Malcolm becomes King of Scotland at the end of Macbeth.

Who will be king of Scotland in Macbeth?

Within the play, three men reign as king of Scotland in sequence:

  • Duncan (the rightful, good king at the start)
  • Macbeth (who murders Duncan and usurps the throne)
  • Malcolm (Duncan’s eldest son, who ultimately takes back the crown)

After Macbeth is killed in the final act, Malcolm is hailed as the new king and prepares to go to Scone to be formally crowned. This restores the legitimate royal line that existed before Macbeth’s bloody rise to power.