Royal Family announces historic change to succession rules, allowing gender equality

In a momentous step for European royal houses, the Princely House of Liechtenstein has officially abolished its century-old, male-preference succession law, declaring that women will now also have equal rights to inherit the throne.

Announced in celebration of National Day of Liechtenstein on August 15, 2026, the landmark law has introduced absolute primogeniture so that the firstborn child of the ruling monarch – no matter whether a boy or girl – becomes the heir to the principality.

Overcoming male primogeniture

Prior to this change in the law, the Principality of Liechtenstein was one of the few royal houses on the continent to still implement the male-only succession system (agnatic primogeniture). Most European royal houses now follow absolute primogeniture and only Monaco retains an explicitly male-preference succession, leaving Liechtenstein with the most modern royal succession in Europe apart from the Principality.

The statement from the palace confirmed the amendment to the House Law has been the product of decades of internal family discussions while the actual legal text was drawn up late last year and then passed by members of the princely family with a two-thirds majority.

The palace added: “Throughout the history of our centuries-long family house, we have benefited from decisions made with a long-term perspective and careful consideration. This change extends full equal participation rights to all female members of the Princely House…in all matters of the House Law as men. In future the firstborn child will become the head of the house regardless of their sex.”

Impact on the immediate succession to the throne

The current reigning monarch, Prince Hans-Adam II, will see no immediate changes to the order of succession which is still as follows:

1. Hereditary Prince Alois, is next in line to the throne and is currently acting as regent.
2. Prince Joseph Wenzel, eldest son of Hereditary Prince Alois, is second in line to the throne.

However, the historic decision means that if Prince Joseph Wenzel has a child in the future who is a daughter, she will automatically be the next heir to the throne, and will thus be the very first Princess of Liechtenstein to take the throne by right of her birth as the firstborn.

The succession framework: Previous vs. Now

The 2026 House Law reform also changes aspects of the ruling of the family legacy as follows. The old Legacy House Law enforced male primogeniture or the Salic rule, which states that only male members can inherit not just the throne but the right of governance of the family house.

By introducing absolute primogeniture the new House Law of 2026 will instead state that firstborn will inherit no matter whether a son or a daughter while also granting full equality of voting and House participation to all female descendants.

Modernizing Liechtenstein’s royal lineage

The constitutional change is one more step towards modernizing Liechtenstein and places the small, wealthy state alongside many European nations including Great Britain, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway and Spain, which all have complete gender equality in their royal succession laws.