The first lady or first gentleman of Virginia is an honorary title held by the spouse of the governor of Virginia. The current first gentleman is Adam Spanberger, who became the first first gentleman of Virginia when his wife Abigail Spanberger became governor on January 17, 2026.

Role The position of the first lady or first gentlemen is not an elected one, carries no official duties, and receives no salary. However, the role holds a highly visible position in state government. Since 1813, it has included serving as the host of the Executive Mansion. The first lady or first gentleman organizes and attends official ceremonies and functions of state either along with, or in place of, the governor. It is common for the governor's spouse to select specific, non-political, causes to promote.

List PictureNameTook officeLeft officeSpouse ofNotes1Dorothea Dandridge Henry17771779Patrick Henry1st and 6th first lady of Virginia2Martha Jefferson17791781Thomas JeffersonDied at age 33, twenty years before husband's election as U.S. president3Anne Christian Fleming17811781William Fleming4Lucy Grymes Nelson17811781Thomas Nelson Jr. 5Elizabeth Bassett Harrison17811784Benjamin Harrison V6Dorothea Dandridge Henry17841786Patrick Henry7Elizabeth Nichols Randolph17861788Edmund Randolph8Martha Cocke Randolph17881791Beverley Randolph9Anne Hill Carter Lee17931794Henry Lee IIIMother of general-in-chief of the Confederate States of America, Robert E. Lee10Mary Ritchie Hopper Brooke17941796Robert Brooke11Jean Moncure Wood17961799James Wood12Elizabeth Monroe17991802James Monroe12th and 15th first lady of Virginia, served as the first lady of the United States (1817–1825)13Margaret Lowther Page18021805John Page14Agnes Sarah Bell Cabell18051808William H. CabellNone 18081811John Tyler Sr.Tyler was a widower15Elizabeth Monroe18111811James Monroe16Jane Reade Smith18111811George William Smith17Lucy Johnson Barbour18121814James Barbour18Margaret Smith Nicholas18141816Wilson Cary Nicholas19Ann Barraud Taylor Preston18161819James Patton Preston20Martha Jefferson Randolph18191822Thomas Mann Randolph Jr.Daughter of 3rd U.S. President Thomas Jefferson, served as the acting first lady of the United States for her father (1801–1809)21Susanna Lawson Pleasants18221825James Pleasants22Letitia Christian Tyler18251827John TylerServed as the second lady (1841) and first lady of the United States (1841–1842)23Frances Ann Gwynn Giles18271830William Branch Giles24Letitia Preston Floyd18301834John Floyd25Anne Stratton Tazewell18341836Littleton Waller Tazewell26Maria Hamilton Campbell18371840David Campbell27Anne Baker Gilmer18401841Thomas Walker Gilmer28Susanna Smith Preston McDowell18431846James McDowell29Elizabeth Bell Smith18461849William Smith30Sally Buchanan Preston Floyd18491852John B. Floyd31Sarah Johnson18521855Joseph Johnson32Mary Elizabeth Lyons Wise18561860Henry A. Wise33Susan Holt Letcher18601861John Letcher34Julia Augusta Robertson Pierpont18611868Francis Harrison PierpontEarly founder and adopter of "Decoration Day" (now known as Memorial Day) in the United States35Olive E. Evans18691874Gilbert Carlton WalkerNone18741878James L. KemperKemper was a widowerNone 18781882Frederick HollidayHolliday was a widower36Louisa Cameron18821886William E. Cameron37Ellen Bernard Fowle Lee18861890Fitzhugh Lee38Annie Clay McKinney18901894Philip W. McKinney39Jennie Wickliff Knight O'Ferrall18941898Charles Triplett O'Ferrall40Sue Hammet Tyler18981902James Hoge Tyler41Elizabeth Lyne Hoskins Montague19021906Andrew Jackson Montague42Elizabeth Deane Lyons Swanson19061910Claude A. SwansonOfficial hostess of the Jamestown Exposition43Etta Edloe Donnan Mann19101914William Hodges Mann44Margaret Bruce Carter Stuart19141918Henry Carter Stuart45Marguerite Inman Davis19181922Westmoreland DavisServed as a nurse during the 1918 influenza epidemic in Richmond, for which she was featured in The New York Times. President of the Women's Munition Reserve during World War I.46Helen Ball Sexton Trinkle19221926Elbert Lee Trinkle47Anne Douglas Beverley Byrd19261930Harry F. Byrd48Grace Phillips Pollard19301932John Garland PollardDied in 1932 during husband's term49Violet E. MacDougall1933193450Nancy Bane Gillespie Peery19341938George C. Peery51Lillian Martin Price19381942James Hubert Price52Constance Simons Du Pont Darden19421946Colgate Darden53Eva Ellis Lovelace Dillard Tuck19461950William M. Tuck54Janie Lipscombe Battle19501954John S. Battle55Anne Bassett Stanley19541958Thomas B. Stanley56Josephine Katherine Minter Almond19581962J. Lindsay Almond57Lacey Barkley Harrison19621966Albertis Harrison58Katherine Godwin19661970Mills Godwin58th and 60th first lady of Virginia59Jinks Holton19701974Linwood HoltonMother of the 67th first lady of Virginia, Anne Holton60Katherine Godwin19741978Mills Godwin61Edwina P. Dalton19781982John N. DaltonServed as a member of the Virginia Senate from the 12th district (1988–1992), Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 198962Lynda Bird Johnson Robb19821986Chuck RobbDaughter of 36th U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson, served as chairwoman of President's Advisory Committee for Women63Jeannie Baliles19861990Gerald BalilesFounder of the Virginia Literacy FoundationNone 19901994Douglas WilderWilder was divorced64Susan Brown Allen19941998George Allen65Roxane Gilmore19982002Jim GilmoreGilmore, a classics professor at Randolph-Macon College, was the first woman to actively maintain her own independent job and career while serving as first lady.66Lisa Collis20022006Mark WarnerFirst woman to continue using her maiden name as first lady 67Anne Holton20062010Tim KaineDaughter of Governor Linwood Holton and First Lady Jinks Holton, served as 17th Virginia Secretary of Education and acting president of George Mason University68Maureen McDonnell20102014Bob McDonnellSentenced to 12 months in prison after a federal corruption trial. The conviction was overturned and charges dismissed after a Supreme Court decision.https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-moves-dismiss-mcdonnell-charges69Dorothy McAuliffe20142018Terry McAuliffeAppointed as the U.S. State Department Special Representative for Global Partnerships by President Joe Biden70Pamela Northam20182022Ralph Northam71Suzanne Youngkin20222026Glenn Youngkin72 Adam Spanberger 2026 servingAbigail SpanbergerFirst first gentleman of Virginia

See also

List of governors of Virginia

References