Queen consort
Encyclopedia
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king
. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank
and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical title
s. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort. A queen regnant
is a queen in her own right with all the powers of a monarch, usually becoming queen by inheriting the throne on the death of the previous monarch; they have been far fewer in number.
. The husband of a reigning queen
is usually not called "king consort
", although it was more common in Europe's past for husbands of queens regnant to become
reigning kings (e.g. Philip II of Spain
in England, Antoine of Bourbon-Vendôme
in Navarre, Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
in Portugal, etc.). He is normally called a prince
or prince consort
, as with the husbands of Queen Victoria
and Queen Elizabeth II, and with prince consort Henrik of Denmark.
Where some title other than that of king is held by the sovereign, his wife is referred to by the feminine equivalent, such as princess consort or empress consort.
In monarchies where polygamy has been (such as Morocco
, Thailand
) or is still practiced (such as the Zulu nation) the number of wives of the king varies. In Morocco, the present king Mohammed VI has broken with tradition and given his wife Lalla Salma
the title of princess. Prior to the reign of King Mohammed VI, the Moroccan monarchy had no such title. In Thailand (like virtually every other monarchy) the queen and king must be of royal blood. The king's other consorts are accorded royal titles that confer status. Other cultures maintain different traditions on queenly status. A Zulu chief designated one of his wives, "Great Wife", who would be the equivalent to queen consort.
ally or statutorily
recognized. However, often the queen consort of a deceased king (the queen dowager
or queen mother
) has served as regent
while her child, the successor to the throne, was still a minor — for example:
Besides these examples, there have been many cases of queens consort being shrewd or ambitious stateswomen and, usually (but not always) unofficially, being among the king's most trusted advisors. In some cases, the queen consort has been the chief power behind her husband's throne; e.g. Maria Luisa of Parma
, wife of Carlos IV of Spain
, and Alexandra Fyodorovna (Alix of Hesse), wife and Empress Consort of Nicholas II of Russia
.
Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, was called "Prince Consort".
However, after the engagement of Charles, Prince of Wales
to Camilla Parker-Bowles was announced on 10 February 2005 the official website of the British Monarch and the online FAQ of the Prince of Wales stated, "It is intended that The Duchess of Cornwall will use the title HRH The Princess Consort when The Prince of Wales accedes to The Throne." Whether that remains the case when the Prince of Wales does become king will depend upon public opinion at that time. When asked in an interview by Brian Williams
, whether his wife would become queen when he becomes king, the Prince hesitantly replied, "That's, well ... We'll see won't we? That could be." http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jWw8klMnH8BWLB3aUhSL7I7Rl3VA?docId=c56010474fd542acbfd5cc993e4961b8
Unlike the historic monarchies of Europe, the modern British monarchy is a purely statutory institution in which only the monarch him or herself has a formal constitutional role. Such dignities as may be afforded the spouse of the sovereign are matters of custom, not law. Under legislation, the wife of a future British king will legally become queen (consort) upon his accession, regardless of the title by which she might actually be known in public, just as the Duchess of Cornwall is currently actually the Princess of Wales, by virtue of being married to the Prince of Wales, although she does not use the title.
and his wife Isabella I of Castile
, a queen in her own right, held separate kingdoms. In Castile, Isabella was Queen, and Ferdinand, Consort. In Aragon, Ferdinand was king, and Isabella, Consort. Nevertheless, they ruled their kingdoms during Isabella's lifetime as though it were one dominion. As Ferdinand was not King Regnant of Castile, he did not inherit the Kingdom of Castile upon Isabella's death. Their daughter Juana or Joanna of Castile
inherited the throne. Many historians have called into question Juana's subsequent imprisonment by her father for purported insanity, suggesting that it was a move by Ferdinand to acquire dominion over Castile. However, the two kingdoms would not be legally united until the monarchs' grandson Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
, acceded to both thrones as Charles I of Spain.
to the law of succession. When Mary
, the Protestant
daughter and heiress presumptive
of James II
, was displaced in the order of succession
by the birth of a son to his Catholic
queen consort, Protestant fears were provoked.
