Prince Philip passed away in April 2021. In a statement commemorating her Platinum Jubilee, the Queen stated that when the Prince of Wales becomes King, she wants the Duchess of Cornwall to be known as Queen Consort.
But why wasn’t the Duke of Edinburgh, the monarch’s late husband, granted the title of King Consort when his wife became Queen in 1952?
Because most monarchs do not have explicit guidelines on how a female monarch’s husband should be styled, the title King Consort is rarely utilized. As a result, only a monarch who inherits the throne and is capable of reigning is given the title of King, which includes Prince Charles, the Duke of Cambridge, and Prince George.
Prime Minister Lord Melbourne refused Queen Victoria’s request for her husband, Albert, to be given the title of King Consort. In 1857, Albert was given the title of Prince Consort, which he held for 17 years.
Prince Philip, unlike Prince Albert, turned down the offer of the title of Prince Consort. Instead, in 1957, the Duke was granted the style and titular status of a Prince of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland by Letters Patent.
All female consorts, on the other hand, have the right to be termed Queen Consort because wives normally share their husband’s social rank and prestige. Unless she is acting as regent, she does not technically share the monarch’s political and military powers.
When George VI became King in 1936, his mother became Queen Elizabeth. To avoid misunderstanding, she became known as the Queen Mother after her husband died in 1952 and her daughter Princess Elizabeth ascended the throne.
Clarence House previously said that when Charles ascends the throne, the Duchess of Cornwall will be named Princess Consort. Clarence House and Buckingham Palace, however, have erased all references to this from their webpages by 2018.
The Queen stated in a message released ahead of her accession day: “I’ll be eternally thankful for your continued support and affection, and I’m humbled by it. And I know you will give my son Charles and his wife Camilla the same support you have given me when the time comes; and it is my honest intention that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own devoted duty.”
When Prince William becomes King, it is believed that the Duchess of Cambridge would be referred to as Queen Consort.
