| Post: | Spouse of the Prime Minister |
| Body: | the United Kingdom |
| Incumbentlabel: | Current |
| Incumbent: | Victoria, Lady Starmer |
| Incumbentsince: | 5 July 2024 |
| Residence: | 10 Downing Street (customary) |
| First: | Catherine, Lady Walpole |
To date, forty-seven women and three men have been married to the British prime minister in office. There have also been four bachelor and nine widower prime ministers; the last bachelor was Edward Heath (1970–1974) and the last widower was Ramsay MacDonald (1924, 1929–1935). The Duke of Grafton (1768–1770) and Boris Johnson (2019–2022) are the only prime ministers to have divorced and remarried while in office.
The current prime minister, Keir Starmer, has been married to Victoria Starmer since 2007.
The role of the British prime minister's spouse is not an official one, and as such, they are not given a salary or official duties. Over time the position has evolved, and spouses such as Cherie Blair have gained public attention through their own independent careers and achievements, as well as attending engagements such as the African First Ladies Summit.[1]
Cherie Blair, with Cate Haste, wrote a book about recent prime ministerial spouses, The Goldfish Bowl: Married to the Prime Minister, 1955–1997, in 2005.[2]
| Image | Spouse | Date of birth | Date of marriage | Prime Minister | Date tenure began | Age at start of tenure | Date tenure ended | Date of death | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| data-sort-value="Shorter, Catherine" | Catherine Walpole | data-sort-value="Walpole, Robert" | Robert Walpole | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Walpole, Robert" | Walpole | ||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Skerrett, Maria" | Maria Walpole | data-sort-value="Walpole, Robert" | Walpole | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Walpole, Robert" | Walpole | ||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Wilmington, Earl of" | Earl of Wilmington | ||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Manners, Lady Catherine" | Lady Catherine Pelham | data-sort-value="Pelham, Henry" | Henry Pelham | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Godolphin, Harriet" | Duchess of Newcastle (Harriet Pelham-Holles,) | data-sort-value="Newcastle, Duke of" | Duke of Newcastle | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Devonshire, Duke of" | Duke of Devonshire | ||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Godolphin, Harriet" | Duchess of Newcastle (Harriet Pelham-Holles,) | data-sort-value="Newcastle, Duke of" | Duke of Newcastle | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Montagu, Mary" | Countess of Bute (Mary Stuart,) | data-sort-value="Bute, Earl of" | Earl of Bute | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Wyndham, Elizabeth" | Elizabeth Grenville | data-sort-value="Grenville, George" | George Grenville | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Liddell, Mary" | Marchioness of Rockingham (Mary Watson-Wentworth,) | data-sort-value="Rockingham, Marquess of" | Marquess of Rockingham | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Grenville, Hester" | Countess of Chatham (Hester Pitt,) | data-sort-value="Chatham, Earl of" | Earl of Chatham | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Liddell, Anne" | Duchess of Grafton (Anne FitzRoy,) | data-sort-value="Grafton, Duke of" | Duke of Grafton | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Grafton, Duke of" | Grafton | ||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Wrottesley, Elizabeth" | Duchess of Grafton (Elizabeth FitzRoy,) | data-sort-value="Grafton, Duke of" | Grafton | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Speke, Anne" | Lady North (Anne North,) | data-sort-value="North, Lord" | Lord North | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Liddell, Mary" | Marchioness of Rockingham (Mary Watson-Wentworth,) | data-sort-value="Rockingham, Marquess of" | Marquess of Rockingham | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="FitzPatrick, Louisa" | Countess of Shelburne (Louisa Petty,) | data-sort-value="Shelburne, Earl of" | Earl of Shelburne | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Cavendish, Dorothy" | Duchess of Portland (Dorothy Bentinck,) | data-sort-value="Portland, Duke of" | Duke of Portland | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Pitt, William" | William Pitt | ||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Hammond, Ursula" | Ursula Addington | data-sort-value="Addington, Henry" | Henry Addington | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Pitt, William" | William Pitt | ||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Pitt, Anne" | Baroness Grenville (Anne Grenville,) | data-sort-value="Grenville, Lord" | Lord