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Living prime ministers of the United Kingdom

From EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki

This is a chronological list of all those who served as British prime minister and were still living at different periods in history. Currently, there are six living prime ministers: John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May and Boris Johnson.

There have been four periods when there was only one living prime minister, starting with the appointment (1721) of Robert Walpole, and most recently during the second term of William Ewart Gladstone upon the death (1881) of Benjamin Disraeli.

There have been eleven periods when six living current or former prime ministers co-existed,[lower-alpha 1] with the longest being a nine-year period beginning with the first appointment (1834) of Robert Peel. The most recent period is ongoing since July 2019, when Boris Johnson was appointed prime minister; his five living predecessors are John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Theresa May. There has been one period (1754) with no living prime minister, a period of ten days that spanned the death of Henry Pelham on 6 March and the appointment of the Duke of Newcastle.[lower-alpha 2]

If one were to include future prime ministers, there was one period when nineteen had co-existed (See § [[#§ Statistics, below|§ Statistics, below]], below.).

Current living prime ministers[edit]

Living prime ministers as of April 19, 2024 (from oldest to youngest):

Timeline of living prime ministers[edit]

Colour key: Whig Tory Conservative Peelite Liberal Labour
Number of prime ministers alive at each date in British history
Start End Start event Interval End event Living PMs
3 Apr 1721 16 Feb 1742 Appointment of Robert Walpole 20 years, 319 days Appointment of Lord Wilmington 1
16 Feb 1742 2 Jul 1743 Appointment of Lord Wilmington 1 year, 136 days Death of Lord Wilmington 2
2 Jul 1743 27 Aug 1743 Death of Lord Wilmington 56 days Appointment of Henry Pelham 1
  • Walpole
27 Aug 1743 18 Mar 1745 Appointment of Henry Pelham 1 year, 203 days Death of Robert Walpole 2
18 Mar 1745 6 Mar 1754 Death of Robert Walpole 8 years, 353 days Death of Henry Pelham 1
  • Pelham
6 Mar 1754 16 Mar 1754 Death of Henry Pelham 10 days Appointment of the Duke of Newcastle 0 None
16 Mar 1754 16 Nov 1756 Appointment of the Duke of Newcastle 2 years, 245 days Appointment of the Duke of Devonshire 1
16 Nov 1756 26 May 1762 Appointment of the Duke of Devonshire 5 years, 191 days Appointment of Lord Bute 2
26 May 1762 16 Apr 1763 Appointment of Lord Bute 325 days Appointment of George Grenville 3
  • Newcastle
  • Devonshire
  • Bute
16 Apr 1763 2 Oct 1764 Appointment of George Grenville 1 year, 169 days Death of the Duke of Devonshire 4
2 Oct 1764 13 Jul 1765 Death of the Duke of Devonshire 284 days Appointment of Lord Rockingham 3
  • Newcastle
  • Bute
  • G. Grenville
13 Jul 1765 30 Jul 1766 Appointment of Lord Rockingham 1 year, 17 days Appointment of William Pitt the Elder 4
30 Jul 1766 14 Oct 1768 Appointment of William Pitt the Elder 2 years, 76 days Appointment of the Duke of Grafton 5
