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).

Recent British Queen Mothers

The following former queen consorts became queen mothers, though not all chose to use that style.

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• Queen Alexandra (1844-1925) —widow of Edward VII and mother of George V.
• Queen Mary (1867-1953)—widow of George V and mother of kings Edward VIII and George VI. When her granddaughter Elizabeth II became monarch in 1952, Queen Mary became Dowager Queen Mother. However, on the death of her husband in 1936, she expressed a preference to continue to be referred to as 'Queen Mary'. That style was used to describe her in the Court Circular.
• Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother (1900-2002)—the widow of George VI and mother of Queen Elizabeth II.

For further discussion, see English Queen Mothers.

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