
The perils of life as a 'spare heir' —
Prince Harry, the "spare" to Prince William, has forged a military career, serving in Afghanistan; but he has also had run-ins with the British tabloids, and was famously photographed naked during a trip to Las Vegas.

The perils of life as a 'spare heir' —
Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, has been dubbed "AirMiles Andy" by the British tabloids because of his luxurious, jet-setting lifestyle. During the Falklands Conflict in the early 1980s, he served as a helicopter pilot in the Royal Navy.

The perils of life as a 'spare heir' —
Princess Margaret, seen here touring Pisa, Italy, with her then-husband, the photographer Lord Snowdon, in 1968, was the "spare" to current Queen Elizabeth II; she died in 2002.

The perils of life as a 'spare heir' —
King George VI was originally the "spare" heir, but he was crowned when his older brother, Edward VIII abdicated the throne after less than a year in order to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

The perils of life as a 'spare heir' —
After his abdication, Edward VIII was known as the Duke of Windsor. He and the Duchess lived mainly in France for the rest of their lives.

The perils of life as a 'spare heir' —
Henry VIII, one of the most famous Kings in British history, was not the original heir to the throne -- he was crowned after his older brother Arthur died in 1502, aged 17.

The perils of life as a 'spare heir' —
Similarly, Henry VIII's daughter, Elizabeth I, was not expected to rule once he had a male heir; but Edward VI died while still in his teens -- his older sisters Mary and then Elizabeth were both crowned Queen in the decades that followed.

The perils of life as a 'spare heir' —
King Charles I became heir to the throne of England on the death of his brother Henry; an unpopular King, he was defeated in the Civil War, and executed for high treason in 1649.