Trending: ‘consort’

The death of Prince Philip was announced on April 9, 2021, referring to him variously as consort, royal consort, prince consort, and, in the abbreviated syntax of headlines, Queen Elizabeth II consort.

Consort is a synonym of spouse and, in this case, husband; the definition of prince consort is:

: the husband of a reigning queen

Consort came to English from a French word that derived directly from the Latin word meaning "partner" or "sharer," from com- ("with, together") + sort-, sors ("lot, share"). Sort in English once had a meaning of "destiny" or "lot" (as in "lot in life"), so a consort was one who shared in another's fate.

Similarly, the synonym companion comes from the Latin parts com- ("with") + panis ("bread") and means "one who shares bread with another."

Prince Philip was the longest-serving prince consort in British history, with 69 years as the husband to the reigning queen.

Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria, was the consort for 21 years (he died at the age of 42, and Victoria survived him for forty years).

Prince Philip's official title was Duke of Edinburgh, and although dukes are addressed as "your grace" in the British nobility, a royal duke (a member of the Queen's family) is addressed as "royal highness."