# Spouse of the prime minister of the United Kingdom

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, Keir Starmer, has been married to Victoria Starmer since 2007.

## 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 (née Shorter) | 1682 | 30 Jul 1700 | Robert Walpole | 3 Apr 1721 | 38–39 years | 20 Aug 1737 | 20 Aug 1737 (Aged 54–55) |
| — | None (widower) | — | — | Walpole | 20 Aug 1737 | — | 3 Mar 1738 | — |
| | Maria Walpole (née Skerrett) | 1702 | 3 Mar 1738 | Walpole | 3 Mar 1738 | 35–36 years | 4 Jun 1738 | 4 Jun 1738 (Aged 35–36) |
| — | None (widower) | — | — | Walpole | 4 Jun 1738 | — | 11 Feb 1742 | — |
| — | None (bachelor) | — | — | Earl of Wilmington | 16 Feb 1742 | — | 2 Jul 1743 | — |
| | Lady Catherine Pelham (née Manners) | 1706 | 29 Oct 1726 | Henry Pelham | 27 Aug 1743 | 36–37 years | 6 Mar 1754 | 18 Feb 1780 (Aged 73–74) |
| | Duchess of Newcastle (Harriet Pelham-Holles, née Godolphin) | 1701 | 2 Apr 1717 | Duke of Newcastle | 16 Mar 1754 | 52–53 years | 11 Nov 1756 | 17 Jul 1776 (Aged 74–75) |
| — | None (widower) | — | — | Duke of Devonshire | 16 Nov 1756 | — | 29 Jun 1757 | — |
| | Duchess of Newcastle (Harriet Pelham-Holles, née Godolphin) | 1701 | 2 Apr 1717 | Duke of Newcastle | 29 Jun 1757 | 55–56 years | 26 May 1762 | 17 Jul 1776 (Aged 74–75) |
| | Countess of Bute (Mary Stuart, née Montagu) | 19 Jan 1718 | 24 Aug 1736 | Earl of Bute | 26 May 1762 | 44 years | 8 Apr 1763 | 6 Nov 1794 (Aged 76) |
| | Elizabeth Grenville (née Wyndham) | 1719 | 1 May 1749 | George Grenville | 16 Apr 1763 | 43–44 years | 10 Jul 1765 | 5 Dec 1769 (Aged 49–50) |
| | Marchioness of Rockingham (Mary Watson-Wentworth, née Liddell) | 1735 | 26 Feb 1752 | Marquess of Rockingham | 13 Jul 1765 | 29–30 years | 30 Jul 1766 | 19 Dec 1804 (Aged 68–69) |
| | Countess of Chatham (Hester Pitt, née Grenville) | 8 Nov 1720 | 16 Oct 1754 | Earl of Chatham | 30 Jul 1766 | 45 years | 14 Oct 1768 | 9 Apr 1803 (Aged 82) |
| | Duchess of Grafton (Anne FitzRoy, née Liddell) | 1737 | 29 Jan 1756 | Duke of Grafton | 14 Oct 1768 | 30–31 years | 23 Mar 1769 | 1804 (Aged 66–67) |
| — | None (divorcee) | — | — | Grafton | 23 Mar 1769 | — | 24 Jun 1769 | — |
| | Duchess of Grafton (Elizabeth FitzRoy, née Wrottesley) | 1 Nov 1745 | 24 Jun 1769 | Grafton | 24 Jun 1769 | 23 years | 28 Jan 1770 | 25 May 1822 (Aged 76) |
| | Lady North (Anne North, née Speke) | 1741 | 20 May 1756 | Lord North | 28 Jan 1770 | 28–29 years | 27 Mar 1782 | 1797 (Aged 55–56) |
| | Marchioness of Rockingham (Mary Watson-Wentworth, née Liddell) | 1735 | 26 Feb 1752 | Marquess of Rockingham | 27 Mar 1782 | 46–47 years | 1 Jul 1782 | 19 Dec 1804 (Aged 68–69) |
| | Countess of Shelburne (Louisa Petty, née FitzPatrick) | 1755 | 19 Jul 1779 | Earl of Shelburne | 4 Jul 1782 | 26–27 years | 26 Mar 1783 | 7 Aug 1789 (Aged 33–34) |
| | Duchess of Portland (Dorothy Bentinck, née Cavendish) | 27 Aug 1750 | 8 Nov 1766 | Duke of Portland | 2 Apr 1783 | 32 years | 18 Dec 1783 | 3 Jun 1794 (Aged 43) |
| — | None (bachelor) | — | — | William Pitt | 19 Dec 1783 | — | 14 Mar 1801 | — |
