List of British consorts

Prince Albert was the only male consort to be awarded the title of Prince Consort, compared to the usual custom of raising them to the peerage.
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the current royal consort.
For the royal consorts of the predecessor realms of Scotland, England and Ireland, see List of Scottish consorts, List of English consorts and List of Irish consorts.

A royal consort is the spouse of a ruling King or Queen. Consorts of monarchs in the United Kingdom and its predecessors have no constitutional status or power but many had significant influence over their spouse. Some royal consorts, such as current consort Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, have also helped to enhance the image of the Monarchy by becoming celebrities in their own right.

Since the foundation of the Kingdom of Great Britain, it and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland have had ten royal consorts. Queens between 1727 and 1814 were also Electress of Hanover, as their husbands all held the title of Elector of Hanover. Between 1814 and 1837, queens held the title as Queen of Hanover, as their husbands were Kings of Hanover. The personal union with the United Kingdom ended in 1837 on the accession of Queen Victoria because the succession laws (Salic Law) in Hanover prevented a female inheriting the title if there was any surviving male heir (in the United Kingdom, a male takes precedence over only his own sisters). In the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, Hanover was annexed by Prussia and became the Province of Hanover.

All female consorts have had the right to be and have been styled as queens consort. However, of the three British male consorts to have existed since 1707, none was considered king consort:

Not all wives of monarchs have become consorts, as they may have died, been divorced, had their marriage declared invalid prior to their husbands' ascending the throne, or married after abdication. Such cases include:

An unusual case was that of Caroline of Brunswick, who had separated from her husband George IV prior to his accession, and although his consort in law, had no position at court and was forcibly barred from attending George IV's coronation and being crowned. This caused public outrage.

Since 1707, only George I and Edward VIII have reigned unmarried.

If Charles, Prince of Wales, ascends the throne, his second wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, will automatically take on the title and style pertaining to the queen consort unless legislation is passed to the contrary. It has been stated, however, that it is intended that she should be styled not as a queen consort, but as "princess consort".[1]

Consorts of the Kingdom of Great Britain (1707–1801) and the United Kingdom (1801–present)

House of Stuart

Picture Coat of arms Name Parents Birth Marriage Became consort Coronation Ceased to be consort Death Spouse
Prince George of Denmark and Norway Father, Frederick III of Denmark and Norway
Mother, Duchess Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg
2 April 1653 28 July 1683 1 May 1707
Creation of the Kingdom of Great Britain
Not crowned 28 October 1708 Anne

House of Hanover

Picture Coat of arms Name Parents Birth Marriage Became consort Coronation Ceased to be consort Death Spouse
Margravine Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach Father, John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
Mother, Princess Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach
1 March 1683 22 August 1705 11 June 1727
Husband's accession
11 October 1727 20 November 1737 George II
Duchess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz Father, Duke Charles Louis Frederick of Mecklenburg, Prince of Mirow
Mother, Princess Elizabeth Albertine of Saxe-Hildburghausen
19 May 1744 8 September 1761 22 September 1761 17 November 1818 George III
Duchess Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel Father, Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
Mother, Princess Augusta of Great Britain
17 May 1768 8 April 1795 29 January 1820
Husband's accession
Not crowned 7 August 1821 George IV
Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen Father, George I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
Mother, Princess Louise Eleanore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
13 August 1792 13 July 1818 26 June 1830
Husband's accession
8 September 1831 20 June 1837
Husband's death
2 December 1849 William IV
Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Father, Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Mother, Princess Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
26 August 1819 10 February 1840 Not crowned 14 December 1861 Victoria

House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, renamed House of Windsor in 1917

Picture Coat of Arms Name Parents Birth Marriage Became consort Coronation Ceased to be consort Death Spouse
Princess Alexandra of Denmark Father, Christian IX of Denmark
Mother, Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel
1 December 1844 10 March 1863 22 January 1901
Husband's accession
9 August 1902 6 May 1910
Husband's death
20 November 1925 Edward VII
Princess Mary of Teck Father, Prince Francis, Duke of Teck
Mother, Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge
26 May 1867 6 July 1893 6 May 1910
Husband's accession
22 June 1911 20 January 1936
Husband's death
24 March 1953 George V
Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon Father, Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
Mother, Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck
4 August 1900 26 April 1923 11 December 1936
Husband's accession
12 May 1937 6 February 1952
Husband's death
30 March 2002 George VI
Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark Father, Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark
Mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg
10 June 1921 20 November 1947 6 February 1952
Wife's accession
Not crowned Incumbent Elizabeth II

References

  1. "Announcement of the marriage of HRH The Prince of Wales and Mrs Camilla Parker Bowles". The Prince of Wales.gov.uk. 10 February 2005. Retrieved 2015-06-06.

External links

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