# Does the spouse of a Prime Minister have an official title? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 22, 2011, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-spouse-of-a-prime-minister-have-an-official-title/575540 "2011-03-22T00:05:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-spouse-of-a-prime-minister-have-an-official-title/575540/41 "2011-03-22T13:21:35Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > There is no such standard. Philip, for example, was given that title by Elizabeth only several years _after_ her ascension to the throne. He did not acquire that title automatically upon marriage, nor upon his wife’s becoming queen. It’s perfectly possible that a future male consort will have a different title, or even no title whatsoever (though that would be highly unlikely). Cite? Wikipedia says that George gave Philip the HRH and dukedom on his marriage to Elizabeth. I would say that any spouse of a reigning queen is going to get the title HRH Prince X automatically. Dukedoms will be optional, of course. And any spouse of a reigning king is going to be HRM Queen X automatically (or does she only get HRH Queen X? Whichever, I’m sure there’s a rule). That there’s dispute about Camilla’s eventual title only underscores how automatic a thing this is. And Liz being Australia’s head of state is not a matter of opinion. The GG is just a ceremonial stand-in. It’s a clunky old system, I know; we have it here too. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-spouse-of-a-prime-minister-have-an-official-title/575540/42 "2011-03-22T13:24:21Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > Not so much inherent as inherited: the wife generally gets the husband’s titles. I don’t think there’s any title specifically reserved for, and automatically conferred upon, a queen consort. Yes, there is: every wife of a king of the U.K., or G.B., or England or Scotland, has had the title “Queen”. She’s not just a queen consort: she is “Queen Elizabeth”, “Queen Mary”, “Queen Alexandra”, etc. ETA: And in the future there is likely to be a Queen Camilla. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-spouse-of-a-prime-minister-have-an-official-title/575540/43 "2011-03-22T14:06:52Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > Yes, there is: every wife of a king of the U.K., or G.B., or England or Scotland, has had the title “Queen”. She’s not just a queen consort: she is “Queen Elizabeth”, “Queen Mary”, “Queen Alexandra”, etc. :smack: I missed the most obvious one. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-spouse-of-a-prime-minister-have-an-official-title/575540/44 "2011-03-22T14:07:47Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > Cite? Wikipedia says that George gave Philip the HRH and dukedom on his marriage to Elizabeth. I would say that any spouse of a reigning queen is going to get the title HRH Prince X automatically. Dukedoms will be optional, of course. And any spouse of a reigning king is going to be HRM Queen X automatically (or does she only get HRH Queen X? Whichever, I’m sure there’s a rule). That there’s dispute about Camilla’s eventual title only underscores how automatic a thing this is. \*\*psychonaut \*\*was right about the “Prince” part, though - he didn’t become Prince Phillip until the Queen bestowed that title on him some years after they were married. And Queens Consort/Dowager do get “Her Majesty” rather than just HRH, yes. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-spouse-of-a-prime-minister-have-an-official-title/575540/45 "2011-03-22T14:09:42Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > Cite? Wikipedia says that George gave Philip the HRH and dukedom on his marriage to Elizabeth. I would say that any spouse of a reigning queen is going to get the title HRH Prince X automatically. If a title is acquired automatically, then by definition it doesn’t require someone to bestow it. I think you are confusing “automatically acquired” with “customarily granted”. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-spouse-of-a-prime-minister-have-an-official-title/575540/46 "2011-03-22T14:29:12Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > …None of these prince consorts had any title in common. There’s no automatic title for a prince consort of the United Kingdom (or of Great Britain, or England, or Scotland, as Prince George was). And going back further the husband, Phillip II of Spain, of Queen Mary I of England was made King(-Consort) of England. Queen Mary II’s husband, William III of England (ne William of Orange), was made fully co-sovereign with his wife and continued to reign as king-regnant after she died. The first two husbands of Mary, Queen of Scots (Francis II of France and Henry, Lord Darnley) were made kings-consort of Scotland. ---
**Author:** ![A.Gwilliam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea5d25/32.png) [@A.Gwilliam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.Gwilliam)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-spouse-of-a-prime-minister-have-an-official-title/575540/47 "2011-03-22T15:28:08Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > Cite? Wikipedia says that George gave Philip the HRH and dukedom on his marriage to Elizabeth. I would say that any spouse of a reigning queen is going to get the title HRH Prince X automatically. Dukedoms will be optional, of course. And any spouse of a reigning king is going to be HRM Queen X automatically (or does she only get HRH Queen X? Whichever, I’m sure there’s a rule). That there’s dispute about Camilla’s eventual title only underscores how automatic a thing this is. Wikipedia is correct. According to [_The London Gazette_](http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/38128/pages/5495), he was given the style of HRH by letters patent dated Nov. 19, 1947, and was made Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, and Lord Greenwich, by letters patent dated Nov. 20, 1947. There is no such style/title in the UK of “His/Her Royal Majesty”. Kings and Queens are inherently “HM”. And Camilla’s title is not in dispute. As a matter of law she will be “Queen”. Whether or not she chooses to style herself by some other title is another matter. ---