| | Ursula Addington (née Hammond) | 1759 | 19 Sep 1781 | Henry Addington | 17 Mar 1801 | 41–42 years | 10 May 1804 | 28 Jun 1811 (Aged 51–52) |
| — | None (bachelor) | — | — | William Pitt | 10 May 1804 | — | 23 Jan 1806 | — |
| | Baroness Grenville (Anne Grenville, née Pitt) | Sep 1772 | 18 Jul 1792 | Lord Grenville | 11 Feb 1806 | 33 years | 25 Mar 1807 | Jun 1864 (Aged 91) |
| — | None (widower) | — | — | Duke of Portland | 31 Mar 1807 | — | 4 Oct 1809 | — |
| | Jane Perceval (née Wilson) | 21 Sep 1769 | 10 Aug 1790 | Spencer Perceval | 4 Oct 1809 | 40 years | 11 May 1812 | 26 Jan 1844 (Aged 74) |
| | Countess of Liverpool (Louisa Jenkinson, née Hervey) | Feb 1767 | 25 Mar 1795 | Earl of Liverpool | 8 Jun 1812 | 45 years | 12 Jun 1821 | 12 Jun 1821 (Aged 54) |
| — | None (widower) | — | — | Liverpool | 12 Jun 1821 | — | 24 Sep 1822 | — |
| | Countess of Liverpool (Mary Jenkinson, née Chester) | 24 Jun 1777 | 24 Sep 1822 | Liverpool | 24 Sep 1822 | 45 years | 9 Apr 1827 | 18 Oct 1846 (Aged 69) |
| | Joan Canning (née Scott) | 1776 | 8 Jul 1800 | George Canning | 12 Apr 1827 | 50–51 years | 8 Aug 1827 | 14 Mar 1837 (Aged 60–61) |
| | Viscountess Goderich (Sarah Robinson, née Hobart) | 22 Feb 1793 | 1 Sep 1814 | Viscount Goderich | 31 Aug 1827 | 34 years | 8 Jan 1828 | 9 Apr 1867 (Aged 74) |
| | Duchess of Wellington (Catherine Wellesley, née Pakenham) | 14 Jan 1773 | 10 Apr 1806 | Duke of Wellington | 22 Jan 1828 | 55 years | 16 Nov 1830 | 24 Apr 1831 (Aged 58) |
| | Countess Grey (Mary Grey, née Ponsonby) | 4 Mar 1776 | 18 Nov 1794 | Earl Grey | 22 Nov 1830 | 54 years | 9 Jul 1834 | 26 Nov 1861 (Aged 85) |
| — | None (widower) | — | — | Viscount Melbourne | 16 Jul 1834 | — | 14 Nov 1834 | — |
| — | None (widower) | — | — | Duke of Wellington | 17 Nov 1834 | — | 9 Dec 1834 | — |
| | Julia Peel (née Floyd) | 1795 | 8 Jun 1820 | Robert Peel | 10 Dec 1834 | 38–39 years | 8 Apr 1835 | 27 Oct 1859 (Aged 63–64) |
| — | None (widower) | — | — | Viscount Melbourne | 18 Apr 1835 | — | 30 Aug 1841 | — |
| | Julia Peel (née Floyd) | 1795 | 8 Jun 1820 | Robert Peel | 30 Aug 1841 | 45–46 years | 29 Jun 1846 | 27 Oct 1859 (Aged 63–64) |
| | Lady John Russell (Frances Russell, née Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound) | 15 Nov 1815 | 20 Jul 1841 | Lord John Russell | 30 Jun 1846 | 30 years | 21 Feb 1852 | 17 Jan 1898 (Aged 82) |
| | Countess of Derby (Emma Caroline Smith-Stanley, née Bootle-Wilbraham) | 17 Mar 1805 | 31 May 1825 | Earl of Derby | 23 Feb 1852 | 46 years | 17 Dec 1852 | 1876 (Aged 70–71) |
| — | None (widower) | — | — | Earl of Aberdeen | 19 Dec 1852 | — | 30 Jan 1855 | — |
| | Viscountess Palmerston (Emily Temple, née Lamb) | 1787 | 16 Dec 1839 | Viscount Palmerston | 6 Feb 1855 | 67–68 years | 19 Feb 1858 | 1869 (Aged 81–82) |
| | Countess of Derby (Emma Caroline Smith-Stanley, née Bootle-Wilbraham) | 17 Mar 1805 | 31 May 1825 | Earl of Derby | 20 Feb 1858 | 52 years | 11 Jun 1859 | 1876 (Aged 70–71) |
| | Viscountess Palmerston (Emily Temple, née Lamb) | 1787 | 16 Dec 1839 | Viscount Palmerston | 12 Jun 1859 | 71–72 years | 18 Oct 1865 | 1869 (Aged 81–82) |