14 Oct 1768 17 Nov 1768 Appointment of the Duke of Grafton 34 days Death of the Duke of Newcastle 6
  • Newcastle
  • Bute
  • G. Grenville
  • Rockingham
  • Pitt the Elder
  • Grafton
17 Nov 1768 28 Jan 1770 Death of the Duke of Newcastle 1 year, 72 days Appointment of Lord North 5
  • Bute
  • G. Grenville
  • Rockingham
  • Pitt the Elder
  • Grafton
28 Jan 1770 13 Nov 1770 Appointment of Lord North 289 days Death of George Grenville 6
  • Bute
  • G. Grenville
  • Rockingham
  • Pitt the Elder
  • Grafton
  • North
13 Nov 1770 11 May 1778 Death of George Grenville 7 years, 179 days Death of William Pitt the Elder 5
  • Bute
  • Rockingham
  • Pitt the Elder
  • Grafton
  • North
11 May 1778 1 Jul 1782 Death of William Pitt the Elder 4 years, 51 days Death of Lord Rockingham 4
  • Bute
  • Rockingham
  • Grafton
  • North
1 Jul 1782 4 Jul 1782 Death of Lord Rockingham 3 days Appointment of Lord Shelburne 3
  • Bute
  • Grafton
  • North
4 Jul 1782 2 Apr 1783 Appointment of Lord Shelburne 272 days Appointment of the Duke of Portland 4
2 Apr 1783 19 Dec 1783 Appointment of the Duke of Portland 261 days Appointment of William Pitt the Younger 5
19 Dec 1783 10 Mar 1792 Appointment of William Pitt the Younger 8 years, 82 days Death of Lord Bute 6
10 Mar 1792 5 Aug 1792 Death of Lord Bute 148 days Death of Lord North 5
  • Grafton
  • North
  • Shelburne
  • Portland
  • Pitt the Younger
5 Aug 1792 17 Mar 1801 Death of Lord North 8 years, 224 days Appointment of Henry Addington 4
  • Grafton
  • Shelburne
  • Portland
  • Pitt the Younger
17 Mar 1801 7 May 1805 Appointment of Henry Addington 4 years, 51 days Death of Lord Shelburne 5
  • Grafton
  • Shelburne
  • Portland
  • Pitt the Younger
  • Addington
7 May 1805 23 Jan 1806 Death of Lord Shelburne 261 days Death of William Pitt the Younger 4
  • Grafton
  • Portland
  • Pitt the Younger
  • Addington
23 Jan 1806 11 Feb 1806 Death of William Pitt the Younger 19 days Appointment of Lord Grenville 3
  • Grafton
  • Portland
  • Addington
11 Feb 1806 4 Oct 1809 Appointment of Lord Grenville 3 years, 235 days Appointment of Spencer Perceval 4
4 Oct 1809 30 Oct 1809 Appointment of Spencer Perceval 26 days Death of the Duke of Portland 5
  • Grafton
  • Portland
  • Addington
  • Ld Grenville
  • Perceval
30 Oct 1809 14 Mar 1811 Death of the Duke of Portland 1 year, 135 days Death of the Duke of Grafton 4
  • Grafton
  • Addington
  • Ld Grenville
  • Perceval
14 Mar 1811 11 May 1812 Death of the Duke of Grafton 1 year, 58 days Assassination of Spencer Perceval 3
  • Addington
  • Ld Grenville
  • Perceval
11 May 1812 8 Jun 1812 Assassination of Spencer Perceval 28 days Appointment of Lord Liverpool 2
  • Addington
  • Ld Grenville
8 Jun 1812 12 Apr 1827 Appointment of Lord Liverpool 14 years, 308 days Appointment of George Canning 3
12 Apr 1827 8 Aug 1827 Appointment of George Canning 118 days Death of George Canning 4
  • Addington
  • Ld Grenville
  • Liverpool
  • Canning
8 Aug 1827 31 Aug 1827 Death of George Canning 23 days Appointment of Lord Goderich 3
  • Addington
  • Ld Grenville
  • Liverpool
31 Aug 1827 22 Jan 1828 Appointment of Lord Goderich 144 days Appointment of the Duke of Wellington 4
