Abstract
The royal consorts of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth in the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries are remarkable for their longevity. From 1901 to 2021, there were just four consorts to reigning monarchs: Princess Alexandra of Denmark (1844–1925), consort to Edward VII from 1901 to 1910; Princess Mary of Teck (1867–1953), consort to George V from 1910 to 1936; Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1901–2002), consort to George VI from 1936 to 1952; and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1921–2021), consort to Elizabeth II from 1952 to 2021. The long lives and tenures of these consorts as spouses and parents of reigning monarchs expanded their duties and public image over multiple reigns, especially as the three queens consort outlived their husbands by quite some time. As the chapters in this section show, all four of these consorts served as important symbols of continuity during periods of political, cultural, and social change.
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