| | Countess Russell (Frances Russell, née Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound) | 15 Nov 1815 | 20 Jul 1841 | Earl Russell | 29 Oct 1865 | 49 years | 26 Jun 1866 | 17 Jan 1898 (Aged 82) |
| | Countess of Derby (Emma Caroline Smith-Stanley, née Bootle-Wilbraham) | 17 Mar 1805 | 31 May 1825 | Earl of Derby | 28 Jun 1866 | 61 years | 25 Feb 1868 | 1876 (Aged 70–71) |
| | Mary Anne Disraeli (née Evans) | 11 Nov 1792 | 28 Aug 1839 | Benjamin Disraeli | 27 Feb 1868 | 75 years | 1 Dec 1868 | 15 Dec 1872 (Aged 80) |
| | Catherine Gladstone (née Glynne) | 6 Jan 1812 | 25 Jul 1839 | William Ewart Gladstone | 3 Dec 1868 | 56 years | 17 Feb 1874 | 14 Jun 1900 (Aged 88) |
| — | None (widower) | — | — | Benjamin Disraeli | 20 Feb 1874 | — | 21 Apr 1880 | — |
| | Catherine Gladstone (née Glynne) | 6 Jan 1812 | 25 Jul 1839 | William Ewart Gladstone | 23 Apr 1880 | 68 years | 9 Jun 1885 | 14 Jun 1900 (Aged 88) |
| | Marchioness of Salisbury (Georgina Gascoyne-Cecil, née Alderson) | 1827 | 11 Jul 1857 | Marquess of Salisbury | 23 Jun 1885 | 57–58 years | 28 Jan 1886 | 20 Nov 1899 (Aged 71–72) |
| | Catherine Gladstone (née Glynne) | 6 Jan 1812 | 25 Jul 1839 | William Ewart Gladstone | 1 Feb 1886 | 74 years | 20 Jul 1886 | 14 Jun 1900 (Aged 88) |
| | Marchioness of Salisbury (Georgina Gascoyne-Cecil, née Alderson) | 1827 | 11 Jul 1857 | Marquess of Salisbury | 25 Jul 1886 | 58–59 years | 11 Aug 1892 | 20 Nov 1899 (Aged 71–72) |
| | Catherine Gladstone (née Glynne) | 6 Jan 1812 | 25 Jul 1839 | William Ewart Gladstone | 15 Aug 1892 | 80 years | 2 Mar 1894 | 14 Jun 1900 (Aged 88) |
| — | None (widower) | — | — | Earl of Rosebery | 5 Mar 1894 | — | 22 Jun 1895 | — |
| | Marchioness of Salisbury (Georgina Gascoyne-Cecil, née Alderson) | 1827 | 11 Jul 1857 | Marquess of Salisbury | 25 Jun 1895 | 67–68 years | 20 Nov 1899 | 20 Nov 1899 (Aged 71–72) |
| — | None (widower) | — | — | Salisbury | 20 Nov 1899 | — | 11 Jul 1902 | — |
| — | None (bachelor) | — | — | Arthur Balfour | 12 Jul 1902 | — | 4 Dec 1905 | — |
| | Charlotte Campbell-Bannerman (née Bruce) | 10 May 1832 | 13 Sep 1860 | Henry Campbell-Bannerman | 5 Dec 1905 | 72–73 years | 30 Aug 1906 | 30 Aug 1906 (Aged 73–74) |
| — | None (widower) | — | — | Campbell-Bannerman | 30 Aug 1906 | — | 5 Apr 1908 | — |
| | Margot Asquith (née Tennant) | 2 Feb 1864 | 10 May 1894 | H. H. Asquith | 5 Apr 1908 | 44 years | 5 Dec 1916 | 28 Jul 1945 (Aged 81) |
| | Margaret Lloyd George (née Owen) | 4 Nov 1864 | 24 Jan 1888 | David Lloyd George | 6 Dec 1916 | 52 years | 19 Oct 1922 | 20 Jan 1941 (Aged 76) |
| — | None (widower) | — | — | Bonar Law | 23 Oct 1922 | — | 20 May 1923 | — |
| | Lucy Baldwin (née Ridsdale) | 19 Jun 1869 | 12 Sep 1892 | Stanley Baldwin | 22 May 1923 | 53 years | 22 Jan 1924 | 17 Jun 1945 (Aged 75) |
| — | None (widower) | — | — | Ramsay MacDonald | 22 Jan 1924 | — | 4 Nov 1924 | — |
| | Lucy Baldwin (née Ridsdale) | 19 Jun 1869 | 12 Sep 1892 | Stanley Baldwin | 4 Nov 1924 | 55 years | 4 Jun 1929 | 17 Jun 1945 (Aged 75) |
| — | None (widower) | — | — | Ramsay MacDonald | 5 Jun 1929 | — | 7 Jun 1935 | — |
