Note that in some of the countries mentioned below it is unusual to indicate a former queen-consort as a dowager.
East Asia China •
Queen Dowager Xuan, concubine of
King Xiaowen and mother of
King Zhaoxiang of Qin. •
Queen Dowager Zhao, wife of
King Zhuangxiang of Qin and mother of
Qin Shi Huang. •
Empress Lü, wife of
Emperor Gaozu of Han. •
Wu Zetian, wife of
Emperor Gaozong and mother of Emperors
Zhongzong and
Ruizong of Tang. Later became the only
Empress regnant in the history of China. •
Empress Dowager Cixi, wife of
Xianfeng Emperor and mother of
Tongzhi Emperor of Qing.
Japan •
Empress Dowager Eishō (11 January 1835 – 11 January 1897), wife and widow of
Emperor Kōmei of Japan. •
Empress Shōken (9 May 1849 – 9 April 1914), wife and widow of
Emperor Meiji of Japan. •
Empress Teimei (25 June 1884 – 17 May 1951), wife and widow of
Emperor Taishō of Japan and mother of
Emperor Shōwa. •
Empress Kōjun (6 March 1903 – 16 June 2000), wife and widow of
Emperor Shōwa of Japan and mother of Emperor
Akihito.
Korea •
Queen Heonae (997–1009), third wife and widow of
Gyeongjong of Goryeo and sister of
Seongjong of Goryeo, mother of
Mokjong of Goryeo and daughter of
Gwangjong of Goryeo •
Queen Gongye (1126–1146), third wife and widow of
Injong of Goryeo and mother of
Uijong of Goryeo,
Myeongjong of Goryeo,
Sinjong of Goryeo •
Queen Jangryeol (1624–1688), wife and widow of
Injo of Joseon step-mother of
Hyojong of Joseon, step-grandmother of
Hyeonjong of Joseon, step-great-grandmother of
Sukjong of Joseon. •
Queen Jeongsun (1745–1805), second wife and widow of
Yeongjo of Joseon and step-grandmother of
Jeongjo of Joseon and step-great-grandmother of
Sunjo of Joseon.
Europe Bavaria •
Caroline of Baden (1825–1841), second wife and widow of King
Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria. •
Marie of Prussia (1864–1889), widow of King
Maximilian II of Bavaria.
Castile •
Mafalda of Portugal (1197-1 May 1256), wife of King
Henry I of Castile •
Constance of Portugal (3 January 1290 – 18 November 1313), wife of King
Ferdinand IV of Castile, mother of King
Alfonso XI of Castile •
Maria of Portugal (9 February 1313 – 18 January 1357), wife of King
Alfonso XI of Castile, mother of King
Peter I of Castile •
Isabella of Portugal (1428 – 15 August 1496), wife of King
John II of Castile, mother of
Isabella I of Castile •
Joan of Portugal (20 March 1439 – 12 December 1475), wife of King
Henry IV of Castile Croatia •
Helen of Zadar (969 – 976), wife and widow of King
Michael Krešimir II of Croatia.
Denmark •
Jutta of Saxony (1250–1267), widow of King
Eric IV of Denmark. Remarried to Burchard VIII, Count of Querfurt-Rosenburg. •
Matilda of Holstein (1252–1288), widow of
Abel, King of Denmark. Remarried to
Birger Jarl in 1261. •
Margaret Sambiria (1259–1282), widow of King
Christopher I of Denmark. •
Agnes of Brandenburg (1286–1304), widow of King
Eric V of Denmark. Remarried to
Gerhard II, Count of Holstein-Plön in 1293. •
Dorothea of Brandenburg (1448–1449, 1481–1495), widow of King
Christopher III and later King
Christian I of Denmark. •
Christina of Saxony (1513–1521), widow of
John, King of Denmark. •
Sophie of Pomerania (1533–1568), second wife and widow of King
Frederick I of Denmark. •
Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg (1559–1571), widow of King
Christian III of Denmark. •
Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow (1588–1631), widow of King
Frederick II of Denmark. •
Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Calenberg (1670–1685), widow of King
Frederick III of Denmark. •
Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel (1699–1714), widow of King
Christian V of Denmark. •
Anne Sophie Reventlow (1730–1743), second wife and widow of King
Frederick IV of Denmark. •
Sophie Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach (1746–1770), widow of King
Christian VI of Denmark. •
Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (1766–1796), second wife and widow of King
Frederick V of Denmark. •
Marie of Hesse-Kassel (1839–1852), widow of King
Frederick VI of Denmark. •
Caroline Amalie of Augustenburg (1848–1881), second wife and widow of King
Christian VIII of Denmark. •
Louise of Sweden (1912–1926), widow of King
Frederick VIII of Denmark. •
Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1947–1952), widow of King
Christian X of Denmark. •
Ingrid of Sweden (1972–2000), widow of King
Frederik IX of Denmark.
Greece •
Olga Constantinovna of Russia (1913–1924), widow of King
George I of Greece. •
Sophia of Prussia (1923–1924), widow of King
Constantine I of Greece. •
Frederica of Hanover (1964–1973), widow of King
Paul of Greece.
