There are a few different terms that can be used to refer to a former queen. The specific title depends on the circumstances under which she ceased to be queen. Let’s explore some of the possibilities and the historical context behind each one.
Queen Dowager
One of the most common titles for a former queen is Queen Dowager. When a Queen’s husband dies and she no longer reigns as the wife of the monarch, she typically takes on the title of Queen Dowager.
For example, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother was known as Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother or Queen Elizabeth the Queen Dowager after the death of her husband King George VI in 1952. She no longer reigned as queen since her daughter Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne, but retained the title Queen to demonstrate her continuing status as a former consort.
Other examples of Queen Dowagers include Mary of Teck, who was Queen Dowager after the death of King George V in 1936, and Queen Alexandra after the death of King Edward VII in 1910. The title indicates their continuing status as mother of the monarch, even if they no longer hold the powers of Queen Consort.
Queen Mother
Another possibility is for a former queen to take on the title Queen Mother. This is largely an honorary title and is sometimes used interchangeably with Queen Dowager. However, Queen Mother indicates a close ongoing relationship as mother of the current reigning monarch.
The most prominent modern example is Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, who was known as Queen Mother following the death of her husband King George VI and her daughter Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne in 1952. She played an active role in public life and remained an important figure until her death 50 years later in 2002 at the age of 101.
Other examples include Mary of Teck who was known as Queen Mother when her son King George VI came to the throne in 1936. Queen Elizabeth of York was also known as Queen Mother during the reign of her son King Henry VIII, although she died while he was still a child.
Queen Regent
If a queen acted as regent for an underage monarch until they reached adulthood, they may continue to be known as Queen Regent after they step down. A queen regent holds the powers of the monarch during the child’s minority.
For example, Queen Blanche of Castile acted as Queen Regent from 1226 to 1236 during the reign of her son Louis IX. She continued to be highly influential in France even after Louis reached adulthood and ruled in his own right until her death in 1252.
Other examples include Catherine de’ Medici of France who acted as Queen Regent for her son Charles IX from 1560 to 1563. She was known as Queen Mother after he reached adulthood, but continued to wield strong political power in France.
Queen Grandmother
In some cases, a former queen may be known as Queen Grandmother if her child ascends to the throne and her grandchild later becomes monarch while she is still living.
For example,
| Queen Elizabeth | King George VI | Queen Elizabeth II |
| Queen Grandmother | Former King | Reigning Queen |
In this case, Queen Elizabeth took on the title Queen Grandmother when her granddaughter Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne in 1952. She had been Queen Mother to the previous monarch King George VI.
Other examples include Marie Josephe of Saxony who was Queen Mother during the reign of her son Ferdinand VII of Spain. After his death, she became Queen Grandmother during the reign of her grandson Isabella II of Spain in the 1830s and 1840s.
Queen Consort Emeritus
In cases where a queen ends her tenure due to her husband’s abdication or other change in status not related to death, she may take on the title Queen Consort Emeritus. Emeritus indicates she retains the title out of honor rather than any continuing official duties.
For example, when Edward VIII abdicated as King in 1936 to marry Wallis Simpson, his wife was known as the Duchess of Windsor. However, technically she could have been titled Queen Consort Emeritus to demonstrate she had formerly held the position.
Other examples could occur if a king were deposed and sent into exile. His wife might retain the Queen Consort Emeritus title to indicate her continuing status even if she no longer lives in the realm or performs royal duties.
Dowager Queen
In some historical cases, former queens have been referred to simply as Dowager Queen or Dowager. This usually indicated they were widowed, but it was not always consistently used as a specific title.
For example, Catherine Parr was sometimes referred to as Dowager Queen after the death of her husband Henry VIII in 1547. The titles of Queen Mother, Queen Dowager and Queen Regent were not in consistent usage at that time.
Other former queens referred to simply as Dowager include Margaret of Anjou after her husband Henry VI was deposed in 1461 during the Wars of the Roses. She was widowed when he died in 1471.
Eleanor of Aquitaine was also known simply as the Dowager after the death of her husband Henry II in 1189. She played an active role in the rule of her sons Richard I and John even after being widowed.
Queen in Exile
If a queen’s husband is deposed and sent into exile, she may unofficially be known as Queen in Exile. This demonstrated that she and her husband did not abdicate voluntarily and still saw themselves as the legitimate ruling monarchs despite exile.
For example, Marie Antoinette can be considered Queen in Exile from 1791 when her husband Louis XVI was arrested after the French Revolution. He was executed in 1793 and their son died in 1795, but she continued to be addressed by loyalists as Queen even while imprisoned.
Alexandra Feodorovna was also informally known as Queen in Exile after the 1917 Russian Revolution forced her husband Tsar Nicholas II to abdicate. After being exiled to Siberia and executed by the Bolsheviks, loyalists outside Russia still saw her as the legitimate Queen.
Queen Pretender
In some cases, a former queen whose husband had been deposed may claim a title such as Queen Pretender if she asserted her right to the throne on behalf of her deposed husband or minor children.
For example, Marguerite of Anjou styled herself Queen Pretender in exile in France after her husband Henry VI was deposed by Edward IV in 1461 during the Wars of the Roses. She led several unsuccessful attempts to restore her husband and son to the English throne.
During Russia’s Civil War after the 1917 revolution, Xenia Alexandrovna, sister of the deposed Tsar Nicholas II, sometimes styled herself Queen Pretender. She believed her brother’s abdication had been illegal and made some largely symbolic claims to assert the rights of his children.
Conclusion
In summary, former queens have held a variety of titles throughout history depending on the specific circumstances under which they ceased to be the ruling queen. The most common in British tradition are Queen Mother and Queen Dowager, demonstrating an ongoing status as mother or widow of the monarch. Other titles like Queen Regent, Queen Grandmother, or Queen in Exile indicate unusual situations such as acting as regent or going into exile.
The variety of titles demonstrates the complexity of rules around cessation of active queenship. While no longer wielding the full powers of a reigning queen, many former queens continued to hold great symbolic and ceremonial influence. Their titles helped shape ongoing public perception of their role and close relationship to the royal house.