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.
Since the foundation of the Kingdom of Great Britain, it and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland has had nine 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 two British male consorts to have existed since 1707, neither 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.
Since 1707, only George I of Great Britain and Edward VIII of the United Kingdom 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]
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| Picture | Arms | Name | Parents | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prince George of Denmark | Father, Frederick III of Denmark Mother, 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 | |||
| Picture | Arms | Name | Parents | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Princess Alexandra of Denmark | Father, Christian IX of Denmark Mother, 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, 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 | ||
| The Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon | Father, Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne Mother, Cecilia Bowes-Lyon, Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne |
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 | |||
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