List of English royal consorts
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The English royal consorts listed here were the spouses of the reigning monarchs of the Kingdom of England, excluding the joint rulers, Mary I and Philip who reigned together in the 16th century, and William III and Mary II who reigned together in the 17th century.
Most of the consorts were women, and enjoyed titles and honours pertaining to a queen consort; some few were men, whose titles were not consistent, depending upon the circumstances of their spouses' reigns. The Kingdom of England merged with the Kingdom of Scotland in 1707, to form the Kingdom of Great Britain. There have thus been no consorts of England since that date.
House of Wessex, 886–1013
Picture | Name | Parents | Birth | Marriage | Became consort | Coronation | Ceased to be consort | Death | Resting place | Spouse |
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Ealhswith of Mercia | Æthelred Mucel | – | 868 | c. 886 (Queen Consort of Wessex from 23 April 871) |
– | 26 October 899 | 5 December 902 | New Minster, Winchester, later Hyde Abbey | Alfred the Great | |
Ælfflæd | Æthelhelm (father) | – | 899 | 26 October 899 | – | Late 910s Marriage dissolved |
– | – | Edward the Elder | |
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Eadgifu of Kent | Sigehelm, Ealdorman of Kent (father) | c. 903 | 919 | – | 17 July 924 | c. 966 | – | ||
Ælfgifu of Shaftesbury | – | – | – | – | 944 | Shaftesbury Abbey | Edmund I the Magnificent | |||
Æthelflæd of Damerham | Ælfgar, Ealdorman of Essex (father) | – | 944 | – | 26 May 946 | between 962 (975) and 991 | – | |||
Ælfgifu | _ | – | 955 | – | 958 Marriage dissolved |
September 959 | Winchester Cathedral | Eadwig | ||
Ælfthryth of Devon | Ordgar, Ealdorman of Devon | – | 964/965 | 11 May 973 | 8 July 975 | 17 November 999–1001 | – | Edgar the Peaceful | ||
Ælfgifu of York | Thored, Ealdorman of York | – | – | – | not later than 1002 | – | Ethelred II the Unready | |||
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Emma of Normandy | Richard I, Duke of Normandy Gunnor |
c. 985 | 1002 | – | 25 December 1013 husband's deposition |
6 March 1052 | Old Minster, Winchester - bones now in Winchester Cathedral |
House of Denmark, 1013–1014
Picture | Name | Parents | Birth | Marriage | Became consort | Coronation | Ceased to be consort | Death | Resting place | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Sigrid the Haughty (Dubious authenticity) and/or Świętosława of Poland |
996 | 25 December 1013 | – | 3 February 1014 | Sweyn Forkbeard |
House of Wessex (restored, first time), 1014–1016
Picture | Name | Parents | Birth | Marriage | Became consort | Coronation | Ceased to be consort | Death | Resting place | Spouse |
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Emma of Normandy (again) |
Richard I, Duke of Normandy Gunnor |
c. 985 | 1002 | 3 February 1014 husband's restoration |
– | 23 April 1016 husband's death |
6 March 1052 | Old Minster, Winchester - bones now in Winchester Cathedral | Ethelred II the Unready |
Ealdgyth | – | c. 992 | 1015 | 23 April 1016 | – | 30 November 1016 | Edmund II Ironside |
House of Denmark (restored), 1016–1042
Picture | Name | Parents | Birth | Marriage | Became consort | Coronation | Ceased to be consort | Death | Resting place | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Emma of Normandy (again) |
Richard I, Duke of Normandy Gunnor |
c. 985 | July 1017 | – | 12 November 1035 Husband's death |
6 March 1052 | Old Minster, Winchester - bones now in Winchester Cathedral | Canute the Great |
House of Wessex (restored, second time), 1042–1066
Picture | Name | Parents | Birth | Marriage | Became consort | Coronation | Ceased to be consort | Death | Resting place | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Edith of Wessex | Godwin, Earl of Wessex Gytha Thorkelsdóttir |
1029 | 23 January 1045 | 4 January 1066 Husband's death |
19 December 1075 | Westminster Abbey | Edward the Confessor | ||
Ealdgyth | Ælfgar, Earl of Mercia Ælfgifu |
Unknown, fl. c. 1057 |
January 1066 | Not crowned | 14 October 1066 Husband's death |
1066 | Not known | Harold II Godwinson |
House of Normandy, 1066–1135, & 1141
In 1066, the Duke of Normandy, William, killed Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings, and overthrew the English elite, beginning the Norman Conquest of England. He established himself as king, his wife Matilda as queen consort, and beneficed his faithful vassals from the continent. His dynasty would not, however, outlive his children, becoming defunct with the death of his youngest son, Henry I, in 1135.
