Why Is the Queen’s Husband Not King and King’s Wife a Queen?

Princess Elizabeth gained the throne and became Queen Elizabeth while her husband Prince Philip was not a king. He remained a prince. So why wasn’t Prince Philip king? Have you ever asked ‘why is the queen’s husband, not king?’

Prince Philip got titles including Baron, Duke, Earl, Royal Knight, and other designations. But the highest and most obvious title ‘king’ was missing. King appears more powerful than other titles. You might have watched The Crown or learned by reading about British monarchs that women who marry kings are referred to as queens. For example, Queen Elizabeth II’s mother was called Queen Elizabeth after her husband gained the throne. Technically, the original phrase is queen consort, where consort refers to women who earned the title through marriage. Then, why was Prince Philip not King Philip? Find out everything about British monarchs and why Prince Philip wasn’t the king who passed away at the age of 99.

Why is the Queen’s Husband Not the king?

Why Doesn’t Prince Philip Become King?

Prince Philip was married to Queen Elizabeth II for over 70 years. Despite the Duke of Edinburgh marrying the queen, he had been known as Prince and not a king.

Why is the wife of a king called Queen? In British monarchs, men cannot use the title “king” because this is only given to men who inherit the throne directly. Males married to the British queens are known as prince consorts, not king consorts while a woman who marries the king will be known as the queen consort. The parliamentary succession law only relates the succession to bloodline but not gender. 

Prince Philip married Elizabeth II in 1947 and was also honored with three other titles:

• Duke of Edinburgh
• Earl of Merioneth
• Baron Greenwich

According to Town & Country, Queen Elizabeth made him an official Prince of the United Kingdom and announced it in the new letters patent.

When a man in the Royal Bloodline Marries

His wife can take the female form of the king’s title. For example, when Prince William married Kate Middleton. He became Duke of Cambridge so Kate also became the Duchess of Cambridge. Queen Elizabeth held the queen’s title until George VI died and Elizabeth II became Queen and her mother became “Queen Mother.”

When a Woman in the Royal Bloodline Marries

Her spouse is not eligible to take the male form of her wife’s title. Therefore, Princess Eugenie’s husband Jack Brooksbank remained Mr. Jack Brooksbank and is not a prince after getting married in 2018.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s Marriage

Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark got married on November 20, 1947. In 2017, they celebrated their platinum wedding anniversary. 

The couple met 13 years ago during the wedding of Princess Marina of Denmark and Greece and Prince George, Duke of Kent in 1934. They again met in July 1939, when she said she was in love with Philip. They started exchanging letters and secretly got engaged in 1946. In July of the same year, her father King George VI made an official announcement regarding their engagement. They had been married for 73 years before Edinburg died on April 9, 2021.

FAQs

Q1: Why is the Queen’s husband not called King?

In British royal tradition, the title “king” is only granted to men who inherit the throne directly through bloodline succession. A man who marries a reigning queen receives the title of prince consort, not king.

Q2: Why was Prince Philip not King Philip?

Prince Philip could not be called King because he married into the royal family rather than inheriting the throne. British parliamentary succession law ties the title of king strictly to direct bloodline inheritance, not marriage.

Q3: What title does a man receive when he marries a British queen?

A man who marries a reigning British queen is given the title of prince consort, not king consort. Prince Philip, for example, held titles like Duke of Edinburgh and Prince of the United Kingdom, but never king.

Q4: Why is a king’s wife called Queen but a queen’s husband not King?

A woman who marries a king is called queen consort, as British royal tradition allows wives to take the female form of their husband’s title. However, husbands of reigning queens cannot take the male equivalent, making the rule gender-specific.

Q5: How long were Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip married?

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were married on November 20, 1947, and remained together for 73 years. Prince Philip passed away on April 9, 2021, at the age of 99.

Q6: When did Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip get engaged?

The couple secretly got engaged in 1946, after years of exchanging letters following their early meetings at royal events. Her father, King George VI, made the official public announcement of their engagement in July 1946.

The British royal tradition has long maintained that the title of “king” is reserved only for those who inherit the throne by birthright, which is why Prince Philip remained a prince throughout his life. Despite never holding the title of king, Prince Philip’s decades of dedicated service and unwavering support beside Queen Elizabeth II made him one of the most respected figures in the history of the British monarchy.