Mary's husband, William of Orange
, Stadtholder
of the Protestant Dutch Republic
and also a descendant of James I, was invited by the leaders of Parliament to ascend the throne of his deposed father-in-law. After James II fled the country, Parliament offered the crown to William and Mary jointly.
The couple remained childless, and William ruled alone after Mary's death in 1694. The future Queen Anne
's claims had been deferred by Parliament until his death.
remained duchess sovereign of Brittany during her first marriage with Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
and her third marriage with Louis XII of France
(while during her second marriage with Charles VIII of France
she was more of a prisoner of her husband). Having devoted her life to the independence of her duchy, she bequeathed Brittany to her younger daughter Renée when her elder daughter was betrothed to the future Francis I of France
. However her will was not respected.
Past queens consort:
See List of British consorts for a more complete list of queens consort of the United Kingdom.
Present queens consort:
Because queens consort lack an ordinal with which to distinguish between them, many historical texts and encyclopedias refer to deceased consorts by their pre-marital or maiden name or title, not by their marital royal title.
Thus:
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank
Royal and noble ranks
Traditional rank amongst European royalty, peers, and nobility is rooted in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Although they vary over time and between geographic regions , the following is a reasonably comprehensive list that provides information on both general ranks and specific differences.-...
and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical title
Title
A title is a prefix or suffix added to someone's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may even be inserted between a first and last name...
s. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort. A queen regnant
Queen regnant
A queen regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right, in contrast to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king. An empress regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire....
is a queen in her own right with all the powers of a monarch, usually becoming queen by inheriting the throne on the death of the previous monarch; they have been far fewer in number.
Titles
The wife of a reigning king is called a queen consortConsort
Consort may refer to:Titles:* Queen consort, wife of a reigning king* Prince consort, husband of a reigning queen* King consort, rarely used alternative title for husband of a reigning queen...
. The husband of a reigning queen
Queen regnant
A queen regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right, in contrast to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king. An empress regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire....
is usually not called "king consort
King consort
King consort is an alternative title to the more usual "prince consort" - which is a position given in some monarchies to the husband of a reigning queen. It is a symbolic title only, the sole constitutional function of the holder being similar to a prince consort, which is the male equivalent of a...
", although it was more common in Europe's past for husbands of queens regnant to become
Jure uxoris
Jure uxoris is a Latin term that means "by right of his wife" or "in right of a wife". It is commonly used to refer to a title held by a man whose wife holds it in her own right. In other words, he acquired the title simply by being her husband....
reigning kings (e.g. Philip II of Spain
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
in England, Antoine of Bourbon-Vendôme
Antoine of Navarre
Antoine de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme was head of the House of Bourbon from 1537 to 1562, and jure uxoris King of Navarre from 1555 to 1562.-Family:...
in Navarre, Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
Ferdinand II of Portugal
Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha , named Prince Ferdinand Augustus Francis Anthony of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha-Koháry, was King of Portugal as husband of Queen Maria II of Portugal from the birth of their son in 1837 to her death in 1853.In keeping with Portuguese law, only after the birth of his son in...
in Portugal, etc.). He is normally called a prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
or prince consort
Prince consort
A prince consort is the husband of a queen regnant who is not himself a king in his own right.Current examples include the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , and Prince Henrik of Denmark .In recognition of his status, a prince consort may be given a formal...
, as with the husbands of Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
and Queen Elizabeth II, and with prince consort Henrik of Denmark.
Where some title other than that of king is held by the sovereign, his wife is referred to by the feminine equivalent, such as princess consort or empress consort.
In monarchies where polygamy has been (such as Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
) or is still practiced (such as the Zulu nation) the number of wives of the king varies. In Morocco, the present king Mohammed VI has broken with tradition and given his wife Lalla Salma
Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco
Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco , is the princess consort of King Mohammed VI of Morocco and the first wife of a Moroccan ruler to have been publicly acknowledged and given a royal title....
the title of princess. Prior to the reign of King Mohammed VI, the Moroccan monarchy had no such title. In Thailand (like virtually every other monarchy) the queen and king must be of royal blood. The king's other consorts are accorded royal titles that confer status. Other cultures maintain different traditions on queenly status. A Zulu chief designated one of his wives, "Great Wife", who would be the equivalent to queen consort.
