British Queen Consorts through the Centuries

Since William the Conqueror’s coronation on December 25th, 1066, there have been 36 male monarchs. Their histories have, in large part, been well-chronicled. Though some consorts of these kings, notably, Eleanor of Aquitaine (wife of Henry II) and Anne Boleyn (second wife of Henry VIII) are well-known, many others have been overlooked or relegated to historical footnotes.

This seven-week series will examine some of the lesser-known Queen consorts and their role in the royal courts, with a focus on one Queen Consort from each dynastic ruling house from the Anglo-Saxon period up through the Windsors. Consorts include Emma of Normandy, the wife of two kings (and mother of two more); Henrietta Maria, who in effect acted as a defacto arms dealer for her husband, Charles I during the English Civil Wars; Caroline of Ansbach, who spearheaded a smallpox vaccination campaign in England; and the last Queen Consort of the 20th century, the wife of George VI, Elizabeth Bowes Lyon, whom Adolph Hitler reportedly dubbed, “the most dangerous woman in Europe.”

In addition to the six Queen consorts covered in this series, we will also examine the life and influence of one additional woman, Margaret Beaufort, who, while not a Queen Consort, nonetheless had a huge impact on the foundation of the Tudor dynasty as the mother of Henry VII.

Course Agenda

Week One - Anglo-Saxons—Emma of Normandy

Week Two - Plantagenets—Margaret of Anjou

Week Three - Tudors—Margaret Beaufort

Week Four - Tudors—Catherine Parr

Week Five - Stuarts—Henrietta Maria

Week Six - Georgians—Caroline of Ansbach

Week Seven - Windsors—Elizabeth Bowes Lyon