22 Jan 1828 4 Dec 1828 Appointment of the Duke of Wellington 317 days Death of Lord Liverpool 5
4 Dec 1828 22 Nov 1830 Death of Lord Liverpool 1 year, 353 days Appointment of Lord Grey 4
  • Addington
  • Ld Grenville
  • Goderich
  • Wellington
22 Nov 1830 12 Jan 1834 Appointment of Lord Grey 3 years, 51 days Death of Lord Grenville 5
  • Addington
  • Ld Grenville
  • Goderich
  • Wellington
  • Grey
12 Jan 1834 16 Jul 1834 Death of Lord Grenville 185 days Appointment of Lord Melbourne 4
  • Addington
  • Goderich
  • Wellington
  • Grey
16 Jul 1834 10 Dec 1834 Appointment of Lord Melbourne 147 days Appointment of Robert Peel 5
10 Dec 1834 15 Feb 1844 Appointment of Robert Peel 9 years, 67 days Death of Henry Addington 6
  • Addington
  • Goderich
  • Wellington
  • Grey
  • Melbourne
  • Peel
15 Feb 1844 17 Jul 1845 Death of Henry Addington 1 year, 152 days Death of Lord Grey 5
  • Goderich
  • Wellington
  • Grey
  • Melbourne
  • Peel
17 Jul 1845 30 Jun 1846 Death of Lord Grey 348 days Appointment of Lord John Russell 4
  • Goderich
  • Wellington
  • Melbourne
  • Peel
30 Jun 1846 24 Nov 1848 Appointment of Lord John Russell 2 years, 147 days Death of Lord Melbourne 5
  • Goderich
  • Wellington
  • Melbourne
  • Peel
  • Russell
24 Nov 1848 2 Jul 1850 Death of Lord Melbourne 1 year, 220 days Death of Robert Peel 4
  • Goderich
  • Wellington
  • Peel
  • Russell
2 Jul 1850 23 Feb 1852 Death of Robert Peel 1 year, 236 days Appointment of Lord Derby 3
  • Goderich
  • Wellington
  • Russell
23 Feb 1852 14 Sep 1852 Appointment of Lord Derby 204 days Death of the Duke of Wellington 4
  • Goderich
  • Wellington
  • Russell
  • Derby
14 Sep 1852 19 Dec 1852 Death of the Duke of Wellington 96 days Appointment of Lord Aberdeen 3
  • Goderich
  • Russell
  • Derby
19 Dec 1852 6 Feb 1855 Appointment of Lord Aberdeen 2 years, 49 days Appointment of Lord Palmerston 4
6 Feb 1855 28 Jan 1859 Appointment of Lord Palmerston 3 years, 356 days Death of Lord Goderich 5
28 Jan 1859 14 Dec 1860 Death of Lord Goderich 1 year, 321 days Death of Lord Aberdeen 4
  • Russell
  • Derby
  • Aberdeen
  • Palmerston
14 Dec 1860 18 Oct 1865 Death of Lord Aberdeen 4 years, 308 days Death of Lord Palmerston 3
  • Russell
  • Derby
  • Palmerston
18 Oct 1865 27 Feb 1868 Death of Lord Palmerston 2 years, 132 days Appointment of Benjamin Disraeli 2
  • Russell
  • Derby
27 Feb 1868 3 Dec 1868 Appointment of Benjamin Disraeli 280 days Appointment of William Ewart Gladstone 3
3 Dec 1868 23 Oct 1869 Appointment of William Ewart Gladstone 324 days Death of Lord Derby 4
23 Oct 1869 28 May 1878 Death of Lord Derby 8 years, 217 days Death of Lord John Russell 3
  • Russell
  • Disraeli
  • Gladstone
28 May 1878 19 Apr 1881 Death of Lord John Russell 2 years, 326 days Death of Benjamin Disraeli 2
  • Disraeli
  • Gladstone
19 Apr 1881 23 Jun 1885 Death of Benjamin Disraeli 4 years, 65 days Appointment of Lord Salisbury 1
  • Gladstone
23 Jun 1885 5 Mar 1894 Appointment of Lord Salisbury 8 years, 255 days Appointment of Lord Rosebery 2
5 Mar 1894 19 May 1898 Appointment of Lord Rosebery 4 years, 75 days Death of William Ewart Gladstone 3