Role of the queen consort
In general, the consorts of monarchs have no power per se, even when their position is constitutionConstitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
ally or statutorily
Statute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...
recognized. However, often the queen consort of a deceased king (the queen dowager
Queen Dowager
A queen dowager or dowager queen is a title or status generally held by the widow of a deceased king. In the case of the widow of a deceased emperor, the title of empress dowager is used...
or queen mother
Queen mother
Queen Mother is a title or position reserved for a widowed queen consort whose son or daughter from that marriage is the reigning monarch. The term has been used in English since at least 1577...
) has served as regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
while her child, the successor to the throne, was still a minor — for example:
- Anne of KievAnne of KievAnne of Kiev was the queen consort of France as the wife of Henry I, and regent for her son Philip I.Her parents were Yaroslav I the Wise and princess Ingegerd Olofsdotter of Sweden....
, wife of Henry I of FranceHenry I of FranceHenry I was King of France from 1031 to his death. The royal demesne of France reached its smallest size during his reign, and for this reason he is often seen as emblematic of the weakness of the early Capetians... - Marie de Medici, mother of Louis XIII of FranceLouis XIII of FranceLouis XIII was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1610 to 1643.Louis was only eight years old when he succeeded his father. His mother, Marie de Medici, acted as regent during Louis' minority...
- Mary of GuiseMary of GuiseMary of Guise was a queen consort of Scotland as the second spouse of King James V. She was the mother of Mary, Queen of Scots, and served as regent of Scotland in her daughter's name from 1554 to 1560...
, mother of Mary, Queen of Scots - Maria Christina of AustriaMaria Christina of AustriaMaria Christina of Austria was Queen consort of Spain as the second wife of King Alfonso XII of Spain...
, mother of Alfonso XIII of SpainAlfonso XIII of SpainAlfonso XIII was King of Spain from 1886 until 1931. His mother, Maria Christina of Austria, was appointed regent during his minority... - Helen of Greece, mother of King Michael of Romania
- Marie AntoinetteMarie AntoinetteMarie Antoinette ; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was an Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of France and of Navarre. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I....
, mother of Louis XVII of FranceLouis XVII of FranceLouis XVII , from birth to 1789 known as Louis-Charles, Duke of Normandy; then from 1789 to 1791 as Louis-Charles, Dauphin of France; and from 1791 to 1793 as Louis-Charles, Prince Royal of France, was the son of King Louis XVI of France and Queen Marie Antoinette...
(disputed) - MunjeongQueen MunjeongQueen Munjeong was the wife of King Jungjong of Joseon.She was of the Papyeong Yun clan. She was regent for her son King Myeongjong when he was still too young to rule by himself until 1565. Known as a good administrator, she continued to rule even after he reached the age of majority...
, mother of King Myeongjong of KoreaMyeongjong of JoseonKing Myeongjong was the 13th king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea. He was the second son of Jungjong, and his mother was Queen Munjeong, who was Jungjong's third queen.... - Emma of Waldeck and PyrmontEmma of Waldeck and PyrmontPrincess Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont was Queen consort of William III, King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg...
, mother of Wilhelmina of the NetherlandsWilhelmina of the NetherlandsWilhelmina was Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 1890 to 1948. She ruled the Netherlands for fifty-eight years, longer than any other Dutch monarch. Her reign saw World War I and World War II, the economic crisis of 1933, and the decline of the Netherlands as a major colonial... - Lakshmi Bai, the Rani of Jhansi and mother of Damodar Rao
Besides these examples, there have been many cases of queens consort being shrewd or ambitious stateswomen and, usually (but not always) unofficially, being among the king's most trusted advisors. In some cases, the queen consort has been the chief power behind her husband's throne; e.g. Maria Luisa of Parma
Maria Luisa of Parma
Maria Luisa of Parma was Queen consort of Spain from 1788 to 1808 as the wife of King Charles IV of Spain. She was the youngest daughter of Duke Philip of Parma and his wife, Louise-Élisabeth of France, the eldest daughter of King Louis XV.She was christened Luisa Maria Teresa Ana, but was known...
