Your View Of An Ideal Consort


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AristoCat

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What would be the best traits for an ideal consort, in your view? Pretty? Photogenic? Is there any particular trait or background that you would find ideal?
 
The perfect consort in my book would be the one that brings out the absolute best in their spouse and wants them to be exactly who they are without wanting to change anything about them or change anything to appease someone else.

The rest as far as looks and fashion and suitability is just icing on the cake.
 
The perfect consort in my book would be the one that brings out the absolute best in their spouse and wants them to be exactly who they are without wanting to change anything about them or change anything to appease someone else.

The rest as far as looks and fashion and suitability is just icing on the cake.
I agree Osipi and IMHO their looks are not as important. As long as she or he is neatly groomed and attired for the event, the focus should be on supporting their spouse with their role. As most monarchies are hereditary ones, I do believe that they should also be involved in raising and preparing their heir(s) for their future roles as well.
 
I think the ideal female consort was the Queen Mother. Prince Albert was a man diffident and lacking in self confidence. Queen Elizabeth was his rock and comfort really. She was a tactful, kind and dutiful person, with a sense of fun about her which made her popular. An affectionate and kindly mother to her two daughters, her one failing in that department IMO was a discounting of a full and rigorous education for girls. The Queen as heir, and Margaret too, would probably have benefited from boarding school.
 
:previous: unfortunately that was how things were done with royal daughters in the day. Alexandra who went to boarding school in ascot was the first female British Royal to attend boarding school. Even with Anne she was schooled by a governess for the first years of school, unlike her brothers, she was thirteen when sent to boarding school.

Shame, as with continental royals we see a difference. Beatrix and margrethe both had proper educations, public and boarding, and spent time at university. Not sure margrethe ever finished any university, she went to a few including Cambridge, the Sorbonne and London school of economics, but Beatrix has a law degree.

I think education needs to be made a higher importance for the heir as well as younger siblings now a days. See royals I. Asia and the Middle East and they have amazing education backgrounds. Even a future king of queen wouldn't suffer for having a good education base. Same goes for their spouse.

The only issue with an educated consort is their career. we have to remember these consorts will have to give up their own career and ambitions when they wed. It would have been easier years ago when most brudesmaid would have been looking to be a housewife anyways. But if you marry the heir, or even the sPate in most monarchies, being a riyal is your life. A woman would really have to love a man, to give up a career she was passionate about. Happens, see it with Letizia, maxima and Mathilde, but not easy. Kate is educated but didn't have a career to speak of. Compared to the wives of the hours of Kent and Gloucester. They are married to a professor and pediatrician. Would a doctor be willing yo give up ekeven years of education to cut ribbons and attend parties?pethaps, but it would not be easy to find.
 
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We can be relatively short about that. The ideal consort is the one who can "shut up and be pretty". That is main characteriztion of the "job".
 
:previous: :lol:

Philip may very well have been a "pretty" boy in his earlier years but one thing for certain, he never went quietly into the night and was known for his meek and humble demeanor. I think HM, The Queen came to rely on and was assured that in the day ahead, there was always the possibility of Philip doing or saying something that would bring on a giggle or two.

Henrik of Denmark runs a close second to Philip in the outspoken arena. He's also been very noted for his flamboyant taste in men's fashion and then, there's Henrik's exotic art.

Both Elizabeth and Margrethe have had long, steady marriages so these guys must be doing something right.
 
:previous: Like Prince Philip?

Yes, overseeing the almost 70 years as consort, he indeed did shut up and was pretty for 99.9% of the time. He completely moulded himself as the Queen's luggage.
 
To me the ideal consort is mentally stable and emotionally mature. Not someone who moons after the impossible and thinks that they are entitled to step up as an equal (in terms of position) and push their spouse around. The ideal consort accepts that they will be top of the line, but second place in rank and second place in priority (country first, self second) and their spouse DESERVES all the support that can be provided.
 
Dream consort in a dream world: Commoner from a mega rich family who would look at her husbands wealth as nothing special. Her family are overachievers who admire education (not just through books) and a hard work ethic. She is college educated and speaks a variety of languages. Had an impressive career but was willing to give it up because she saw it as a career change and not a step down. Strong and tough to deal with the stress of royal life, but open to education from other royals who are there to guide her. Loves her husband but knows it takes more than love to make a marriage work. In her own right she is truly something special but she recognizes that in accepting to be a royal spouse she is not the star but he is.
Style, character, poise of Crown Princess Mary
Style beauty, and devotion to country of Princess Grace
Strength of Fabiola
Education and career of Maxima
Marriage like: Elizabeth II, Sophie Wessex, Queen Silvia, Paola, Fabiola, The Queen Mum, Queen Victoria

And before anyone gets insulted by my post :
1. Yes I do put a high value on college education
2. I do care about looks
3. Yes my ideal consort is a woman because I don't daydream in XY chromosome.
 
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Yes, overseeing the almost 70 years as consort, he indeed did shut up and was pretty for 99.9% of the time. He completely moulded himself as the Queen's luggage.

