Who Is the Longest-serving Prime Minister of the UK?
Do you know who is the longest-serving Prime Minister (PM) of the United Kingdom (UK)? Let’s explore the longest-serving PM of the UK and his tenure and major contributions.
The United Kingdom has witnessed a total of 59 premierships including the current Prime Minister, Andy Burnham. The longest-serving Prime Minister in the history of the United Kingdom. The name remains with Sir Robert Walpole, who served in the office for 20 years, 314 days followed by William Pitt the Younger, who served in the Britain prime minister office for 18 years, 343 days.
Longest-serving Prime Minister of the UK: Sir Robert Walpole
The man who served the British office of Prime Minister for the longest time. Sir Robert Walpole is the longest-serving British prime minister who began his premiership in 1721 to 1742. He headed the office for almost 21 years( 20 years, 314 days).
He was born on 26 August 1676 in Houghton, Norfolk, England. In British history. He is the first Prime Minister of Britain.
It is believed that he had a close relationship with the Hanoverian Monarchy of that time. His legacy is famous for his 10 Downing Street, when he was offered the house as a private residence by George II of Britain. He served both King George I and George II.
William Pitt 2nd: Longest Serving and Youngest Prime Minister
William Pitt is also known as William Pitt the Younger is the second longest serving Prime Minister of the UK. He is also the youngest Prime Minister in UK history. He was just 24 years old when he became the Prime Minister of Britain in 1783 under the Reign of George III.
He was born on 23 January 1806 in Putney Heath, London to William Pitt the Elder he also served as the Prime Minister of Britain).
He served in office in two separate terms; first he held office in 1783 to 1801 and from 1804 to 1806. During his reign major revolutions took place like the French Revolution 1785 and the American War of Independence.
His legacy is famous for the Indian Act of 1884, the Acts of Union 1800, European alliance against Napoleon.
List of Longest-serving Prime Ministers
| S. No | Prime Minister Name | Tenure/years | Time | King / Monarch |
| Sir Robert Walpole | 20 years 314 days | 1721-1742 | King George I & King George II | |
| William Oitt the Younger | 18 years, 343 days | 17-1801 & 1804-1806 | King George III | |
| Robert Jenkinson | 14 years, 305 days | 1812-1827 | King George IIi and kIng George IV | |
| Robert Gascoyne-Cecil | 13 years, 252 days | 1885–1886,1886–1892 & 1895–1902 | Queen Victoria & King Edward VII | |
| 5 | William Ewart Gladstone | 12 years, 126 days | 1868–1874, 1880–1885, 1886 & 1892–1894 | Queen Victoria |
| 6 | Frederick North or Lord North | 12 years, 58 days | 1770-1782 | King George III |
| 7 | Marget Thatcher | 11 years, 208 days | 1979-1990 | Queen Elizabeth II |
| 8 | Henry Pelham | 10 years, 191 days | 1743-1754 | King George II |
| 9 | Tony Blair | 10 years, 56 days | 1997-2007 | Queen Elizabeth II |
| 10 | Henry John Temple or Viscount Palmerston | 9 Years, 141 days | 1855-1858 & 1859-1865 | Queen Victoria |
Margaret Thatcher was the longest-serving British prime minister of the 20th century and the first woman to hold the post. She served for 11 years ( 1979 to 1990) in her premiership under Queen Elizabeth II.
Manisha Waldia is a distinguished content strategist with 5 years of experience crafting premium educational content for UPSC and State PCS, with a focus on deep conceptual analysis across Polity, Geography, History, and Environment. She currently brings this expertise to Jagran Josh, where she covers major national and international events, current affairs, and static general knowledge. Over her career, Manisha's specialized insights have led her to curate high-impact materials and serve as a UPSC Mains answer-evaluator for India’s top institutes—including Drishti IAS, Shubhra Ranjan IAS, Study IQ, GS Score, and PWonlyIAS. She has also worked alongside leading NGOs like Oxfam India and Avani Kumaon.
Contact: manisha.waldia@jagrannewmedia.com