León •
Urraca of Portugal (1151–1222), wife of King
Ferdinand II of León, mother of King
Alfonso IX of León •
Teresa of Portugal (4 October 1178 – 8 June 1250), wife of King
Alfonso IX of León •
Constance of Portugal (3 January 1290 – 18 November 1313), wife of King
Fernando IV of León, mother of King
Alfonso XI of León •
Maria of Portugal (9 February 1313 – 18 January 1357), wife of King
Alfonso XI of León, mother of King
Peter I of León •
Isabella of Portugal (1428 – 15 August 1496), wife of King
John II of León, mother of
Isabella I of León •
Joan of Portugal (20 March 1439 – 12 December 1475), wife of King
Henry IV of León Portugal •
Beatrice of Castile (1242 – 27 October 1303), wife of King
Afonso III of Portugal and mother of King
Dinis I of Portugal •
Elizabeth of Aragon (1271 – 4 July 1336), wife of King
Dinis I of Portugal and mother of King
Afonso IV of Portugal •
Beatrice of Castile (8 March 1293 – 25 October 1359), wife of King
Afonso IV of Portugal and mother of King
Peter I of Portugal •
Leonor Telles de Menezes (1350 – 27 April 1386), wife of King
Fernando I of Portugal •
Eleanor of Aragon (1 February 1402 – 19 February 1445), wife of King
Duarte I of Portugal and mother of King
Afonso V of Portugal •
Eleanor of Viseu (2 May 1458 – 17 November 1525), wife of King
João II of Portugal •
Eleanor of Austria (15 November 1498 – 25 February 1558), third wife of King
Manuel I of Portugal •
Catherine of Austria (14 January 1507 – 12 February 1578), wife of King
João III of Portugal and grandmother of King
Sebastião I of Portugal •
Luisa of Guzman (13 October 1613 – 27 February 1666), wife of King
João IV of Portugal and mother of Kings
Afonso VI and
Pedro II •
Maria Anna of Austria (7 September 1683 – 14 August 1754), wife of King
João V of Portugal and mother of King
José I of Portugal •
Mariana Victoria of Spain (31 March 1718 – 15 January 1781), wife of King
José I of Portugal and mother of Queen
Maria I of Portugal •
Carlota Joaquina of Spain (25 April 1775 – 7 January 1830), wife of King
João VI of Portugal and mother of King-Emperor
Pedro IV of Portugal and King
Miguel I of Portugal •
Maria Pia of Savoy (14 February 1847 – 5 July 1911), wife of King
Luís I of Portugal and mother of King
Carlos I of Portugal •
Amélie of Orleans (28 September 1865 – 25 October 1951), wife of King
Carlos I of Portugal and mother of King
Manuel II of Portugal Prussia •
Sophia Louise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (25 February 1713 – 29 July 1735), third wife and widow of King
Frederick I of Prussia. •
Sophia Dorothea of Hanover (31 May 1740 – 28 June 1757), widow of King
Frederick William I of Prussia. •
Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel-Bevern (17 August 1786 – 13 January 1797), widow of King
Frederick II of Prussia. •
Frederica Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt (16 November 1797 – 25 February 1805), second wife and widow of King
Frederick William II of Prussia. •
Elisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria (2 January 1861 – 14 December 1873), widow of King
Frederick William IV of Prussia. •
Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (9 March 1888 – 7 January 1890), widow of
William I, German Emperor and King of Prussia. •
Victoria, Princess Royal (15 June 1888 – 5 August 1901), widow of
Frederick III, German Emperor and King of Prussia.
Romania •
Elisabeth of Wied (27 September 1914 – 2 March 1916), widow of King
Carol I of Romania •
Marie of Edinburgh (20 July 1927 – 18 July 1938), widow of
Ferdinand I of Romania Saxony •
Amalie of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld (10 May 1752 – 15 November 1828), widow of King
Frederick Augustus I of Saxony. •
Maria Anna of Bavaria (27 January 1805 – 13 September 1877), second wife and widow of King
Frederick Augustus II of Saxony. •
Amalie Auguste of Bavaria (13 November 1801 – 8 November 1877), widow of King
John of Saxony. •
Carola of Vasa (5 August 1833 – 15 December 1907), widow of King
Albert of Saxony.
Spain •
Mariana of Austria (24 December 1634 – 16 May 1696), second wife and widow of King
Philip IV of Spain. •
Maria Anna of Neuburg (28 October 1667 – 16 July 1740), second wife and widow of King
Charles II of Spain. •
Louise Élisabeth d'Orléans (9 December 1709 – 16 June 1742), widow of King
Louis I of Spain. •
Elisabeth Farnese (25 October 1692 – 11 July 1766), second wife and widow of King
Philip V of Spain. •
Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies (27 April 1806 – 22 August 1878), fourth wife and widow of King
Ferdinand VII of Spain. •
Maria Christina of Austria (21 July 1858 – 6 February 1929), second wife and widow of King
Alfonso XII of Spain.
