| Term | Poet (Dates) |
| 1999- | Andrew Motion (1952- ) |
| 1984-1998 | Ted Hughes (1930-1998) |
| 1972-1984 | Sir John Betjeman (1906-1984) |
| 1967-1972 | Cecil Day-Lewis (1904-1972) |
| 1930-1967 | John Masefield (1878-1967) |
| 1913-1930 | Robert Bridges (1844-1930) |
| 1896-1913 | Alfred Austin (1835-1913) |
| 1850-1892 | Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892) |
| 1843-1850 | William Wordsworth (1770-1850) |
| 1813-1843 | Robert Southey (1774-1843) |
| 1790-1813 | Henry James Pye (1745-1813) |
| 1785-1790 | Thomas Warton (1728-1790) |
| 1757-1785 | William Whitehead (1715-1785) |
| 1730-1757 | Colley Cibber (1671-1757) |
| 1718-1730 | Laurence Eusden (1688-1730) |
| 1715-1718 | Nicholas Rowe (1674-1718) |
| 1692-1715 | Nahum Tate (1652-1715) |
| 1689-1692 | Thomas Shadwell (1642?-1692) |
| 1668-1689 | John Dryden (1631-1700) |
| 1638-1668 | William Davenant*** (1606-1668) |
| 1619-1637 | Ben Jonson** (1572-1637) |
| 1599-1619 | Samuel Daniel* (1562?-1619) |
| 1591-1599 | Edmund Spenser* (1552?-1599) |
| *Status as Poet Laureate considered unofficial. | |
| **Generally regarded as first Poet Laureate. | |
| ***First official Poet Laureate. | |