Queen Elizabeth’s mother was known as the Queen Mother after her husband died. Let’s say that Queen Elizabeth dies before Prince Phillip. What would Prince Phillip be known as? King Father? Prince Father?
The title was created for her to avoid confusion as she had the same name as her daughter- Elizabeth. Previous widows continued to be called Queen Mary, Queen Alexandra etc as there was no confusion. Two Queen Elizabeths would have been confusing so she became Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
Philip will continue to be called Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh should Elizabeth II pre-decease him.
I don’t think the situation has come up before of the widower of a queen regnant, except for:
(1) The anomalous case of King Phillip II of Spain, who was King of England and Ireland during his marriage to Queen Mary I of England and Ireland. After she died in 1558, I think he gave up his English and Irish titles – and for much of that time England and Spain were at war.
(2) The other anomalous case of King William III of England, who was joint monarch with Queen Mary II of England until her death in 1694. After then, he was sole monarch of England and Scotland.
In each of those cases, the widower was a king in his own right, so he didn’t need a title as widower.
I agree with this. He doesn’t get a new title, there is no need for one.
It happens amongst the widows of aristocracy, where the widow become the Dowager Duchess of Debauchland, rather than just Duchess of, because the new Duke usually has a wife who takes that title from her.
It’s not an issue with Prince Philip, who doesn’t have any sort of consort title. His titles were awarded to him in his own right by George VI.
A title worth waiting a lifetime for, truly.