Picture | Name | Parents | Birth | Marriage | Became consort | Coronation | Ceased to be consort | Death | Resting place | Spouse |
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Matilda of Flanders | Baldwin V, Count of Flanders Adela of France |
c. 1031 | 1053 | 25 December 1066 Husband's accession |
11 May 1068 | 2 November 1083 | Abbey of the Holy Trinity, Caen | William the Conqueror | |
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Matilda of Scotland | Malcolm III of Scotland Margaret of Wessex |
c. 1080 | 11 November 1100 | 11 (?) November 1100 | 1 May 1118 | Westminster Abbey | Henry I | ||
Adeliza of Louvain | Godfrey I, Count of Leuven Ida of Chiny |
c. 1103 | 24 January 1121 | 30 January 1121 | 1 December 1135 Husband's death |
23 April 1151 | Affligem Abbey | |||
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Geoffrey V of Anjou | Fulk V of Anjou Ermengarde of Maine |
24 August 1113 | 1128 | 7 April 1141 Wife's accession (disputed) |
- | 1148 Wife's deposition |
7 September 1151 | Le Mans Cathedral | Matilda |
House of Blois, 1135–1154
In 1135, Stephen of Blois, the son of Henry I's sister Adela, seized the English throne, his cousin Empress Matilda's claims being ignored by the Norman barons. His wife, Matilda of Boulogne, became his Queen consort, but their son Eustace predeceased Stephen, and he was forced to appoint the Empress's son Henry as his successor.
Picture | Name | Parents | Birth | Marriage | Became consort | Coronation | Ceased to be consort | Death | Resting place | Spouse |
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Matilda of Boulogne | Eustace III, Count of Boulogne Mary of Scotland |
c. 1105 | 1125 | 22 December 1135 Husband's accession |
22 March 1136 | 3 May 1152 | Faversham Abbey (tomb since lost) | Stephen |
House of Plantagenet, 1154–1485
Picture | Name | Arms | Parents | Birth | Marriage | Became consort | Coronation | Ceased to be consort | Death | Resting place | Spouse |
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Eleanor of Aquitaine | ![]() |
William X, Duke of Aquitaine Aenor de Châtellerault |
c. 1122 | 18 May 1152 | 19 December 1154 Husband's accession |
19 December 1154 | 6 July 1189 Husband's death |
1 April 1204 | Fontevraud Abbey | Henry II |
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Margaret of France | Louis VII of France Constance of Castile |
1158 | 1162 | 1170 Husband's accession |
27 August 1172 | 11 June 1183 Husband's death |
1197 | Cathedral of Tyre | Henry the Young King | |
Berengaria of Navarre | ![]() |
Sancho VI of Navarre Sancha of Castile |
Between 1165 and 1170 | 12 May 1191 | 6 April 1199 Husband's death |
23 December 1230 | L'Épau Abbey | Richard I | |||
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Isabella of Angoulême | ![]() |
Aymer of Angoulême Alice of Courtenay |
c. 1187 | 24 August 1200 | 8 October 1200 | 18 or 19 October 1216 Husband's death |
31 May 1246 | Fontevraud Abbey | John | |
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Eleanor of Provence | ![]() |
Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Provence Beatrice of Savoy |
c. 1223 | 14 January 1236 | 20 January 1236 | 16 November 1272 Husband's death |
24 June 1291 | Amesbury Abbey | Henry III | |
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Eleanor of Castile | ![]() |
Ferdinand III of Castile Joan, Countess of Ponthieu |
1241 | 1 November 1254 | 20 November 1272 Husband's accession |
19 August 1274 | 28 November 1290 | Westminster Abbey | Edward I | |
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Margaret of France | ![]() |
Philip III of France Marie of Brabant |
1282 | 8 September 1299 | Uncrowned | 7 July 1307 Husband's death |
14 February 1317 | Christ Church Greyfriars | ||
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Isabella of France | ![]() |
Philip IV of France Joan I of Navarre |
1285 | 20 May 1303 (by proxy) 24 January 1308 |
25 February 1308 | 20 January 1327 Husband's deposition |
22 August 1358 | Christ Church Greyfriars | Edward II | |
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Philippa of Hainault | ![]() |
William I, Count of Hainaut Joan of Valois |
24 June 1314 | 24 January 1328 | 18 February 1330 | 15 August 1369 | Westminster Abbey | Edward III | ||
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Anne of Bohemia | ![]() |
Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor Elizabeth of Pomerania |
11 May 1366 | 20 January 1382 | 22 January 1382 | 7 June 1394 | Richard II | |||
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Isabella of Valois | ![]() |
Charles VI of France Isabeau of Bavaria |
9 November 1387 | 12 March 1396 (by proxy) 31 October 1396 |
8 January 1397 | 30 September 1399 Husband's deposition |
13 September 1409 | Abbey of St Laumer - later the Convent of the Celestines in Paris |
House of Lancaster, 1399–1461, 1470–1471
Picture | Name | Arms | Parents | Birth | Marriage | Became consort | Coronation | Ceased to be consort | Death | Resting place | Spouse |
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Joan of Navarre | ![]() |
Charles II of Navarre Joan of Valois |
c. 1370 | 7 February 1403 | 26 February 1403 | 20 March 1413 Husband's death |
10 June 1437 | Canterbury Cathedral | Henry IV | |
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Catherine of Valois | ![]() |
Charles VI of France Isabeau of Bavaria |
27 October 1401 | 2 June 1420 | 23 February 1421 | 31 August 1422 Husband's death |
3 January 1437 | Westminster Abbey | Henry V | |
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Margaret of Anjou | ![]() |
René of Anjou Isabella, Duchess of Lorraine |
23 March 1430 | 24 May 1444 (by proxy) 22 April 1445 |
30 May 1445 | 11 April 1471 Husband's deposition[1] |
25 August 1482 | Angers Cathedral | Henry VI |
House of York, 1461–1470, 1471–1485
Picture | Name | Arms | Parents | Birth | Marriage | Became consort | Coronation | Ceased to be consort | Death | Resting place | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Elizabeth Woodville | ![]() |
Richard Woodville, 1st Earl Rivers Jacquetta of Luxembourg |
c. 1437 | 1 May 1464[2] | 26 May 1465 | 9 April 1483 Husband's death |
8 June 1492 | St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle | Edward IV | ||
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Anne Neville | ![]() |
Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick Anne Beauchamp, 16th Countess of Warwick |
11 June 1456 | 12 July 1472 | 26 June 1483 Husband's accession |
6 July 1483 | 16 March 1485 | Westminster Abbey | Richard III |
House of Tudor, 1485–1603
Picture | Name | Arms | Parents | Birth | Marriage | Became consort | Coronation | Ceased to be consort | Death | Resting place | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Elizabeth of York | ![]() |
Edward IV of England Elizabeth Woodville |
11 February 1466 | 25 December 1483 (by proxy) 18 January 1486 |
25 November 1487 | 11 February 1503 | Henry VII Chapel, Westminster Abbey | Henry VII | ||
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Catherine of Aragon | ![]() |
Ferdinand II of Aragon Isabella I of Castile |
16 December 1485 | 11 June 1509 | 24 June 1509 | 23 May 1533 Marriage annulled[3] or 7 January 1536 Death[4] |
7 January 1536 | Peterborough Cathedral | Henry VIII | |
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Anne Boleyn | ![]() |
Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire Lady Elizabeth Howard |
Between 1501 and 1507 |
|
1 June 1533 | 17 May 1536 Marriage annulled |
19 May 1536 Executed | Church of St Peter ad Vincula | ||
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Jane Seymour | ![]() |
Sir John Seymour Margery Wentworth |
c.1509 | 20 May 1536 | Uncrowned; Proclaimed Queen 4 June 1536 |
24 October 1537 | St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle | |||
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Anne of Cleves | ![]() |
John III, Duke of Cleves Maria of Jülich-Berg |
28 June or 22 September 1515 | 4 October 1539 (by proxy) 6 January 1540 |
Uncrowned | 12 July 1540 Marriage annulled |
16 July 1557 | Westminster Abbey | ||
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Catherine Howard | ![]() |
Lord Edmund Howard Joyce Culpeper |
c.1524 | 28 July 1540 | Uncrowned | 13 February 1542 Executed [5] |
Church of St Peter ad Vincula | |||
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Catherine Parr | ![]() |
Sir Thomas Parr Maud Green |
August 1512 | 12 July 1543 | Uncrowned | 28 January 1547 Husband's death |
7 September 1548 | St. Mary's Chapel, Sudeley Castle |
The husband of Queen Mary I was Philip II of Spain, who became king of England in right of his wife. Therefore he is not regarded as a consort.