19 May 1898 12 Jul 1902 Death of William Ewart Gladstone 4 years, 54 days Appointment of Arthur Balfour 2
  • Salisbury
  • Rosebery
12 Jul 1902 22 Aug 1903 Appointment of Arthur Balfour 1 year, 41 days Death of Lord Salisbury 3
22 Aug 1903 5 Dec 1905 Death of Lord Salisbury 2 years, 105 days Appointment of Henry Campbell-Bannerman 2
  • Rosebery
  • Balfour
5 Dec 1905 5 Apr 1908 Appointment of Henry Campbell-Bannerman 2 years, 122 days Appointment of H. H. Asquith 3
5 Apr 1908 22 Apr 1908 Appointment of H. H. Asquith 17 days Death of Henry Campbell-Bannerman 4
  • Rosebery
  • Balfour
  • Campbell-Bannerman
  • Asquith
22 Apr 1908 6 Dec 1916 Death of Henry Campbell-Bannerman 8 years, 228 days Appointment of David Lloyd George 3
  • Rosebery
  • Balfour
  • Asquith
6 Dec 1916 23 Oct 1922 Appointment of David Lloyd George 5 years, 321 days Appointment of Bonar Law 4
23 Oct 1922 22 May 1923 Appointment of Bonar Law 211 days Appointment of Stanley Baldwin 5
  • Rosebery
  • Balfour
  • Asquith
  • Lloyd George
  • Law
22 May 1923 30 Oct 1923 Appointment of Stanley Baldwin 161 days Death of Bonar Law 6
  • Rosebery
  • Balfour
  • Asquith
  • Lloyd George
  • Law
  • Baldwin
30 Oct 1923 22 Jan 1924 Death of Bonar Law 84 days Appointment of Ramsay MacDonald 5
  • Rosebery
  • Balfour
  • Asquith
  • Lloyd George
  • Baldwin
22 Jan 1924 15 Feb 1928 Appointment of Ramsay MacDonald 4 years, 24 days Death of H. H. Asquith 6
  • Rosebery
  • Balfour
  • Asquith
  • Lloyd George
  • Baldwin
  • MacDonald
15 Feb 1928 21 May 1929 Death of H. H. Asquith 1 year, 95 days Death of Lord Rosebery 5
  • Rosebery
  • Balfour
  • Lloyd George
  • Baldwin
  • MacDonald
21 May 1929 19 Mar 1930 Death of Lord Rosebery 302 days Death of Arthur Balfour 4
  • Balfour
  • Lloyd George
  • Baldwin
  • MacDonald
19 Mar 1930 28 May 1937 Death of Arthur Balfour 7 years, 70 days Appointment of Neville Chamberlain 3
  • Lloyd George
  • Baldwin
  • MacDonald
28 May 1937 9 Nov 1937 Appointment of Neville Chamberlain 165 days Death of Ramsay MacDonald 4
9 Nov 1937 10 May 1940 Death of Ramsay MacDonald 2 years, 183 days Appointment of Winston Churchill 3
  • Lloyd George
  • Baldwin
  • Chamberlain
10 May 1940 9 Nov 1940 Appointment of Winston Churchill 183 days Death of Neville Chamberlain 4
9 Nov 1940 26 Mar 1945 Death of Neville Chamberlain 4 years, 137 days Death of David Lloyd George 3
  • Lloyd George
  • Baldwin
  • Churchill
26 Mar 1945 26 Jul 1945 Death of David Lloyd George 122 days Appointment of Clement Attlee 2
  • Baldwin
  • Churchill
26 Jul 1945 14 Dec 1947 Appointment of Clement Attlee 2 years, 141 days Death of Stanley Baldwin 3
14 Dec 1947 6 Apr 1955 Death of Stanley Baldwin 7 years, 113 days Appointment of Anthony Eden 2
  • Churchill
  • Attlee
6 Apr 1955 10 Jan 1957 Appointment of Anthony Eden 1 year, 279 days Appointment of Harold Macmillan 3
10 Jan 1957 19 Oct 1963 Appointment of Harold Macmillan 6 years, 282 days Appointment of Lord Home 4
19 Oct 1963 16 Oct 1964 Appointment of Lord Home 363 days Appointment of Harold Wilson 5
  • Churchill
  • Attlee
  • Eden
  • Macmillan
  • Home
16 Oct 1964 24 Jan 1965 Appointment of Harold Wilson 100 days Death of Winston Churchill 6
  • Churchill