Sweden In Sweden, there has also been another title for a dowager queen, called
Riksänkedrottning, which means
Queen Dowager of the Realm. This title was used in the 16th and 17th centuries. The last time the title queen dowager was used was in 1913. •
Catherine Stenbock, (1537–1610), third wife and widow of King
Gustav I of Sweden. •
Gunilla Bielke, (1568–1597), second wife and widow of King
John III of Sweden. •
Christina of Holstein-Gottorp, (1573–1625), second wife and widow of King
Charles IX of Sweden. •
Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg, (1599–1655), widow of King
Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden. •
Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp, (1636–1715), widow of King
Charles X Gustav of Sweden. •
Louisa Ulrika of Prussia, (1720–1781), widow of King
Adolph Frederick of Sweden. •
Sophia Magdalena of Denmark, (1746–1815), widow of King
Gustav III of Sweden. •
Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp, (1759–1818), widow of King
Charles XIII of Sweden. •
Désirée Clary, (1777–1860), widow of King
Charles XIV John of Sweden. •
Josephine of Leuchtenberg, (1807–1876), widow of King
Oscar I of Sweden. •
Sophia of Nassau, (1836–1913), widow of King
Oscar II of Sweden.
Two Sicilies •
María Isabella of Spain (1830–1848), second wife and widow of King
Francis I of the Two Sicilies. Remarried to Francesco, Count dal Balzo dei Duchi di Presenzano in 1839. •
Maria Theresa of Austria (1859–1861), second wife and widow of King
Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies.
Württemberg •
Charlotte, Princess Royal of Great Britain and Ireland (30 October 1816 – 5 October 1828), second wife and widow of King
Frederick I of Württemberg and stepmother of King
William I of Württemberg. •
Pauline Therese of Württemberg (25 June 1864 – 10 May 1873), second wife and widow of
William I of Württemberg and mother of
Charles I of Württemberg. •
Olga Nikolaevna of Russia (6 October 1891 – 30 October 1892), widow of
Charles I of Württemberg.
Pacific Hawaii • Dowager Queen
Ka'ahumanu, favoured wife of King
Kamehameha I •
Queen Emma of Hawaii, queen consort of
King Kamehameha IV South America Brazil •
Amélie of Leuchtenberg (July 31, 1812 – January 26, 1873), second wife and widow of
Pedro I of Brazil.
Southeast Asia Malaysia •
Raja Perempuan Tengku Anis of Kelantan, widow of
Sultan Ismail Petra •
Tunku Puan Nora of Johor, widow of
Sultan Ismail •
Raja Permaisuri Tuanku Bainun of Perak, widow of
Sultan Azlan Shah •
Permaisuri Siti Aishah of Selangor, widow of
Sultan Salahuddin •
Che Puan Besar Haminah of Kedah, widow of
Sultan Abdul Halim •
Cik Puan Besar Kalsom of Pahang, widow of
Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Myanmar •
Yun San, chief queen consort of King
Alaungpaya and mother to three successive kings,
Naungdawgyi,
Hsinbyushin and
Bodawpaya • Shin Phyo Oo, chief queen consort of King Naungdawgyi, mother to
Phaungka • Shin Min Hla, the chief queen consort of
Hsinbyushin and mother to
Singu Min • Me Myat Shwe, Princess of
Taungoo, chief queen consort of King
Tharawaddy, mother of
King Pagan and Queen Consort
Setkya Dewi •
Kyaut Maw Mibaya, Shin Min Yin, queen of the southern department of King Tharawaddy and mother of King
Mindon •
Laungshe Mibaya, Nanzwe queen consort of King Mindon and mother of King
Thibaw Thailand •
Amarindra, (7 September 1809 – 25 May 1826), wife and widow of King
Rama I of Siam and mother of King
Rama II of Siam. •
Sri Suriyendra, (21 July 1824 - 18 October 1836), wife and widow of King
Rama II of Siam and mother of King
Mongkut and King
Pinklao. •
Saovabha Phongsri, (23 October 1910 – 20 October 1919), wife and widow of King
Chulalongkorn of Siam and mother of King
Vajiravudh and King
Prajadhipok. •
Savang Vadhana, (23 October 1910 – 17 December 1955), wife and widow of King
Chulalongkorn of Siam and grandmother of King
Ananda Mahidol and King
Bhumibol Adulyadej. •
Sukhumala Marasri, (23 October 1910 – 9 July 1927), wife and widow of King
Chulalongkorn of Siam. •
Rambai Barni, (30 May 1941 – 22 May 1984), wife and widow of King
Prajadhipok of Siam. •
Sirikit, (13 October 2016 – 24 October 2025), wife and widow of King
Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand and mother of King
Vajiralongkorn.
West Asia Jordan •
Musbah bint Nasser (1884 – 15 March 1961), wife of
Abdullah I of Jordan and mother of
Talal of Jordan. •
Zein Al-Sharaf Talal (2 August 1916 – 26 April 1994), wife of
Talal of Jordan and mother of
Hussein of Jordan. •
Lisa Najeeb Halaby (Noor Al'Hussein) (b. 23 August 1951), the fourth wife and widow of
King Hussein of Jordan and the stepmother of the current king,
Abdullah II. == Fiction ==