 Throughout the exile and reign of Charles II the heir-presumptive was his brother
Charles II died on 6 February 1685, leaving many illegitimate children but no legitimate ones.He was accordingly succeeded by his brother, who became James VII (II of England).At the time of James's accession he had no heir-apparent; of the three sons born to his late wife Anne Hyde and the one born to second wife, Mary of Modena, only one had survived past the age of three.