| | Lucy Baldwin (née Ridsdale) | 19 Jun 1869 | 12 Sep 1892 | Stanley Baldwin | 7 Jun 1935 | 65 years | 28 May 1937 | 17 Jun 1945 (Aged 75) |
| | Anne Chamberlain (née Cole) | 1 Jun 1882 | 5 Jan 1911 | Neville Chamberlain | 28 May 1937 | 53–54 years | 10 May 1940 | 12 Feb 1967 (Aged 83–84) |
| | Clementine Churchill (née Hozier) | 1 Apr 1885 | 12 Sep 1908 | Winston Churchill | 10 May 1940 | 55 years | 26 Jul 1945 | 12 Dec 1977 (Aged 92) |
| | Violet Attlee (née Millar) | 20 Nov 1895 | 10 Jan 1922 | Clement Attlee | 26 Jul 1945 | 49 years | 26 Oct 1951 | 7 Jun 1964 (Aged 68) |
| | Clementine Churchill (née Hozier) | 1 Apr 1885 | 12 Sep 1908 | Winston Churchill | 26 Oct 1951 | 66 years | 5 Apr 1955 | 12 Dec 1977 (Aged 92) |
| | Clarissa Eden (née Spencer-Churchill) | 28 Jun 1920 | 14 Aug 1952 | Anthony Eden | 6 Apr 1955 | 34 years | 9 Jan 1957 | 15 Nov 2021 (Aged 101) |
| | Lady Dorothy Macmillan (née Cavendish) | 28 Jul 1900 | 21 Apr 1920 | Harold Macmillan | 10 Jan 1957 | 56 years | 18 Oct 1963 | 21 May 1966 (Aged 65) |
| | Elizabeth Douglas-Home (née Alington) | 6 Nov 1909 | 3 Oct 1936 | Alec Douglas-Home | 19 Oct 1963 | 53 years | 16 Oct 1964 | 3 Sep 1990 (Aged 80) |
| | Mary Wilson (née Baldwin) | 12 Jan 1916 | 1 Jan 1940 | Harold Wilson | 16 Oct 1964 | 48 years | 19 Jun 1970 | 6 Jun 2018 (Aged 102) |
| — | None (bachelor) | — | — | Edward Heath | 19 Jun 1970 | — | 4 Mar 1974 | — |
| | Mary Wilson (née Baldwin) | 12 Jan 1916 | 1 Jan 1940 | Harold Wilson | 4 Mar 1974 | 58 years | 5 Apr 1976 | 6 Jun 2018 (Aged 102) |
| | Audrey Callaghan (née Moulton) | 28 Jul 1915 | 28 Jul 1938 | James Callaghan | 5 Apr 1976 | 60 years | 4 May 1979 | 15 Mar 2005 (Aged 89) |
| | Denis Thatcher | 10 May 1915 | 13 Dec 1951 | Margaret Thatcher | 4 May 1979 | 63 years | 28 Nov 1990 | 26 Jun 2003 (Aged 88) |
| | Norma Major (née Wagstaff, formerly Johnson) | 12 Feb 1942 | 3 Oct 1970 | John Major | 28 Nov 1990 | 48 years | 2 May 1997 | Living (Age 83) |
| | Cherie Blair (née Booth) | 23 Sep 1954 | 29 Mar 1980 | Tony Blair | 2 May 1997 | 42 years | 27 Jun 2007 | Living (Age 70) |
| | Sarah Brown (née Macaulay) | 31 Oct 1963 | 3 Aug 2000 | Gordon Brown | 27 Jun 2007 | 43 years | 11 May 2010 | Living (Age 61) |
| | Samantha Cameron (née Sheffield) | 18 Apr 1971 | 1 Jun 1996 | David Cameron | 11 May 2010 | 39 years | 13 Jul 2016 | Living (Age 53) |
| | Philip May | 18 Sep 1957 | 6 Sep 1980 | Theresa May | 13 Jul 2016 | 58 years | 24 Jul 2019 | Living (Age 67) |
| | Marina Wheeler (separated) | 18 Aug 1964 | 8 May 1993 | Boris Johnson | 24 Jul 2019 | 54 years | 2020 | Living (Age 60) |
| — | None (divorcee) | — | — | Johnson | 2020 | — | 29 May 2021 | — |
| | Carrie Johnson (née Symonds) | 17 Mar 1988 | 29 May 2021 | Johnson | 29 May 2021 | 33 years | 6 Sep 2022 | Living (Age 36) |
| | Hugh O'Leary | 19 Jul 1974 | 2000 | Liz Truss | 6 Sep 2022 | 48 years | 25 Oct 2022 | Living (Age 50) |
| | Akshata Murty | 25 Apr 1980 | 2009 | Rishi Sunak | 25 Oct 2022 | 42 years | 5 Jul 2024 | Living (Age 44) |
| | Victoria Starmer (née Alexander) | 1973/1974 | 6 May 2007 | Keir Starmer | 5 Jul 2024 | 50 years | — | Living (Age 50–51) |