King of Lesotho
Marena a Lesotho
Coat of arms of Lesotho
Incumbent
Letsie III
since 7 February 1996
Details
StyleHis Majesty
Heir apparentLerotholi Seeiso
First monarchMoshoeshoe I (as paramount chief)
Formation1822
ResidenceRoyal Palace, Maseru
Websitehttps://theking.parliament.ls/
Politics of Lesotho
Constitution
Monarchy
Government
Parliament
Judiciary
Administrative divisions
Elections
Foreign relations

This article list the monarchs (Marena) of Lesotho (also known as Basutoland until 1966).

Succession

The succession to the throne of Lesotho is laid down in Chapter V of the Constitution of Lesotho. The current King is Letsie III.

Chapter V Article 45 of the Constitution reads that:

(1) The College of Chiefs may at any time designate, in accordance with the customary law of Lesotho, the person (or the persons, in order of prior right) who are entitled to succeed to the office of King upon the death of the holder of, or the occurrence of any vacancy in, that office and if on such death or vacancy, there is a person who has previously been designated in pursuance of this section and who is capable under the customary law of Lesotho of succeeding to that office, that person (or, if there is more than one such person, that one of them who has been designated as having the first right to succeed to the office) shall become King.
(2) If, on the death of the holder of, or the occurrence of any vacancy in, the office of King, there is no person who becomes King under subsection (1), the College of Chiefs shall, with all practical speed and in accordance with the customary law of Lesotho, proceed to designate a person to succeed to the office of King and the person so designated shall thereupon become King.

Compensation

The king is granted a privy purse amounting to 52,778 USD annually.[1]

Kings / Paramount Chiefs of Lesotho / Basutoland (1822–1966)

Kings of Lesotho (1966–present)

NameLifespanReign startReign endNotesFamilyImage
Moshoeshoe II
(1st reign)		(1938-05-02)2 May 1938 – 15 January 1996(1996-01-15) (aged 57)4 October 196612 November 1990[a]
(24 years, 39 days)		Son of Simon Seeiso GriffithHouse of MoshoeshoeMoshoeshoe II of Lesotho
Letsie III
(1st reign)		 (1963-07-17) 17 July 1963 (age 60)12 November 199025 January 1995[b]
(4 years, 74 days)		Son of Moshoeshoe IIHouse of MoshoeshoeLetsie III of Lesotho
Moshoeshoe II
(2nd reign)		(1938-05-02)2 May 1938 – 15 January 1996(1996-01-15) (aged 57)25 January 199515 January 1996†
(355 days)		Son of Simon Seeiso GriffithHouse of MoshoeshoeMoshoeshoe II of Lesotho
Letsie III
(2nd reign)		 (1963-07-17) 17 July 1963 (age 60)7 February 1996Incumbent
(27 years, 279 days)		Son of Moshoeshoe IIHouse of MoshoeshoeLetsie III of Lesotho
Regent Head of State

Timeline since 1960

Letsie III'Mamohato Bereng SeeisoMoshoeshoe II of LesothoLetsie III'Mamohato Bereng Seeiso'Mamohato Bereng SeeisoMoshoeshoe II of Lesotho

Royal Standards

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Deposed by the military government of General Justin Lekhanya.
  2. ^ Abdicated in favor of his father, Moshoeshoe II.

References

  1. ^ Ministry of Finance of the Kingdom of Lesotho. "BUDGET ESTIMATES BOOK FOR FINANCIAL YEAR 2018/2019" (PDF). www.finance.gov.ls.
  2. ^ "Royal Deputy Heads of State in the 20th and 21st Century". Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
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