List of Australian monarchs

This is a list of the monarchs of Australia; that is, those monarchs who have reigned over the Commonwealth of Australia since the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 came into force in 1901. Originally, these monarchs reigned in their right as British sovereigns. Australia's status as an independent country developed gradually particularly with the Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1942 which (retroactively) came into force on 3 September 1939. The sovereign's Australian role is now completely separate from the same person's role as monarch of the other Commonwealth realms.

Contents

Monarchs of Australia

House of Hanover

Victoria became the first monarch to reign over the Commonwealth of Australia since the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 came into force in 1901

Name Portrait Birth Marriages Death
Victoria
20 June
1837–1901		 24 May 1819
Kensington Palace
daughter of Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent and Strathearn and Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld		 Albert, Prince Consort
St James's Palace
10 February 1840
9 children		 22 January 1901
Osbourne House
aged 81

House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

Although he was the son and heir of Victoria, Edward VII inherited his father's names and is therefore counted as inaugurating a new royal house.

Name Portrait Birth Marriages Death
Edward VII
22 January
1901–1910[1]		 9 November 1841
Buckingham Palace
son of Victoria and Albert, Prince Consort[2]		 Alexandra of Denmark
Windsor
10 March 1863
6 children[2]		 6 May 1910
Buckingham Palace
aged 68[2]

House of Windsor

The house name Windsor was adopted in 1917, during the First World War. It was changed from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha because of wartime anti-German sentiment. The heirs of Elizabeth II, by royal proclamation, will remain part of the House of Windsor (even though their legal surname is Mountbatten-Windsor). Elizabeth II is the first to be styled Queen of Australia.

Name Portrait Birth Marriages Death
George V
6 May
1910–1936[3]		 3 June 1865
Marlborough House
son of Edward VII and Alexandra of Denmark[4]		 Mary of Teck
6 July 1893
St James's Palace
6 children[5]		 20 January 1936
Sandringham House
aged 70[4]
Edward VIII
20 January –
11 December 1936[6]		 23 June 1894
Richmond
son of George V and Mary of Teck[6]		 Wallis, The Duchess of Windsor
France
3 June 1937
no children[6]		 28 May 1972
Paris
aged 77[7]
George VI
11 December
1936–6 February
1952[8]		 14 December 1895
Sandringham House
son of George V and Mary of Teck[8]		 Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Westminster Abbey
26 April 1923
2 children[9]		 6 February 1952
Sandringham House
aged 56[10]
Elizabeth II
6 February
1952–present[11]		 21 April 1926
Mayfair
daughter of George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother[12]		 Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Westminster Abbey
20 November 1947
4 children[13]

List of Royal Consorts of Australia

A royal consort is the spouse of a ruling king or queen. Consorts of Australian Monarchs have no constitutional status or power, but are members of the Australian Royal Family, and may have significant influence over their husband or wife.

In the United Kingdom, all female consorts have had the right to and have held the title of Queen Consort; as Australia does not have laws laying out the styles of any Royal Family members besides the monarch, they are accorded the same title as they hold in the UK as a courtesy title. Prince Philip, husband of Elizabeth II, does not have the title of Prince Consort. Victoria (a widow) and Edward VIII (a bachelor) reigned without a consort.

As Wallis Warfield Simpson married the Duke of Windsor after his abdication, she was never Queen Consort of Australia. Though Camilla Parker-Bowles will technically become Queen Consort, Clarence House has stated that she will be styled as Princess Consort due to public opinion regarding her relationship with the Prince of Wales.

Royal Consorts from 1901 to present:
1 Alexandra of Denmark
(22 January 1901 – 6 May 1910)		 Wife of Edward VII
10 March 1863 – 6 May 1910
2 Mary of Teck
(6 May 1910 – 20 January 1936)		 Wife of George V
6 July 1893 – 20 January 1936
3 Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
(11 December 1936 – 6 February 1952)		 Wife of George VI
26 April 1923 – 6 February 1952
4 Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
(6 February 1952 – Present)		 Husband of Elizabeth II
20 November 1947 – Present

See also

References

  1. ^ NNDB Profile of Edward VII. URL last accessed on 21 January 2007.
  2. ^ a b c Royal Genealogies. URL last accessed on 21 January 2007.
  3. ^ King George V. URL last accessed 21 January 2006.
  4. ^ a b House of Windsor – George V. URL last accessed 21 January 2006.
  5. ^ Mary of Teck. URL last accessed 21 January 2006.
  6. ^ a b c House of Windsor – Edward VIII. URL last accessed 21 January 2006.
  7. ^ Royal Government's The House of Windsor – Edward VIII. URL last accessed 21 January 2006.
  8. ^ a b House of Windsor – George VI. URL last accessed 21 January 2006.
  9. ^ Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon: The Indomitable Queen Mum. URL last accessed 21 January 2006.
  10. ^ King George VI dies in his sleep. URL last accessed 21 January 2006.
  11. ^ BBC Historic Figures – Elizabeth II. URL last accessed 21 January 2006.
  12. ^ House of Windsor – Elizabeth II. URL last accessed 21 January 2006.
  13. ^ BBC Historic Encyclopaedia Britannica Guide to Women's History – Elizabeth II. URL last accessed 21 January 2006.