**Author:** ![A.Gwilliam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea5d25/32.png) [@A.Gwilliam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.Gwilliam)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-spouse-of-a-prime-minister-have-an-official-title/575540/48 "2011-03-22T15:45:33Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > And going back further the husband, Phillip II of Spain, of Queen Mary I of England was made King(-Consort) of England. Queen Mary II’s husband, William III of England (ne William of Orange), was made fully co-sovereign with his wife and continued to reign as king-regnant after she died. The first two husbands of Mary, Queen of Scots (Francis II of France and Henry, Lord Darnley) were made kings-consort of Scotland. William III is a special case. Both in England and in Scotland the crown was offered **jointly** to him and his wife, but with the explicit limitation that only William would exercise power. Mary II only provided the occasional bit of holiday cover. Thus, William III was not a King Consort. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-spouse-of-a-prime-minister-have-an-official-title/575540/49 "2011-03-22T21:35:54Z")
**Michael of Lucan** I can tell you that state banquets would be a hell of a lot more entertaining if DN were president. He might, however, endanger Ireland’s neutrality simply by saying something stupendously insulting and undiplomatic. I once had the pleasure of having a few drinks with him, and he has an endless supply of scandal, gossip and slightly bonkers anecdotes. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-spouse-of-a-prime-minister-have-an-official-title/575540/50 "2011-03-22T21:56:04Z")
> [@A.Gwilliam](#): > > …Thus, William III was not a King Consort. Which is why I refered to him as king-_regnant_ and not king-consort. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-spouse-of-a-prime-minister-have-an-official-title/575540/51 "2011-03-22T22:56:20Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > > [@Chronos](#): > > > > Isn’t it rather that she’s the lady who takes precedence over other ladies? That is to say, as I understand things, the “First Lady of Canada” (if one were ever to use that construction) would be Elizabeth herself. > > I wouldn’t think so. For instance, if Hilary Clinton had been elected President, would she have been referred to as the President and the First Lady? > > I’ve always understood that “First Lady” is the spouse of the President. I suspect **Chronos** is right, that “First Lady” was probably conceived of as meaning “the highest-ranking lady in the land” when it was first coined in the mid-19th century–because _of course_ a woman being elected President was an absurd notion! The most a mere female could hope to aspire to was for her _husband_ to be elected President, while she stood off to the side and gazed up adoringly at him. Now that a female POTUS is a perfectly reasonable thing to conceive of, the whole “First Lady” thing is just a ridiculous anachronism–when a woman is elected POTUS, by the [rules of ceremonial precedence](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_order_of_precedence), she _will_ be both President of the United States and First Lady of the United States, not that anyone will likely see it that way. (It was arguably also an un-republican idea to decide there is some kind of monarchy-style “order of precedence” in this country in the first place, but that’s a separate issue.) > [@psychonaut](#): > > Even if you take the view that Elizabeth, and not Quentin Bryce, is the head of state of Australia, then your claim is still wrong in the general case. “His Royal Highness Prince _x_, Duke of Edinburgh” is not a title reserved for the spouse of the head of state. It’s just a title he happens to hold. The style of a British prince, and the Dukedom of Edinburgh, are appointed at the whim of the monarch. I would say that the generic British (or Australian or Canadian or Papua New Guinean) equivalent to “First Lady” would simply be “Prince Consort”, unless the monarch is a King, in which case it would be “Queen” (“Consort” being understood but omitted in that case–not that there’s much practical difference between a “Regnant” and a “Consort” these days). ---
**Author:** ![A.Gwilliam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea5d25/32.png) [@A.Gwilliam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.Gwilliam)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-spouse-of-a-prime-minister-have-an-official-title/575540/52 "2011-03-23T00:34:19Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > I would say that the generic British (or Australian or Canadian or Papua New Guinean) equivalent to “First Lady” would simply be “Prince Consort”, unless the monarch is a King, in which case it would be “Queen” (“Consort” being understood but omitted in that case–not that there’s much practical difference between a “Regnant” and a “Consort” these days). However, the present Queen’s husband isn’t known as the/a “Prince Consort”, either formally or informally. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-spouse-of-a-prime-minister-have-an-official-title/575540/53 "2011-03-23T00:42:16Z")
So is Camilla Parker-Bowles currently styled Princess of Wales? Wikipedia refers to her as _Duchess of Cornwall_ though acknowledges she is currently P of W as well, so I was wondering why she would be addressed by the lesser title instead. Does the fact she was divorced from her first husband have anything to do with this? ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-spouse-of-a-prime-minister-have-an-official-title/575540/54 "2011-03-23T00:45:45Z")
