start date | Age at end date | Duration (years, days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Walpole | April 4, 1721 | February 11, 1742 | 44 years, 221 days | 65 years, 169 days | 20 years, 313 days |
| Earl of Wilmington | February 11, 1742 | July 2, 1743 | 69 | 70 | 1 year, 141 days |
| Robert Walpole | July 2, 1743 | March 18, 1745 | 66 years, 310 days | 68 years, 204 days | 1 year, 259 days |
| Henry Pelham | March 18, 1745 | March 6, 1754 | 50 years, 174 days | 59 years, 162 days | 8 years, 353 days |
| Duke of Newcastle | March 6, 1754 | November 17, 1768 | 60 years, 228 days | 75 years, 119 days | 14 years, 256 days |
| William Pitt the Elder | November 17, 1768 | May 11, 1778 | 60 years, 2 days | 69 years, 177 days | 9 years, 175 days |
| Earl of Bute | May 11, 1778 | March 10, 1792 | 64 years, 351 days | 78 years, 290 days | 13 years, 304 days |
| Lord North | March 10, 1792 | August 5, 1792 | 59 years, 332 days | 60 years, 114 days | 148 days |
| Duke of Grafton | August 5, 1792 | March 14, 1811 | 56 years, 312 days | 75 years, 167 days | 18 years, 221 days |
| Henry Addington | March 14, 1811 | February 15, 1844 | 53 years, 288 days | 86 years, 261 days | 32 years, 338 days |
| Earl Grey | February 15, 1844 | July 17, 1845 | 79 years, 339 days | 81 years, 126 days | 1 year, 152 days |
| Duke of Wellington | July 17, 1845 | September 14, 1852 | 76 years, 77 days | 83 years, 136 days | 7 years, 59 days |
| Viscount Goderich | September 14, 1852 | January 28, 1859 | 69 years, 318 days | 76 years, 88 days | 6 years, 136 days |
| Earl of Aberdeen | January 28, 1859 | December 14, 1860 | 75 years, 0 days | 76 years, 321 days | 1 year, 321 days |
| Viscount Palmerston | December 14, 1860 | October 18, 1865 | 76 years, 55 days | 80 years, 363 days | 4 years, 308 days |
| Lord John Russell | October 18, 1865 | May 28, 1878 | 73 years, 61 days | 85 years, 283 days | 12 years, 222 days |
| Benjamin Disraeli | May 28, 1878 | April 19, 1881 | 73 years, 158 days | 76 years, 119 days | 2 years, 326 days |
| William Ewart Gladstone | April 19, 1881 | May 19, 1898 | 71 years, 111 days | 88 years, 141 days | 17 years, 30 days |
| Marquess of Salisbury | May 19, 1898 | August 22, 1903 | 68 years, 105 days | 73 years, 200 days | 5 years, 95 days |
| Earl of Rosebery | August 22, 1903 | December 5, 1905 | 56 years, 107 days | 58 years, 212 days | 2 years, 105 days |
| Henry Campbell-Bannerman | December 5, 1905 | April 22, 1908 | 69 years, 89 days | 71 years, 228 days | 2 years, 139 days |
| Earl of Rosebery | April 22, 1908 | May 21, 1929 | 60 years, 351 days | 82 years, 14 days | 21 years, 29 days |
| Arthur Balfour | May 21, 1929 | March 19, 1930 | 80 years, 300 days | 81 years, 237 days | 302 days |
| David Lloyd George | March 19, 1930 | March 26, 1945 | 67 years, 61 days | 82 years, 68 days | 15 years, 7 days |
| Stanley Baldwin | March 26, 1945 | December 14, 1947 | 77 years, 235 days | 80 years, 133 days | 2 years, 263 days |
| Winston Churchill | December 14, 1947 | January 24, 1965 | 73 years, 14 days | 90 years, 55 days | 17 years, 41 days |
| Clement Attlee | January 24, 1965 | October 8, 1967 | 82 years, 21 days | 84 years, 278 days | 2 years, 257 days |
| Harold Macmillan | October 8, 1967 | December 29, 1986 | 73 years, 240 days | 92 years, 322 days | 19 years, 82 days |
| Alec Douglas-Home | December 29, 1986 | October 9, 1995 | 83 years, 180 days | 92 years, 99 days | 8 years, 284 days |
| James Callaghan | October 9, 1995 | March 26, 2005 | 83 years, 196 days | 92 years, 364 days | 9 years, 168 days |
| Edward Heath | March 26, 2005 | July 17, 2005 | 88 years, 260 days | 89 years, 8 days | 113 days |
| Margaret Thatcher | July 17, 2005 | April 8, 2013 | 79 years, 277 days | 87 years, 177 days | 7 years, 265 days |
| John Major | April 8, 2013 | Current oldest living prime minister | 70 years, 10 days | Current oldest living prime minister | 11 years, 11 days |
| Prime Minister | Became oldest living prime minister | Ceased to be oldest living prime prime minister | Age at start date | Age at end date | Duration (years, days) |
See also[edit]
This article "List of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom by age" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
