From the 14th-century king consorts of Navarre to the modern European prince consorts of the 20th century, the male consort has been a peculiar yet recurrent historical figure. In this impressively broad collection, leading historians of monarchy analyze how male partners of female rulers have negotiated their unique roles throughout history.

Introduction: The Man Behind the Queen; Charles Beem and Miles Taylor 1. The King Consorts of Navarre, 1284-1512; Elena Crislyn Woodacre 2. Ferdinand the Catholic: King and Consort; David Abufalia 3. "He to be Entitled Kinge": King Philip and the Anglo-Spanish Court; Sarah Duncan 4. Why Prince George of Denmark Did Not Become a King of England; Charles Beem 5. From Ruler in the Shadows to Shadow King: Frederick I of Sweden; Fabian Persson 6. Count Ernst Johann Bühren and the Russian Court of Anna Ioannova; Michael Bitter 7. Francis Stephen: Duke, Regent and Emperor; Derek Beales 8. Prince Albert; The Creative Consort; Karina Urbach 9. Commemorating the Consort in Colonial Bombay; Simin Patel 10. Ferdinand II of Portugal: A Conciliator King in a Turmoil Kingdom; Daniel Alves 11. Gaston d'Orléans, Comte d'Eu: Prince Consort to Princess Isabel of Brazil; Roderick Barman 12. The Rise and Fall of Siddiq Hasan, Male Consort of Shah Jahan of Bhopal; Caroline Keen 13. Royalty, Rank, and Masculinity: Three Dutch Princes Consort in the Twentieth Century; Maria Grever and Jeroen Van Zanten 14. Prince Philip: Sportsman and Youth Leader; Ina Zweiniger-Bargielowska 15. The Prince Who Would Be King: Henrik of Denmark's Struggle for Recognition; Trond Norén Isaksen