Royal Archives: How to use the collections
Published
The Royal Archives is the private archive of the Royal Family, and has housed the private papers of the monarchy from 1914, as well as significant historic material including the papers of George III, George IV, Queen Victoria and the exiled Stuarts.
The Royal Library is the official library of the Sovereign and is an incredibly diverse collection containing more than 200,000 items, including not only books and manuscripts, but also music, sound recordings, insignia, medals and coins.
Find out more about how you can access and use the collections in both the library and the archives with this downloadable information pack.
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William IV (r. 1830-1837)

Elizabeth I (r.1558-1603)

Mary I (r.1553-1558)

Lady Jane Grey (r. 10-19 July 1553)

Edward VI (r.1547-1553)

Henry VIII (r.1509-1547)

Henry VII (r. 1485-1509)

The Tudors
Richard III (r. 1483-1485)

Edward V (Apr-Jun 1483)

Edward IV (r. 1461-1470 and 1471-1483)

The Yorkists
Henry VI (r.1422-1461 and 1470-1471)

Henry V (r. 1413-1422)

Henry IV (r.1399-1413)

The Lancastrians
Richard II (r. 1377-1399)

Edward III (r. 1327-1377)

Edward II (r. 1307-1327)

Edward I 'Longshanks' (r. 1272-1307)

Henry III (r. 1216-1272)

The Plantagenets
John Lackland (r. 1199-1216)

Henry II 'Curtmantle' (r. 1154-1189)

The Angevins
Stephen and Matilda (r. 1135-1154)

Henry I 'Beauclerc' (r. 1100-1135)

William II (Known as William Rufus) (r. 1087-1100)

William I 'The Conqueror' (r. 1066-1087)

The Normans
Edgar Atheling (r. Oct - Dec 1066)

Harold II (r. Jan - Oct 1066)

Edward III 'The Confessor' (r. 1042-1066)

Hardicanute (r. 1035-1042)

Harold Harefoot (r. 1035-1040)

Canute 'The Great' (r. 1016-1035)

Edmund II 'Ironside' (r. Apr - Nov 1016)

Sweyn (r. 1013-1014)