Disputed consort
Since Lady Jane Grey was briefly queen de facto, her husband, Guildford Dudley, is included here. They were both executed for treason.
Picture | Name | Arms | Parents | Birth | Marriage | Became consort | Coronation | Ceased to be consort | Death | Resting place | Spouse |
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Lord Guildford Dudley | ![]() |
John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland Jane Guildford |
c. 1535 | 25 May 1553 | 10 July 1553 Wife's accession (disputed) |
Uncrowned | 19 July 1553 Wife's deposition |
12 February 1554 | Church of St Peter ad Vincula | Jane |
House of Stuart, 1603–1707
With the death of Elizabeth I, the crown of England passed to her cousin and nearest heir, James VI of Scotland, who became James I of England as well. His dynasty would rule – interrupted by the Interregnum between 1649 and 1660 – until 1714. The Kingdom of England, however, was merged with the Kingdom of Scotland in 1707, to form a new Kingdom, the Kingdom of Great Britain, after which there ceased to be monarchs and consorts of England.
Picture | Name | Arms | Parents | Birth | Marriage | Became consort | Coronation | Ceased to be consort | Death | Resting place | Spouse |
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Anne of Denmark | ![]() |
Frederick II of Denmark Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow |
12 December 1574 | 20 August 1589 (by proxy) 23 November 1589 |
24 March 1603 Husband's accession |
25 July 1603 | 4 March 1619 | Henry VII Chapel, Westminster Abbey | James I | |
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Henrietta Maria of France | ![]() |
Henry IV of France Marie de' Medici |
25 November 1609 | 11 May 1625 (by proxy) 13 June 1625 |
Uncrowned | 30 January 1649 Husband's death |
10 September 1669 | Basilica of St Denis | Charles I | |
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Catherine of Braganza | ![]() |
John IV of Portugal Luisa de Guzmán |
25 November 1638 | 23 April 1662 (by proxy) 21 May 1662 |
Uncrowned | 6 February 1685 Husband's death |
30 November 1705 | Monastery of São Vicente de Fora | Charles II | |
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Mary of Modena | ![]() |
Alfonso IV d'Este, Duke of Modena Laura Martinozzi |
5 October 1658 | 30 September 1673 (by proxy) | 6 February 1685 Husband's accession |
23 April 1685 | 11 December 1688 Husband's deposition |
7 May 1718 | Convent of the Visitations, Chaillot | James II |
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Prince George of Denmark | ![]() |
Frederick III of Denmark Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg |
2 April 1653 | 28 July 1683 | 8 March 1702 Wife's accession |
Uncrowned | 1 May 1707 Act of Union 1707; continued as British royal consort |
28 October 1708 | Westminster Abbey | Anne |
Continuation of the list (British consorts)
This list continues at List of British royal consorts
See also
- List of English monarchs
- List of English royal mistresses
- List of royal consorts of Wessex
- List of Scottish royal consorts
- List of Irish royal consorts
- List of Aquitanian royal consorts
- Duchess of Normandy
- List of Angevin consorts
Notes
- ^ Henry VI was deposed 4 March 1461, restored 3 October 1470, and deposed again 11 April 1471. Throughout this time Margaret of Anjou was considered by the Lancastrians to be de jure Queen of England
- ^ Edward IV's marriage to Elizabeth Woodville was not made public for several months.
- ^ As recognized by Church of England and the Anglican Communion.
- ^ As recognized by Spain and the Roman Catholic Church.
- ^ She was no longer able to use the title in a public capacity after she was forbidden from doing so in November 23, 1541, although she still remained married to the king until her execution.