Duchess of York is the principal courtesy title held by the wife of the Duke of York. Three of the eleven Dukes of York either did not marry or had already assumed the throne prior to marriage, while two of the Dukes married twice; therefore, there have been only ten Duchesses of York.
The ten Duchesses of York (and the dates the individuals held that title):
Person | Name | Birth | Marriage | Became Duchess of York | Spouse | Change in style | Death |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Infanta Isabella of Castile | 1355 | 11 July 1372 | 6 August 1385 | Edmund of Langley | 23 December 1392 | ||
Lady Joan Holland | 1380 | 4 November 1393 | 1 August 1402 Husband's death; became Dowager Duchess of York | 12 April 1434 | |||
The Honourable Philippa de Mohun | before 7 October 1398 | 1 August 1402 | Edward of Norwich | 25 October 1415 Husband's death; became Dowager Duchess of York | 17 July 1431 | ||
Lady Cecily Neville | 3 May 1415 | October 1429 (or earlier) | Richard Plantagenet | 30 December 1460 Husband's death; became Dowager Duchess of York | 31 May 1495 | ||
Lady Anne de Mowbray | 10 December 1472 | 15 January 1478 | Richard of Shrewsbury | 19 November 1481 | |||
Lady Anne Hyde | 12 March 1637 | 3 September 1660 | James Stuart | 31 March 1671 | |||
Princess Mary of Modena | 5 October 1658 | 21 November 1673 | 6 February 1685 Husband acceded to throne as James II; became Queen Consort | 7 May 1718 | |||
Princess Frederica Charlotte of Prussia | 7 May 1767 | 29 September 1791 | Prince Frederick | 6 August 1820 | |||
Princess Victoria Mary of Teck | 26 May 1867 | 6 July 1893 | Prince George | 6 May 1910 Husband acceded to throne as George V; became Queen consort | 24 March 1953 | ||
Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon | 4 August 1900 | 26 April 1923 | Prince Albert | 11 December 1936 Husband acceded to throne as George VI; became Queen consort | 30 March 2002 | ||
Sarah Ferguson | 15 October 1959 | 23 July 1986 | Prince Andrew | 30 May 1996 Divorced; assumed the style of Sarah, Duchess of York | |||
In 1791, Princess Frederica Charlotte of Prussia (1791–1820) married Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany (second son of King George III); she thus became HRH The Duchess of York and Albany. Her husband held one double dukedom (of York and Albany) rather than two. The Duchess received a warm welcome to Great Britain but following a troubled relationship with her husband, the couple separated. The two previous dukes of York and Albany had never married; since her husband was the last duke of York and Albany, Frederica was the only duchess with that double title.