  • Attlee
  • Eden
  • Macmillan
  • Home
  • Wilson
24 Jan 1965 8 Oct 1967 Death of Winston Churchill 2 years, 257 days Death of Clement Attlee 5
  • Attlee
  • Eden
  • Macmillan
  • Home
  • Wilson
8 Oct 1967 19 Jun 1970 Death of Clement Attlee 2 years, 254 days Appointment of Edward Heath 4
  • Eden
  • Macmillan
  • Home
  • Wilson
19 Jun 1970 5 Apr 1976 Appointment of Edward Heath 5 years, 291 days Appointment of James Callaghan 5
  • Eden
  • Macmillan
  • Home
  • Wilson
  • Heath
5 Apr 1976 14 Jan 1977 Appointment of James Callaghan 284 days Death of Anthony Eden 6
14 Jan 1977 4 May 1979 Death of Anthony Eden 2 years, 110 days Appointment of Margaret Thatcher 5
  • Macmillan
  • Home
  • Wilson
  • Heath
  • Callaghan
4 May 1979 29 Dec 1986 Appointment of Margaret Thatcher 7 years, 239 days Death of Harold Macmillan 6
  • Macmillan
  • Home
  • Wilson
  • Heath
  • Callaghan
  • Thatcher
29 Dec 1986 28 Nov 1990 Death of Harold Macmillan 3 years, 334 days Appointment of John Major 5
  • Home
  • Wilson
  • Heath
  • Callaghan
  • Thatcher
28 Nov 1990 24 May 1995 Appointment of John Major 4 years, 177 days Death of Harold Wilson 6
  • Home
  • Wilson
  • Heath
  • Callaghan
  • Thatcher
  • Major
24 May 1995 9 Oct 1995 Death of Harold Wilson 138 days Death of Lord Home 5
  • Home
  • Heath
  • Callaghan
  • Thatcher
  • Major
9 Oct 1995 2 May 1997 Death of Lord Home 1 year, 205 days Appointment of Tony Blair 4
  • Heath
  • Callaghan
  • Thatcher
  • Major
2 May 1997 26 Mar 2005 Appointment of Tony Blair 7 years, 328 days Death of James Callaghan 5
  • Heath
  • Callaghan
  • Thatcher
  • Major
  • Blair
26 Mar 2005 17 Jul 2005 Death of James Callaghan 113 days Death of Edward Heath 4
  • Heath
  • Thatcher
  • Major
  • Blair
17 Jul 2005 27 Jun 2007 Death of Edward Heath 1 year, 345 days Appointment of Gordon Brown 3
  • Thatcher
  • Major
  • Blair
27 Jun 2007 11 May 2010 Appointment of Gordon Brown 2 years, 318 days Appointment of David Cameron 4
11 May 2010 8 Apr 2013 Appointment of David Cameron 2 years, 332 days Death of Margaret Thatcher 5
8 Apr 2013 13 Jul 2016 Death of Margaret Thatcher 3 years, 96 days Appointment of Theresa May 4
  • Major
  • Blair
  • Brown
  • Cameron
13 Jul 2016 24 Jul 2019 Appointment of Theresa May 3 years, 11 days Appointment of Boris Johnson 5
  • Major
  • Blair
  • Brown
  • Cameron
  • May
24 Jul 2019 Present Appointment of Boris Johnson 4 years, 270 days Present 6

Miscellaneous[edit]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. For comparison, the United States has had five periods in which six current or former presidents co-existed.
  2. Because of the presidential line of succession, the US has had no period where there was no living president.

References[edit]

  • Englefield, Dermot; et al. (1995), "Comparative Data", Facts About the British Prime Ministers: A Compilation of Biographical and Historical Information, New York: H.W. Wilson Co., pp. 359–363, 415, ISBN 978-0-8242-0863-9
  • "Past Prime Ministers", number10.gov.uk, archived from the original on 25 August 2008 Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)


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