Thanks, Colibri. So it appears that to find any countries (other than the U.S.) where the spouse of the President or Prime Minister is considered to be a significant, newsworthy person, you wouldn’t look in Europe or any of the other English-speaking countries. You would look in Latin America. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-spouse-of-a-prime-minister-have-an-official-title/575540/55 "2011-03-23T00:49:15Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > So is Camilla Parker-Bowles currently styled Princess of Wales? Wikipedia refers to her as _Duchess of Cornwall_ though acknowledges she is currently P of W as well, so I was wondering why she would be addressed by the lesser title instead. Does the fact she was divorced from her first husband have anything to do with this? Camilla’s problem is that Diana is identified as the Princess of Wales, so, although she would normally take that title, there’s a bit of deference to public opinion. It will be different when HM dies, and Kate becomes Princess of Wales, because she won’t be competing with Princess Di. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-spouse-of-a-prime-minister-have-an-official-title/575540/56 "2011-03-23T00:58:25Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > So is Camilla Parker-Bowles currently styled Princess of Wales? Wikipedia refers to her as _Duchess of Cornwall_ though acknowledges she is currently P of W as well, so I was wondering why she would be addressed by the lesser title instead. Does the fact she was divorced from her first husband have anything to do with this? It’s a public relations issue. At the time of their wedding, Charles and Camilla made it known that Camilla wouldn’t call herself the Princess of Wales, even though she had the right to. By the way, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles both have several titles that occasionally do get a workout. I’m doing this off the top of my head, so I might get these wrong, but I believe that there are formal situations in which the queen is addressed as the Duke (not Duchess) of Lancaster, the Duke of Normandy, or the Lord of Mann, and when Charles is in Scotland, he’s addressed as the Duke of Rothesay, not the Prince of Wales. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-spouse-of-a-prime-minister-have-an-official-title/575540/57 "2011-03-23T01:35:36Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > Thanks, Colibri. So it appears that to find any countries (other than the U.S.) where the spouse of the President or Prime Minister is considered to be a significant, newsworthy person, you wouldn’t look in Europe or any of the other English-speaking countries. You would look in Latin America. Except you might consider France, also. The wife of the president is often considered newsworthy, and has an informal role as “first lady”, a lot like the US: > **[List of spouses or partners of the president of France](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wife_of_the_President_of_the_French_Republic)** > > Spouses and companions of the president of France often play a protocol role at the Élysée Palace and during official visits, though they possess no official title. Brigitte Macron is the spouse of the current president, Emmanuel Macron, who took office on 14 May 2017. > Living French presidential spouses or companions as of September 24, 2025 (from oldest to youngest): > [@](#): > > The Wife of the President of the French Republic (French: l’épouse du président de la République française; sometimes la présidente or première dame de France) often plays a protocol role at the Elysée Palace and during official visits. The observation concerning spouses of heads of state, rather than heads of government might carry some weight, without being an absolute rule. In the case of constitutional monarchies, the head of state is also a hereditary monarch, which muddies the water a good bit, since THEIR spouses obviously have titles and are considered newsworthy. We need more data points for countries which are not constitutional monarchies, and also do not have the head of state and head of government office rolled together, as in the US and similar Federal systems like those found in much of Latin America. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-spouse-of-a-prime-minister-have-an-official-title/575540/58 "2011-03-23T01:47:05Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > Thanks, Colibri. So it appears that to find any countries (other than the U.S.) where the spouse of the President or Prime Minister is considered to be a significant, newsworthy person, you wouldn’t look in Europe or any of the other English-speaking countries. You would look in Latin America. Yes. Interestingly, Mireya Moscoso, the first woman to serve as president of Panama (1999-2004), appointed her sister Ruby to serve in the office of Primera Dama during her term. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-spouse-of-a-prime-minister-have-an-official-title/575540/59 "2011-03-23T02:05:33Z")
> [@A.Gwilliam](#): > > Wikipedia is correct. According to [_The London Gazette_](http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/38128/pages/5495), he was given the style of HRH by letters patent dated Nov. 19, 1947, and was made Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, and Lord Greenwich, by letters patent dated Nov. 20, 1947. However, he wasn’t made a prince of the United Kingdom [until 1957](http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/41009/pages/1209). (He was widely called “Prince Philip” before that though, because that was what he was known as until he stopped using his Greek and Danish titles.) ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-spouse-of-a-prime-minister-have-an-official-title/575540/60 "2011-03-23T02:18:03Z")
> [@Michael\_of\_Lucan](#): > > The USA-ian practice is strange. In other countries, it is unusual for a leader’s spouse to receive status (purely as spouse) in any political structure except a monarchy or dictatorship. > > In Ireland there is no title assigned to the spouse of our prime minister - the Taoiseach. Doing that would have caused problems when Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was living with a lady to whom he was not married. He was long-term separated, but not divorced from his legal wife. The relationship was public - his live-in girlfriend **traveled with him as his official partner, and acted as co-host at functions**. That sounds like _some_ kind of status. The election of a leader is _never_ the election of just one person. They all have friends, advisers, confidants of various sorts. Allowing a role for the leader’s partner seems pretty natural. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-spouse-of-a-prime-minister-have-an-official-title/575540.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-spouse-of-a-prime-minister-have-an-official-title/575540.md?page=4)