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).

Other Queen Mothers

The title 'Queen Mother' has been widely used in monarchies. Among other Queen Mothers were:

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• Blanche of Castile - Queen Mother of France (1226–1252)
• Catherine of Medici - Queen Mother of France (1559–1589)
• Juliana of the Netherlands - Queen Mother of The Netherlands (1980–2004)
• Maria of Medici - Queen Mother of France (1610–1642)
• Margaret of Savoy, Queen Mother of Italy (1900–1926)
• Elena of Greece - wife, from 1921–1928, of Carol II of Romania, and mother of King Michael of Romania. Michael first ruled from 1927–1930, before his father did, and his mother was given the title of Queen Mother (of Romania) without having ever been a Queen Consort (having divorced Carol in 1928, before he became king in 1930.)
• Ingrid of Sweden - Queen Mother of Denmark (1972–2000)