You hit the nail on the head. He was almost perfect in his role to the Queen in public. In the "younger" group, I personally believe that Maxima, Mary and Letizia are really trying to back their spouses and working hard for their country. Of course since we don't have a crystal ball, we won't know if they succeed for another 40 years.
 
I think that the ideal queen consort must be able to bear children.

She should be attractive enough to have her likeness on a stamp without the stamp getting a nickname like The Carp or Mustache Pete on account of her appearance. Our consort should have the kind of poise and manners a good secondary or finishing school can provide. Great personal wealth, a two-year hitch in the military and some sort of embassy or diplomatic experience would really be the icing on the cake.

College and an advanced degree are fine--- especially if the King is well-educated, but I think that well-developed personal interests are more important.

Also! No embarrassing family members for her. No siblings, and both parents were only children too. Her father should be a discreet twinkly Claude Reins type, and the mother is a mute who likes to work in the garden.
 
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Ideal Consort in living memory is Queen Elizabeth Queen Mother. Supported someone who was not brought up to reign, had personal issues in terms of his stammer and led this country through very hard times with the love and respect of his people.

She took on a role she didn't expect; supported her spouse to enable him to carry out his role and then supported her daughter to carry out hers.

Not without issues, but life is a balancing act and, on balance, QEQM comes up on the positive side.
 
Ideal Consort for me - two come to mind immediately as being as close to perfect as possible:

HM The Queen Mother
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh

Both knew what their roles were to be and both performed them admirably from accession of spouse to end of role.
 
ITA bertie. 2 great examples and I would add:

Albert of Saxe-Cobeug
Mary of Teck
Princess Alexandra of Denmark




LaRae
 
Its so disheartening how some posters on a royal forum think the only royalty are the British.
 
Almost all of the examples that have been brought up in this thread are 1) female and 2) brittish. If you look at the rest of Europe, most of the heirs to the throne are female. You have Ingrid Alexandra in Norway, Estelle in Sweden, Elisabeth in Belgium, Catharina Amalia in the Netherlands and Leonor in Spain. (And currently also princess Amalia in Luxembourg, although that might change).

When the most common stereotype of a consort is a female - what will that mean for future generations where the consort will be male? Will the role evolve? Will there be as much emphasis on looks? Education? Bringing up the children? For me, that's a more interesting question. Unfortunately I don't know the answer.
 
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Dream consort in a dream world: Commoner from a mega rich family who would look at her husbands wealth as nothing special. Her family are overachievers who admire education (not just through books) and a hard work ethic. She is college educated and speaks a variety of languages. Had an impressive career but was willing to give it up because she saw it as a career change and not a step down. Strong and tough to deal with the stress of royal life, but open to education from other royals who are there to guide her. Loves her husband but knows it takes more than love to make a marriage work. In her own right she is truly something special but she recognizes that in accepting to be a royal spouse she is not the star but he is.
Style, character, poise of Crown Princess Mary
Style beauty, and devotion to country of Princess Grace
Strength of Fabiola
Education and career of Maxima
Marriage like: Elizabeth II, Sophie Wessex, Queen Silvia, Paola, Fabiola, The Queen Mum, Queen Victoria

And before anyone gets insulted by my post :
1. Yes I do put a high value on college education
2. I do care about looks
3. Yes my ideal consort is a woman because I don't daydream in XY chromosome.



I totally second your post and (most) of your choices, but why must the consort necessarily be a commoner? If she had these exact qualities but was a princess or an aristocrat would that be a deal breaker?

[Its so disheartening how some posters on a royal forum think the only royalty are the British.]// quote

I agree, and I will add extremely IRRITATING to that!!
 
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My idea of ideal consort in general is:
- being able to be their own person (and not just "the other half")
- being supportive of the partner's interests/obligations
- not actively trying to overshadow the partner

Specifically for royals:
- being an ambassador for the royal's country
- being able to mingle with people from all walks of life

my fave consorts at the moment are P.Daniel of Sweden and Q.Mathilde of Belgium, in the past fave consorts is P.Claus of the NL in his later years, but imo an ideal spouse for one royal/country would not necessarily be ideal for another, f.i. Q.Maxima of the NL is very good for king W-A and fits in extremely well in the NL, but she might too extravert and outspoken for some other monarchies...
 
:previous: unfortunately that was how things were done with royal daughters in the day. Alexandra who went to boarding school in ascot was the first female British Royal to attend boarding school. Even with Anne she was schooled by a governess for the first years of school, unlike her brothers, she was thirteen when sent to boarding school.

Shame, as with continental royals we see a difference. Beatrix and margrethe both had proper educations, public and boarding, and spent time at university. Not sure margrethe ever finished any university, she went to a few including Cambridge, the Sorbonne and London school of economics, but Beatrix has a law degree.

I think education needs to be made a higher importance for the heir as well as younger siblings now a days. See royals I. Asia and the Middle East and they have amazing education backgrounds. Even a future king of queen wouldn't suffer for having a good education base. Same goes for their spouse.

