Queen consort of England

The English royal consorts were the spouses of the reigning monarchs of the Kingdom of England who were not themselves monarchs of England: spouses of some English monarchs who were themselves English monarchs are not listed, comprising 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 are women, and enjoyed titles and honours pertaining to a queen consort; some few are 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.

In 1066, the Duke of Normandy, William, killed King Harold II of England at the battle of Hastings, and overthrew the English elite. 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.

In 1135, Stephen of Blois, the son of Henry I's sister Adela, seized the English throne, his cousin Empress Matilda of Anjou's claims being ignored by the Norman barons. His wife, Matilda of Boulogne, became his Queen consort, but her elder son died, and Stephen was forced to appoint the Empress's son as his successor.

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. 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.

For the continuation of this list, go to List of British consorts.

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