queen consort

plural queens consort · plural queen consorts · plural queens consorts · alternative queen-consort

1. The wife of a reigning monarch.

   Coordinate term: king consort

   5 more examples

   The Queens consorts of England are by law the perpetual patroneſſes; this hoſpital being conſidered as part of their dower.[…]Nothing now remains but to give a ſhort account of the Queens Consorts of England, who have been Patroneſſes of the two Hoſpitals of St. Katharine, from their foundation to the preſent time.

   1782, “The present State of this Hospital, concluding with a List of the Royal Patronesses from its Foundation to the present Time”, in Bibliotheca Topographica Britannica. № V. […], London: […] J[ohn] Nichols, pages 42–43

   This implies they say, that the “queens” are spoken of not as queens regnant, but as queens consorts.[…]We allow that queens are here spoken of as queens consorts, and not as queens regnant. But though a queen consort possesses no official power, her husband does. And it is therefore an obvious fallacy to argue, that because queens consorts, who have no official power, can nurse the Church only in a private capacity, that therefore the kings, their husbands, who are possessed of official power, should nurse the Church only in a private capacity.

   1839, William White, “Lecture II”, in Lectures on the Lawfulness and Advantages of National Establishments of Religion, Haddington: […] Neill and Sons; […], pages 44–45

   The other cases which bear upon, or have any analogy to, the present, are those of Queens Consorts of this kingdom;[…]As far, then, as we can judge by precedent of these matters (and I shall endeavour presently to show that there is no other mode of judging of them), it would appear that 50,000l. a-year is the sum which has ordinarily been allotted to princes in the situation of Prince Albert and to the Queens Consorts of this country. With respect to the sums which have been granted either to the husband of the Queen, or to Queens Consorts, in all cases of their surviving the Sovereign, the sum allowed has always been greater than that which I now propose.

   1840 January 24, “The Prince Albert’s Provision”, in John Henry Barrow, editor, Mirror of Parliament. […], volume I, London: […] Longman, Orme, Brown, Green, & Longmans, […], page 341, columns 1–2

   The founder of this college was Robert de Eglesfeld, chaplain and confessor to Philippa, queen consort of Edward III., who in compliment to his royal mistress designated it by the name of Queen’s college, or the hall of the Queen’s scholars. Philippa not only encouraged him in his work, but became its patroness after the founder’s death, which happened in 1349; an example which has since been followed most liberally by the queens consorts of many of our kings, in taking this college into their special favour.

   1847, “Queen’s College”, in A Hand-book for Visitors to Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire: John Henry Parker, pages 134–135

   In its new state Queen Victoria wore the stone in a brooch, in a tiara, and, from 1858, in a circlet set for her by Garrard, the crown jewellers. It has never been worn by a male sovereign, for on her death Victoria bequeathed it to her daughter-in-law, Alexandra, and after her to successive queens consorts.

   2000, Katherine Prior, John Adamson, Maharajas’ Jewels, Assouline, →ISBN, page 74