, wife of Carlos IV of Spain
Charles IV of Spain
Charles IV was King of Spain from 14 December 1788 until his abdication on 19 March 1808.-Early life:...
, and Alexandra Fyodorovna (Alix of Hesse), wife and Empress Consort of Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, Grand Prince of Finland, and titular King of Poland. His official short title was Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias and he is known as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church.Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until...
.
Masculine equivalent
The wife of a king is always a queen, and is usually so called. However, the husband of a queen regnant is not termed "king".Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, was called "Prince Consort".
However, after the engagement of Charles, Prince of Wales
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
to Camilla Parker-Bowles was announced on 10 February 2005 the official website of the British Monarch and the online FAQ of the Prince of Wales stated, "It is intended that The Duchess of Cornwall will use the title HRH The Princess Consort when The Prince of Wales accedes to The Throne." Whether that remains the case when the Prince of Wales does become king will depend upon public opinion at that time. When asked in an interview by Brian Williams
Brian Williams
Brian Douglas Williams is the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News, the evening news program of the NBC television network, a position he assumed in 2004...
, whether his wife would become queen when he becomes king, the Prince hesitantly replied, "That's, well ... We'll see won't we? That could be." http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jWw8klMnH8BWLB3aUhSL7I7Rl3VA?docId=c56010474fd542acbfd5cc993e4961b8
Unlike the historic monarchies of Europe, the modern British monarchy is a purely statutory institution in which only the monarch him or herself has a formal constitutional role. Such dignities as may be afforded the spouse of the sovereign are matters of custom, not law. Under legislation, the wife of a future British king will legally become queen (consort) upon his accession, regardless of the title by which she might actually be known in public, just as the Duchess of Cornwall is currently actually the Princess of Wales, by virtue of being married to the Prince of Wales, although she does not use the title.
Aragon and Castile
Ferdinand II of AragonFerdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand the Catholic was King of Aragon , Sicily , Naples , Valencia, Sardinia, and Navarre, Count of Barcelona, jure uxoris King of Castile and then regent of that country also from 1508 to his death, in the name of...
and his wife Isabella I of Castile
Isabella I of Castile
Isabella I was Queen of Castile and León. She and her husband Ferdinand II of Aragon brought stability to both kingdoms that became the basis for the unification of Spain. Later the two laid the foundations for the political unification of Spain under their grandson, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor...
, a queen in her own right, held separate kingdoms. In Castile, Isabella was Queen, and Ferdinand, Consort. In Aragon, Ferdinand was king, and Isabella, Consort. Nevertheless, they ruled their kingdoms during Isabella's lifetime as though it were one dominion. As Ferdinand was not King Regnant of Castile, he did not inherit the Kingdom of Castile upon Isabella's death. Their daughter Juana or Joanna of Castile
Joanna of Castile
Joanna , nicknamed Joanna the Mad , was the first queen regnant to reign over both the Crown of Castile and the Crown of Aragon , a union which evolved into modern Spain...
inherited the throne. Many historians have called into question Juana's subsequent imprisonment by her father for purported insanity, suggesting that it was a move by Ferdinand to acquire dominion over Castile. However, the two kingdoms would not be legally united until the monarchs' grandson Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
, acceded to both thrones as Charles I of Spain.
England, Scotland and Ireland
The joint reign of William III and Mary II of England resulted from a unique change by the Parliament of EnglandParliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
to the law of succession. When Mary
Mary II of England
Mary II was joint Sovereign of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband and first cousin, William III and II, from 1689 until her death. William and Mary, both Protestants, became king and queen regnant, respectively, following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of...
, the Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
daughter and heiress presumptive
Heir Presumptive
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...
of James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
, was displaced in the order of succession
Order of succession
An order of succession is a formula or algorithm that determines who inherits an office upon the death, resignation, or removal of its current occupant.-Monarchies and nobility:...
by the birth of a son to his Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
queen consort, Protestant fears were provoked.
