👑 World Monarchies Today Trivia Questions & Answers
The living kings, queens and sultans still on the world's thrones. Below are 30 free world monarchies today trivia questions with answers — part of Royalty trivia on BUZZ. Want a real challenge that adapts to what you know? Play the Royalty quiz — no signup needed to start.
30 World Monarchies Today trivia questions
Q1. Which king took Denmark's throne in January 2024 after his mother's abdication?
Answer: Frederik X
💡 His wife, Australian-born Mary, became Denmark's new queen.
Q2. What term describes a monarchy where a constitution limits the ruler's power?
Answer: Constitutional monarchy
💡 Most of today's roughly 43 monarchies fit this constitutional model.
Q3. Unlike most monarchies, Japan's ruling monarch holds which unique title?
Answer: Emperor
💡 Japan is the only country in the world today whose monarch holds that title.
Q4. Which Pacific kingdom is the only nation in the region never colonized, remaining a monarchy today?
Answer: Tonga
💡 Tonga only introduced its first fully representative elections in 2010, shifting toward a more constitutional monarchy.
Q5. Which royal house has ruled Saudi Arabia since the kingdom's founding in 1932?
Answer: House of Saud
💡 Ibn Saud united several territories into one kingdom on 23 September 1932.
Q6. Which family has ruled the tiny principality of Monaco for more than 700 years?
Answer: House of Grimaldi
💡 Francois Grimaldi seized Monaco's fortress in 1297, disguised as a monk.
Q7. As of 2024, who had reigned as Luxembourg's Grand Duke since the year 2000?
Answer: Henri
💡 Luxembourg is the world's only sovereign state ruled as a grand duchy.
Q8. As of 2024, which king had led Spain since his father's 2014 abdication?
Answer: Felipe VI
💡 His father, Juan Carlos I, had restored Spain's monarchy decades earlier, in 1975.
Q9. As of 2024, which king had reigned over Norway since 1991?
Answer: Harald V
💡 He's the first Norwegian-born monarch to directly inherit the throne since the 1300s.
Q10. As of 2024, who was the Netherlands' first king since 1890, crowned in 2013?
Answer: Willem-Alexander
💡 His mother, Beatrix, stepped down for him rather than reigning until death.
Q11. As of 2024, which king had led Belgium since his father abdicated in 2013?
Answer: Philippe
💡 Belgium's Albert II stepped aside for health reasons rather than reigning for life.
Q12. As of 2024, who had served as Qatar's Emir since his father stepped down in 2013?
Answer: Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
💡 His father handed over power voluntarily rather than waiting to die in office.
Q13. Which African kingdom, ruled by King Mswati III, is the continent's last absolute monarchy?
Answer: Eswatini
💡 The country was known as Swaziland until a 2018 royal decree restored its pre-colonial name.
Q14. Which late Thai king held the record for longest-reigning monarch of any country at his death?
Answer: Bhumibol Adulyadej
💡 He reigned for over 70 years, from 1946 until his death in 2016.
Q15. Who is the ceremonial and spiritual head of state that rules Vatican City?
Answer: The Pope
💡 Vatican City is a rare modern example of an elective monarchy — its ruler is chosen, not born into the role.
Q16. What is the ceremonial title given to the monarch of Bhutan?
Answer: Druk Gyalpo
💡 Druk Gyalpo translates to "Dragon King," tying the throne to Bhutan's nickname, Land of the Thunder Dragon.
Q17. Which Scandinavian queen abdicated in January 2024 after 52 years on the throne?
Answer: Margrethe II of Denmark
💡 Her son became King Frederik X, and she was the first Danish monarch to abdicate in nearly 900 years.
Q18. Roughly how many sovereign states in the world today still have a monarch as head of state?
Answer: Around 43
💡 They range from ceremonial constitutional monarchies to a handful of absolute ones like Saudi Arabia and Brunei.
Q19. What term describes countries sharing the UK's monarch, like Canada or Jamaica?
Answer: Commonwealth realms
💡 There are 15 Commonwealth realms today, spread across North America, Oceania, and Europe.
Q20. Vatican City became an independent state in 1929 under which treaty?
Answer: The Lateran Treaty
💡 It settled a dispute dating back to Italy's 1870 seizure of the Papal States.
Q21. Bhutan's king coined 'Gross National Happiness' as an alternative to which measure?
Answer: GDP
💡 The idea has since shaped Bhutan's entire approach to national policy.
Q22. What is the official title of Malaysia's rotating, elected king?
Answer: Yang di-Pertuan Agong
💡 Nine hereditary state rulers take turns holding the post for five years each.
Q23. Which country became Europe's first to adopt absolute primogeniture, in 1980?
Answer: Sweden
💡 The law bumped a newborn prince from heir to spare overnight, in favor of his sister.
Q24. Jordan's royal Hashemite dynasty traces its lineage back to which historical figure?
Answer: The Prophet Muhammad
💡 King Abdullah II is traditionally counted as a 41st-generation descendant.
Q25. Morocco's constitution gives the king a special religious leadership title — which?
Answer: Amir al-Mu'minin
💡 It roughly translates to 'Commander of the Faithful,' blending political and religious authority.
Q26. As of 2024, UAE's president was chosen from among rulers of how many emirates?
Answer: Seven
💡 By custom, the post always goes to Abu Dhabi's ruler — currently Mohamed bin Zayed.
Q27. As of 2024, which sultan had ruled Oman, an absolute monarchy, since January 2020?
Answer: Haitham bin Tariq
💡 He succeeded his cousin Qaboos, who had ruled Oman for exactly 50 years.
Q28. Spain's monarchy was restored in 1975, two days after Franco's death — who became king?
Answer: Juan Carlos I
💡 Franco had personally named him as successor back in 1969, bypassing his own father's claim to the throne.
Q29. Liechtenstein's monarchy is unusual in Europe for strictly following which succession rule?
Answer: Agnatic primogeniture (male-line only)
💡 It's the only European monarchy still practicing strict agnatic primogeniture.
Q30. Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni took the throne in 2004 through what process?
Answer: Throne Council election
💡 He succeeded his father, Norodom Sihanouk, who voluntarily abdicated that same year.
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