The only issue with an educated consort is their career. we have to remember these consorts will have to give up their own career and ambitions when they wed. It would have been easier years ago when most brudesmaid would have been looking to be a housewife anyways. But if you marry the heir, or even the sPate in most monarchies, being a riyal is your life. A woman would really have to love a man, to give up a career she was passionate about. Happens, see it with Letizia, maxima and Mathilde, but not easy. Kate is educated but didn't have a career to speak of. Compared to the wives of the hours of Kent and Gloucester. They are married to a professor and pediatrician. Would a doctor be willing yo give up ekeven years of education to cut ribbons and attend parties?pethaps, but it would not be easy to find.


I am pretty sure the era of royal women lacking a proper formal education is over. It lasted longer in the UK than in continental Europe, but eventually the UK also caught up. Beatrice and Eugenie both have university degrees and I expect Charlotte to have one too.

Many current or future European royal consorts also have degrees (e.g. Máxima, Mary, Mathilde, Letizia, Stéphanie, Kate), but there are still exceptions like Camilla (who is from an older generation) and Charlene (who was a professional athlete ).
 
Its so disheartening how some posters on a royal forum think the only royalty are the British.

At least 2 of the ones I posted were NOT British until they married and moved to the U.K.


LaRae
 
Dream consort in a dream world: Commoner from a mega rich family who would look at her husbands wealth as nothing special. Her family are overachievers who admire education (not just through books) and a hard work ethic. She is college educated and speaks a variety of languages. Had an impressive career but was willing to give it up because she saw it as a career change and not a step down.

Sounds like Claire Lademacher. I've always thought Prince Felix married very well, someone truly princess material. Though of course, we will never know how she'll do if she'd have to give up her career and be consort.
 
I totally second your post and (most) of your choices, but why must the consort necessarily be a commoner? If she had these exact qualities but was a princess or an aristocrat would that be a deal breaker?

[Its so disheartening how some posters on a royal forum think the only royalty are the British.]// quote

I agree, and I will add extremely IRRITATING to that!!
It's just my dream ideal consort, in my head she is a commoner. IDK why.
Though ironically in my pre 1900 dream world the royal consort is from a noble family. LoL
 
I think that the ideal consort should be supportive to the partner's work and interests, not trying to overshadow the partner, to keep one's own identity and be an own person, to work actively for your country and be able to talk with everyone from royals to common people, from the elderly to the children.

And that is why my ideal consort is prince Daniel. He is extremely supportive to Victoria's work and interests, a strong supporter of gender equality, he is a great father to their children, doesn't try to overshadow Victoria, and is a very social person who has no difficulties to socialize with anyone. He has kept his own identity and interests he had before he became a prince. Daniel works strongly for Sweden: in their Foundation and GEN-PEP for the health and well-being of children and young people, and with Prince Daniel's Fellowship entrepreneurial program he tries to inspire young people to become entrepreneurs, because Sweden (as every country) needs new entrepreneurs to create new jobs.
 
It's just my dream ideal consort, in my head she is a commoner. IDK why.
Though ironically in my pre 1900 dream world the royal consort is from a noble family. LoL

Well pre 1900, it would be totally unrealistic to expect a royal consort to be from a non noble family. Mostly they would be expected to be from royal families.. anyway.
I think the Q mother was very good, as a consort. Philip didn't really fit the mould, but he is intelligent, hard working and strong willed and has managed to do the job of supporting the queen, without giving up his own itntersts or letting the whole thing eclipse his personality.....
 
Well pre 1900, it would be totally unrealistic to expect a royal consort to be from a non noble family. Mostly they would be expected to be from royal families.. anyway.
I think the Q mother was very good, as a consort. Philip didn't really fit the mould, but he is intelligent, hard working and strong willed and has managed to do the job of supporting the queen, without giving up his own itntersts or letting the whole thing eclipse his personality.....
Being a Prince of Greece and Denmark and thereby belonging to the oldest dynasty still on a European throne I'd say if he doesn't fit the mould nobody does.
 
He didn't fit the mould of "ideal royal consort" as people in this thread tend to define it.. ie quiet, taking a back seat.. He is a strong personality, aggressive...
Being a royal consort does not mean that you hae to be royal
 
What is an ideal consort? The calm, restraint, wise German countryside aristocrat who once served in Hitler's Wehrmacht and who suffered two decades of severe depressions and developed Parkinson's became the most beloved member of the Dutch Royal House: Prince Claus.

His flamboyant, extravert, colourful and so now and then dazzling daughter-in-law, daughter of a man supportive of the Argentine military Junta, is year after year the most beloved member of the Dutch Royal House: Máxima.

So what is an ideal consort? The two characters could not differ more but both turned out in ideal consorts. Another example: the daughter of a British Earl, who lived on a fabulous ancestral estate, was -on paper- a "dream candidate" but soon it cracked at all sides: Diana.

The woman "who broke" was the most unlikely choice ever but proves to be an excellent consort, without setting any foot wrong: Camilla.

So I am afraid "the ideal Consort" never will be a blueprint.
 
Personally i think both Q.Maxima and P.Claus might be a great consort for their respective spouses (imo in both cases it seemed like "real love" if you can judge that from afar), but both i wouldn't describe as ideal royal consorts... Claus had a lot of problems with the restrictive royal life, Maxima often overshadows her husband...
 
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