Mary's husband, William of Orange
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
, Stadtholder
Stadtholder
A Stadtholder A Stadtholder A Stadtholder (Dutch: stadhouder [], "steward" or "lieutenant", literally place holder, holding someones place, possibly a calque of German Statthalter, French lieutenant, or Middle Latin locum tenens...
of the Protestant Dutch Republic
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
and also a descendant of James I, was invited by the leaders of Parliament to ascend the throne of his deposed father-in-law. After James II fled the country, Parliament offered the crown to William and Mary jointly.
The couple remained childless, and William ruled alone after Mary's death in 1694. The future Queen Anne
Anne of Great Britain
Anne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...
's claims had been deferred by Parliament until his death.
Brittany and Austria, Brittany and France
Anne of BrittanyAnne of Brittany
Anne, Duchess of Brittany , also known as Anna of Brittany , was a Breton ruler, who was to become queen to two successive French kings. She was born in Nantes, Brittany, and was the daughter of Francis II, Duke of Brittany and Margaret of Foix. Her maternal grandparents were Queen Eleanor of...
remained duchess sovereign of Brittany during her first marriage with Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky...
and her third marriage with Louis XII of France
Louis XII of France
Louis proved to be a popular king. At the end of his reign the crown deficit was no greater than it had been when he succeeded Charles VIII in 1498, despite several expensive military campaigns in Italy. His fiscal reforms of 1504 and 1508 tightened and improved procedures for the collection of taxes...
(while during her second marriage with Charles VIII of France
Charles VIII of France
Charles VIII, called the Affable, , was King of France from 1483 to his death in 1498. Charles was a member of the House of Valois...
she was more of a prisoner of her husband). Having devoted her life to the independence of her duchy, she bequeathed Brittany to her younger daughter Renée when her elder daughter was betrothed to the future Francis I of France
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
. However her will was not respected.
Examples of royal consorts
- Queen Marie AntoinetteMarie AntoinetteMarie Antoinette ; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was an Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of France and of Navarre. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I....
, consort to Louis XVI of FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... - Queen MaryMary of TeckMary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V....
, consort of George VGeorge V of the United KingdomGeorge V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936.... - Queen AlexandraAlexandra of DenmarkAlexandra of Denmark was the wife of Edward VII of the United Kingdom...
, consort of Edward VIIEdward VII of the United KingdomEdward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910... - Queen Elizabeth, consort of George VIGeorge VI of the United KingdomGeorge VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
- Queen FabiolaQueen Fabiola of BelgiumQueen Fabiola of Belgium is the widow of King Baudouin of Belgium. She was Queen consort of the Belgians for 33 years...
, consort of Baudouin I of the Belgians - Empress CarlotaCharlotte of BelgiumCharlotte of Belgium is remembered today as Carlota of Mexico as empress consort of Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico, ex-Archduke of Austria.-Princess of Belgium:The only daughter of Leopold I, King of the Belgians by his second wife,...
, consort of Maximilian I of MexicoMaximilian I of MexicoMaximilian I was the only monarch of the Second Mexican Empire.After a distinguished career in the Austrian Navy, he was proclaimed Emperor of Mexico on April 10, 1864, with the backing of Napoleon III of France and a group of Mexican monarchists who sought to revive the Mexican monarchy... - Queen Marie JoséMarie-José of BelgiumMarie José of Belgium was the last Queen of Italy...
, consort of Umberto II of Italy - Queen KapiolaniQueen KapiolaniQueen Kapiolani formally Esther Kapiolani or Esther Kapiolani Napelakapuokakae, was married to King David Kalākaua and reigned as Queen Consort of the Kingdom of Hawaii.-Life:...
, consort of King KalākauaKalakauaKalākaua, born David Laamea Kamanakapuu Mahinulani Nalaiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua and sometimes called The Merrie Monarch , was the last reigning king of the Kingdom of Hawaii...
of HawaiiKingdom of HawaiiThe Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government... - Queen Soraya TarziSoraya TarziSoraya Tarzi, known mostly as Queen Soraya, was the Queen of Afghanistan in the early 20th century and the wife of King Amanullah Khan. She is the only woman to appear on the list of rulers in Afghanistan, although wife of King Amanullah Khan...
