Queen Mother

The term Queen Mother is a title often held by the mother of a reigning monarch. Its full meaning is clear from the two words from which it is composed: queen indicates someone who served as Queen consort (i.e. wife of a king), while mother indicates the holder of the title's relationship with the current monarch.1 The title is not held by someone unless she is simultaneously a former queen consort and mother of the current monarch—with the exception of Elena of Greece (see below).

Footnote

1 Diana, Princess of Wales suggested to Andrew Morton, a journalist with whom she secretly worked on the book Diana: Her True Story that when her son, Prince William of Wales became king, she would be known as King Mother. (Source: Andrew Morton, interviewed by Gay Byrne on the Late Late Show on RTÉ.) However no such title does or can exist. She would most likely have remained Diana, Princess of Wales, unless given a new courtesy title, perhaps her son would have simply made her a princess in her own right making her style - H.R.H The Princess Diana.

Related Topics:
Diana, Princess of Wales - Andrew Morton - Prince William of Wales - Gay Byrne - The Late Late Show - RTÉ

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