Grenville | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Portland, Duke of" | Duke of Portland | ||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Wilson, Jane" | Jane Perceval | data-sort-value="Perceval, Spencer" | Spencer Perceval | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Hervey, Louisa" | Countess of Liverpool (Louisa Jenkinson,) | data-sort-value="Liverpool, Earl of" | Earl of Liverpool | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Liverpool, Earl of" | Liverpool | ||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Chester, Mary" | Countess of Liverpool (Mary Jenkinson,) | data-sort-value="Liverpool, Earl of" | Liverpool | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Scott, Joan" | Joan Canning | data-sort-value="Canning, George" | George Canning | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Hobart, Sarah" | Viscountess Goderich (Sarah Robinson,) | data-sort-value="Goderich, Viscount" | Viscount Goderich | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Pakenham, Catherine" | Duchess of Wellington (Catherine Wellesley,) | data-sort-value="Wellington, Duke of" | Duke of Wellington | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Ponsonby, Mary" | Countess Grey (Mary Grey,) | data-sort-value="Grey, Earl" | Earl Grey | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Melbourne, Viscount" | Viscount Melbourne | ||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Wellington, Duke of" | Duke of Wellington | ||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Floyd, Julia" | Julia Peel | data-sort-value="Peel, Robert" | Robert Peel | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Melbourne, Viscount" | Viscount Melbourne | ||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Floyd, Julia" | Julia Peel | data-sort-value="Peel, Robert" | Robert Peel | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, Frances" | Lady John Russell (Frances Russell,) | data-sort-value="Russell, Lord John" | Lord John Russell | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Bootle-Wilbraham, Emma Caroline" | Countess of Derby (Emma Caroline Smith-Stanley,) | data-sort-value="Derby, Earl of" | Earl of Derby | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Aberdeen, Earl of" | Earl of Aberdeen | ||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Lamb, Emily" | Viscountess Palmerston (Emily Temple,) | data-sort-value="Palmerston, Viscount" | Viscount Palmerston | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Bootle-Wilbraham, Emma Caroline" | Countess of Derby (Emma Caroline Smith-Stanley,) | data-sort-value="Derby, Earl of" | Earl of Derby | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Lamb, Emily" | Viscountess Palmerston (Emily Temple,) | data-sort-value="Palmerston, Viscount" | Viscount Palmerston | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, Frances" | Countess Russell (Frances Russell,) | data-sort-value="Russell, Earl" | Earl Russell | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Bootle-Wilbraham, Emma Caroline" | Countess of Derby (Emma Caroline Smith-Stanley,) | data-sort-value="Derby, Earl of" | Earl of Derby | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Evans, Mary Anne" | Mary Anne Disraeli | data-sort-value="Disraeli, Benjamin" | Benjamin Disraeli | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Glynne, Catherine" | Catherine Gladstone | data-sort-value="Gladstone, William Ewart" | William Ewart Gladstone | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Disraeli, Benjamin" | Benjamin Disraeli | ||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Glynne, Catherine" | Catherine Gladstone | data-sort-value="Gladstone, William Ewart" | William Ewart Gladstone | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Alderson, Georgina" | Marchioness of Salisbury (Georgina Gascoyne-Cecil,) | data-sort-value="Salisbury, Marquess of" | Marquess of Salisbury | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Glynne, Catherine" | Catherine Gladstone | data-sort-value="Gladstone, William Ewart" | William Ewart Gladstone | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Alderson, Georgina" | Marchioness of Salisbury (Georgina Gascoyne-Cecil,) | data-sort-value="Salisbury, Marquess of" | Marquess of Salisbury | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Glynne, Catherine" | Catherine Gladstone | data-sort-value="Gladstone, William Ewart" | William Ewart Gladstone | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Rosebery, Earl of" | Earl of Rosebery | ||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Alderson, Georgina" | Marchioness of Salisbury (Georgina Gascoyne-Cecil,) | data-sort-value="Salisbury, Marquess of" | Marquess of Salisbury | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Salisbury, Marquess of" | Salisbury | ||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Balfour, Arthur" | Arthur Balfour | ||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Bruce, Charlotte" | Charlotte Campbell-Bannerman | data-sort-value="Campbell-Bannerman, Henry" | Henry Campbell-Bannerman | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Campbell-Bannerman, Henry" | Campbell-Bannerman | ||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Tennant, Margot" | Margot Asquith | data-sort-value="Asquith, H. H." | H. H. Asquith | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Owen, Margaret" | Margaret Lloyd George | data-sort-value="Lloyd George, David" | David Lloyd George | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Law, Bonar" | Bonar Law | ||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Ridsdale, Lucy" | Lucy Baldwin | data-sort-value="Baldwin, Stanley" | Stanley Baldwin | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="MacDonald, Ramsay" | Ramsay MacDonald | ||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Ridsdale, Lucy" | Lucy Baldwin | data-sort-value="Baldwin, Stanley" | Stanley Baldwin | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="MacDonald, Ramsay" | Ramsay MacDonald | ||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Ridsdale, Lucy" | Lucy Baldwin | data-sort-value="Baldwin, Stanley" | Stanley Baldwin | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Cole, Anne" | Anne Chamberlain | data-sort-value="Chamberlain, Neville" | Neville Chamberlain | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Hozier, Clementine" | Clementine Churchill | data-sort-value="Churchill, Winston" | Winston Churchill | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Millar, Violet" | Violet Attlee | data-sort-value="Attlee, Clement" | Clement Attlee | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Hozier, Clementine" | Clementine Churchill | data-sort-value="Churchill, Winston" | Winston Churchill | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Spencer-Churchill, Clarissa" | Clarissa Eden | data-sort-value="Eden, Anthony" | Anthony Eden | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Cavendish, Lady Dorothy" | Lady Dorothy Macmillan | data-sort-value="Macmillan, Harold" | Harold Macmillan | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Alington, Elizabeth" | Elizabeth Douglas-Home | data-sort-value="Douglas-Home, Alec" | Alec Douglas-Home | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Baldwin, Mary" | Mary Wilson | data-sort-value="Wilson, Harold" | Harold Wilson | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Heath, Edward" | Edward Heath | ||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Baldwin, Mary" | Mary Wilson | data-sort-value="Wilson, Harold" | Harold Wilson | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Moulton, Audrey" | Audrey Callaghan | data-sort-value="Callaghan, James" | James Callaghan | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Thatcher, Denis" | Denis Thatcher | data-sort-value="Thatcher, Margaret" | Margaret Thatcher | years | (Aged) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Johnson, Norma" | Norma Major | data-sort-value="Major, John" | John Major | years | Living (Age) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Booth, Cherie" | Cherie Blair | data-sort-value="Blair, Tony" | Tony Blair | years | Living (Age) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Macaulay, Sarah" | Sarah Brown [3] | data-sort-value="Brown, Gordon" | Gordon Brown | years | Living (Age) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Sheffield, Samantha" | Samantha Cameron [4] | data-sort-value="Cameron, David" | David Cameron | years | Living (Age) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="May, Philip" | Philip May[5] | data-sort-value="May, Theresa" | Theresa May | years | Living (Age) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Wheeler, Marina" | Marina Wheeler (separated) | data-sort-value="Johnson, Boris" | Boris Johnson | years | Living (Age) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Johnson, Boris" | Johnson | ||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Symonds, Carrie" | Carrie Johnson [6] | data-sort-value="Johnson, Boris" | Johnson | years | Living (Age) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="O'Leary, Hugh" | Hugh O'Leary[7] | data-sort-value="Truss, Liz" | Liz Truss | years | Living (Age) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Murty, Akshata" | Akshata Murty[8] | data-sort-value="Sunak, Rishi" | Rishi Sunak | years | Living (Age) | ||||||
| data-sort-value="Alexander, Victoria" | Victoria Starmer [9] | data-sort-value="Starmer, Keir" | Keir Starmer | years | Living (Age) |