, consort of King Amanullah KhanAmanullah KhanAmanullah Khan was the King of the Emirate of Afghanistan from 1919 to 1929, first as Amir and after 1926 as Shah. He led Afghanistan to independence over its foreign affairs from the United Kingdom, and his rule was marked by dramatic political and social change...
of AfghanistanReforms of Amanullah Khan and civil warAmānullāh Khān reigned in Afghanistan from 1919, achieving full independence from the British Empire shortly afterwards. Before the Treaty of Rawalpindi was concluded in 1921, Afghanistan had already begun to establish its own foreign policy, including diplomatic relations with the Russian Soviet... - Tsaritsa Ioanna, consort of Tsar Boris III of BulgariaBoris III of BulgariaBoris III the Unifier, Tsar of Bulgaria , originally Boris Klemens Robert Maria Pius Ludwig Stanislaus Xaver , son of Ferdinand I, came to the throne in 1918 upon the abdication of his father, following the defeat of the Kingdom of Bulgaria during World War I...
- Queen Tadj ol-Molouk Ayromlou, consort of Reza Shah Pahlavi of Persia
- Empress Farah Pahlavi, consort of Mohammad Reza Shah of IranIranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
- Queen Regent Saovabha Bongsri, consort of ChulalongkornChulalongkornPhra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Chulalongkorn Phra Chunla Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama V was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri. He was known to the Siamese of his time as Phra Phuttha Chao Luang . He is considered one of the greatest kings of Siam...
of Siam - Panapillai AmmaPanapillai AmmaPanapillai Amma was the title held by the consort of the ruling Maharajah of Travancore. Its literal translation is 'the royal consort' since as per the formerly existent matriarchal system in Travancore, the Maharajah's sister, and not his wife, was the Maharani. Thus the wife took the title of...
(queen consort) Srimathi Lakshmi Pilla Kochamma Chempakaraman Arumana Ammaveedu, wife of Visakham Thirunal Maharajah of TravancoreTravancoreKingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
. - Queen CatherineCatherine of AragonCatherine of Aragon , also known as Katherine or Katharine, was Queen consort of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII of England and Princess of Wales as the wife to Arthur, Prince of Wales...
, first Queen consort of Henry VIIIHenry VIII of EnglandHenry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
of EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, she was also regentRegentA regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
when he was in a war in FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. - Queen HortenseHortense de BeauharnaisHortense Eugénie Cécile Bonaparte , Queen Consort of Holland, was the stepdaughter of Emperor Napoleon I, being the daughter of his first wife, Joséphine de Beauharnais. She later became the wife of the former's brother, Louis Bonaparte, King of Holland, and the mother of Napoleon III, Emperor of...
, consort of Louis BonaparteLouis BonaparteLouis Napoléon Bonaparte, Prince Français, Comte de Saint-Leu , King of Holland , was the fifth surviving child and the fourth surviving son of Carlo Buonaparte and Letizia Ramolino...
, King of HollandKingdom of HollandThe Kingdom of Holland 1806–1810 was set up by Napoleon Bonaparte as a puppet kingdom for his third brother, Louis Bonaparte, in order to better control the Netherlands. The name of the leading province, Holland, was now taken for the whole country...
. - Queen WilhelmineWilhelmine of Prussia (1774-1837)Princess Wilhelmine of Prussia was the first wife of King William I of the Netherlands and so the first Queen of the Netherlands.-Biography:Princess Wilhelmine was born in Potsdam...
, consort of William I of the NetherlandsWilliam I of the NetherlandsWilliam I Frederick, born Willem Frederik Prins van Oranje-Nassau , was a Prince of Orange and the first King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg....
. - Queen Anna PavlovnaAnna Pavlovna of RussiaGrand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia was a queen consort of the Netherlands.-Background:She was born as the eighth child and sixth daughter of Paul I of Russia and Empress Maria Feodorovna , and thus was Her Imperial Highness Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia...
, consort of William II of the NetherlandsWilliam II of the NetherlandsWilliam II was King of the Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and Duke of Limburg from 7 October 1840 until his death in 1849.- Early life and education :...
