To date, forty-seven women and three men have been married to a 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, Andy Burnham, has been married to Marie-France van Heel since 2000.
Role and duties 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.
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.
List of spouses Image Spouse Date of birth Date of marriage Prime Minister Date tenure began Age at start of tenure Date tenure ended Date of death Catherine Walpole() Robert Walpole years (aged ) Robert Walpole Maria Walpole() Robert Walpole years (aged ) Robert Walpole Earl of Wilmington Lady Catherine Pelham() Henry Pelham years (aged ) Duchess of Newcastle(Harriet Pelham-Holles, ) Duke of Newcastle years (aged ) Duke of Devonshire Duchess of Newcastle(Harriet Pelham-Holles, ) Duke of Newcastle years (aged ) Countess of Bute(Mary Stuart, ) Earl of Bute years (aged ) Elizabeth Grenville() George Grenville years (aged ) Marchioness of Rockingham(Mary Watson-Wentworth, ) Marquess of Rockingham years (aged ) Countess of Chatham(Hester Pitt, ) Earl of Chatham years (aged ) Duchess of Grafton(Anne FitzRoy, ) Duke of Grafton years (aged ) Duke of Grafton Duchess of Grafton(Elizabeth FitzRoy, ) Duke of Grafton years (aged ) Lady North(Anne North, ) Lord North years (aged ) Marchioness of Rockingham(Mary Watson-Wentworth, ) Marquess of Rockingham years (aged ) Countess of Shelburne(Louisa Petty, ) Earl of Shelburne years (aged ) Duchess of Portland(Dorothy Bentinck, ) Duke of Portland years (aged ) William Pitt Ursula Addington() Henry Addington years (aged ) William Pitt Baroness Grenville(Anne Grenville, ) Lord Grenville years (aged ) Duke of Portland Jane Perceval() Spencer Perceval years (aged ) Countess of Liverpool(Louisa Jenkinson, ) Earl of Liverpool years (aged ) Earl of Liverpool Countess of Liverpool(Mary Jenkinson, ) Earl of Liverpool years (aged ) Joan Canning() George Canning years (aged ) Viscountess Goderich(Sarah Robinson, ) Viscount Goderich years (aged ) Duchess of Wellington(Catherine Wellesley, ) Duke of Wellington years (aged ) Countess Grey(Mary Grey, ) Earl Grey years (aged ) Viscount Melbourne Duke of Wellington Julia Peel() Robert Peel years (aged ) Viscount Melbourne Julia Peel() Robert Peel years (aged ) Lady John Russell(Frances Russell, ) Lord John Russell years (aged ) Countess of Derby(Emma Caroline Smith-Stanley, ) Earl of Derby years (aged ) Earl of Aberdeen Viscountess Palmerston(Emily Temple, ) Viscount Palmerston years (aged ) Countess of Derby(Emma Caroline Smith-Stanley, ) Earl of Derby years (aged ) Viscountess Palmerston(Emily Temple, ) Viscount Palmerston years (aged ) Countess Russell(Frances Russell, ) Earl Russell years (aged ) Countess of Derby(Emma Caroline Smith-Stanley, ) Earl of Derby years (aged ) Mary Anne Disraeli() Benjamin Disraeli years (aged ) Catherine Gladstone() William Ewart Gladstone years (aged ) Benjamin Disraeli Catherine Gladstone() William Ewart Gladstone years (aged ) Marchioness of Salisbury(Georgina Gascoyne-Cecil, ) Marquess of Salisbury years (aged ) Catherine Gladstone() William Ewart Gladstone years (aged ) Marchioness of Salisbury(Georgina Gascoyne-Cecil, ) Marquess of Salisbury years (aged ) Catherine Gladstone() William Ewart Gladstone years (aged ) Earl of Rosebery Marchioness of Salisbury(Georgina Gascoyne-Cecil, ) Marquess of Salisbury years (aged ) Marquess of Salisbury Arthur Balfour Charlotte Campbell-Bannerman() Henry Campbell-Bannerman years (aged ) Henry Campbell-Bannerman Margot Asquith() H. H. Asquith years (aged ) Margaret Lloyd George() David Lloyd George years (aged ) Bonar Law Lucy Baldwin() Stanley Baldwin years (aged ) Ramsay MacDonald Lucy Baldwin() Stanley Baldwin years (aged ) Ramsay MacDonald Lucy Baldwin() Stanley Baldwin years (aged ) Anne Chamberlain() Neville Chamberlain years (aged ) Clementine Churchill() Winston Churchill years (aged ) Violet Attlee() Clement Attlee years (aged ) Clementine Churchill() Winston Churchill years (aged ) Clarissa Eden() Anthony Eden years (aged ) Lady Dorothy Macmillan() Harold Macmillan years (aged ) Elizabeth Douglas-Home() Alec Douglas-Home years (aged ) Mary Wilson() Harold Wilson years (aged ) Edward Heath Mary Wilson() Harold Wilson years (aged ) Audrey Callaghan() James Callaghan years (aged ) Denis Thatcher Margaret Thatcher years (aged ) Norma Major() John Major years Living(age ) Cherie Blair() Tony Blair years Living(age ) Sarah Brown() Gordon Brown years Living(age ) Samantha Cameron() David Cameron years Living(age ) Philip May Theresa May years Living(age ) Marina Wheeler(separated) Boris Johnson years Living(age ) Boris Johnson Carrie Johnson() Boris Johnson years Living(age ) Hugh O'Leary Liz Truss years Living(age ) Akshata Murty Rishi Sunak years Living(age ) Victoria Starmer() Keir Starmer years Living(age ) Marie-France van Heel Andy Burnham years Living(age )
See also List of prime ministers of the United Kingdom Spouse of the prime minister of Australia Spouse of the prime minister of Canada Spouse of the prime minister of New Zealand
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