. - Queen SophieSophie of WürttembergPrincess Sophia Frederika Mathilde of Württemberg was Queen of the Netherlands as the first wife of King William III of the Netherlands.-Biography:...
, first consort of William III of the NetherlandsWilliam III of the NetherlandsWilliam III was from 1849 King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg until his death and the Duke of Limburg until the abolition of the Duchy in 1866.-Early life:William was born in Brussels as son of William II of the Netherlands and...
. - Queen EmmaEmma of Waldeck and PyrmontPrincess Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont was Queen consort of William III, King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg...
, second consort of William III of the NetherlandsWilliam III of the NetherlandsWilliam III was from 1849 King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg until his death and the Duke of Limburg until the abolition of the Duchy in 1866.-Early life:William was born in Brussels as son of William II of the Netherlands and...
. When William died on 23 November 1890, Emma became regent (1890–1898) for her underaged daughter, WilhelminaWilhelmina of the NetherlandsWilhelmina was Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 1890 to 1948. She ruled the Netherlands for fifty-eight years, longer than any other Dutch monarch. Her reign saw World War I and World War II, the economic crisis of 1933, and the decline of the Netherlands as a major colonial...
, the late king's only surviving child.
See List of British consorts for a more complete list of queens consort of the United Kingdom.
Present queens consort:
- Queen PaolaQueen Paola of BelgiumPaola, Queen of the Belgians , is the queen consort of Albert II of Belgium....
, consort of Albert II of the BelgiansAlbert II of BelgiumAlbert II is the current reigning King of the Belgians, a constitutional monarch. He is a member of the royal house "of Belgium"; formerly this house was named Saxe-Coburg-Gotha... - Queen Rania, consort of Abdullah II of JordanAbdullah II of JordanAbdullah II ibn al-Hussein is the reigning King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. He ascended the throne on 7 February 1999 after the death of his father King Hussein. King Abdullah, whose mother is Princess Muna al-Hussein, is a member of the Hashemite family...
- Queen SilviaQueen Silvia of Sweden|align=right|Queen Silvia of Sweden is the Queen consort of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. Styled Her Majesty The Queen, Silvia is the mother of the heir apparent to the throne, Crown Princess Victoria.-Childhood:Queen Silvia was born in Heidelberg, Germany, on 23 December 1943...
, consort of Carl XVI Gustaf of SwedenCarl XVI Gustaf of SwedenCarl XVI Gustaf is the reigning King of Sweden since 15 September 1973, succeeding his grandfather King Gustaf VI Adolf because his father had predeceased him... - Queen Sirikit, consort of Rama IX of Thailand
- Queen Sofia, consort of Juan Carlos I of SpainJuan Carlos I of SpainJuan Carlos I |Italy]]) is the reigning King of Spain.On 22 November 1975, two days after the death of General Francisco Franco, Juan Carlos was designated king according to the law of succession promulgated by Franco. Spain had no monarch for 38 years in 1969 when Franco named Juan Carlos as the...
- Queen SonjaQueen Sonja of NorwayQueen Sonja of Norway is the wife of King Harald V of Norway.-Prior to marriage:Sonja was born in Oslo on 4 July 1937 as the daughter of clothing merchant Karl August Haraldsen and Dagny Ulrichsen .Queen Sonja grew up in the district of Vinderen in Oslo and completed her lower secondary schooling...
, consort of Harald V of NorwayHarald V of NorwayHarald V is the king of Norway. He succeeded to the throne of Norway upon the death of his father Olav V on 17 January 1991... - Queen 'MasenateQueen 'Masenate Mohato SeeisoQueen 'Masenate Mohato Seeiso is the Queen Consort of King Letsie III of Lesotho.She was born as Anna Karabo Mots'oeneng in Mapoteng in the Berea District the eldest child of Thekiso Mots'oeneng and his wife 'Makarabo. In 1990 Queen 'Masenate enrolled at the Machabeng International College in...
, consort of Letsie III of LesothoLetsie III of LesothoLetsie III is the reigning king of Lesotho. He succeeded his father, Moshoeshoe II, when the latter was forced into exile in 1990. His father was briefly restored in 1995 but soon died in a car crash in early 1996, and Letsie became king again... - Empress MichikoEmpress Michiko of JapanEmpress Michiko of Japan is the wife and consort of Emperor Akihito, the current monarch of Japan. She was the first commoner to marry into the Japanese Imperial Family. As crown princess and later as empress consort, she has become the most visible and widely-travelled imperial consort in...
, consort of Akihito of Japan - Queen SylviaQueen Sylvia of BugandaSylvia Nagginda is the current Nnabagereka or Queen of Buganda, a historic kingdom in modern day Uganda.-Background:...
, consort of Muwenda Mutebi II of BugandaMuwenda Mutebi II of BugandaRonald Edward Frederick Muwenda Kimera Mutebi II is the reigning Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda, a kingdom in modern-day Uganda. He is the thirty-sixth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
. Her official title is Nnabagereka of BugandaNnabagereka of BugandaThe Nnabagereka is the title for the Queen of the Kingdom of Buganda, a tribal kingdom in modern day Uganda. The current Nnabagereka is Sylvia Nagginda.This title is a relatively recent one, created in the 20th century... - Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned, consort of Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani of QatarQatarQatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
- Queen Jetsun PemaJetsun PemaJetsun Pema is the sister of the 14th Dalai Lama.-Biography:Jetsun Pema was born in Lhasa, on July 7, 1940. She came to India in 1950 and studied first at St. Joseph's Convent in Kalimpong and later at Loreto Convent in Darjeeling from where she completed her Senior Cambridge in 1960...
, consort of Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck of Bhutan.
Because queens consort lack an ordinal with which to distinguish between them, many historical texts and encyclopedias refer to deceased consorts by their pre-marital or maiden name or title, not by their marital royal title.
Thus:
- Queen Mary, consort of George VGeorge V of the United KingdomGeorge V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
, is usually called Mary of TeckMary of TeckMary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V.... - Queen Maria José, consort of Umberto II of Italy, is usually called Marie José of Belgium
- Queen Philippa, consort of John I of PortugalJohn I of PortugalJohn I KG , called the Good or of Happy Memory, more rarely and outside Portugal the Bastard, was the tenth King of Portugal and the Algarve and the first to use the title Lord of Ceuta...
, is usually called Philippa of LancasterPhilippa of LancasterPhilippa of Lancaster, LG was a Queen consort of Portugal. Born into the royal family of England, her marriage with King John I secured the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance and produced several famous children who became known as the "Illustrious Generation" in Portugal... - Queen Catherine, first consort of Henry VIIIHenry VIII of EnglandHenry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
, is called Catherine of AragonCatherine of AragonCatherine of Aragon , also known as Katherine or Katharine, was Queen consort of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII of England and Princess of Wales as the wife to Arthur, Prince of Wales... - Queen Anne, second consort of Henry VIIIHenry VIII of EnglandHenry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
, is called Anne BoleynAnne BoleynAnne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the... - Queen Catherine, consort of Charles IICharles II of EnglandCharles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, is called Catherine of BraganzaCatherine of BraganzaCatherine of Braganza was a Portuguese infanta and queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the wife of King Charles II.She married the king in 1662...
.
See also
- List of Bohemian consorts
- List of British consorts
- List of royal consorts of Canada
- List of Danish consorts
- List of Dutch consorts
- List of Queens and Empresses of France
- List of Hawaiian royal consorts
- List of Holy Roman Empresses
- List of Hungarian consorts
- List of Norwegian consorts
- List of Portuguese queens
- List of Spanish consorts
- List of Swedish consorts
- List of queens regnant
- King consortKing consortKing consort is an alternative title to the more usual "prince consort" - which is a position given in some monarchies to the husband of a reigning queen. It is a symbolic title only, the sole constitutional function of the holder being similar to a prince consort, which is the male equivalent of a...
- Royal Noble ConsortRoyal Noble ConsortRoyal Noble Consort was the title of royal concubines of Korean kings . During the Joseon Dynasty , they were part of the ne-goong and ranked beneath the queen, but above low-ranked concubines and court ladies...
(Korea)