The viceregal consort of Australia generally assists the

governor-general Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...

in welcoming ambassadors and their spouses, and in performing their other official duties. The governor-general's spouse traditionally participates in celebratory occasions, attends functions and, as a patron of various voluntary associations, works to promote the activities of those associations.Australian Screen
/ref> None of the activities have any official status. The current spouse (since 1 July 2019) is Linda Hurley, wife of

David Hurley General David John Hurley, (born 26 August 1953) is an Australian former senior officer in the Australian Army who has served as the 27th governor-general of Australia since 1 July 2019. He was previously the 38th governor of New South Wales, ...

. Both the

and their spouse are entitled to the style "His/Her Excellency" during the governor-general's term of office, but not thereafter. The governor-general is entitled to the style "The Honourable" for life; this does not extend to the spouse. Except for Dame

Quentin Bryce Dame Quentin Alice Louise Bryce, (née Strachan; born 23 December 1942) is an Australian academic who served as the 25th governor-general of Australia from 2008 to 2014. She is the first woman to have held the position, and was previously the ...

, all Australian governors-general have been male, and all spouses but her husband

Michael Bryce Michael John Strachan Bryce, (21 June 1938 – 15 January 2021) was an Australian architect and graphic and industrial designer. He was the husband of the 25th governor-general of Australia, Dame Quentin Bryce. Early life and career Michael ...

have been female. No governor-general has been single throughout their term, but two spouses died during the governor-general's term: Jacqueline Sidney, Viscountess De L'Isle, wife of William Sidney, 1st Viscount De L'Isle (1962); and

Alison, Lady Kerr Alison, Lady Kerr (29 July 19159 September 1974) was the first wife of Sir John Kerr, Governor-General of Australia 1974-77. She was a marriage guidance counsellor and administrator prior to his appointment. She died soon into Kerr's term at Yar ...

, wife of

Sir John Kerr Sir John Robert Kerr (24 September 1914 – 24 March 1991) was an Australian barrister and judge who served as the 18th Governor-General of Australia, in office from 1974 to 1977. He is primarily known for his involvement in the 1975 constit ...

(1974). Kerr remarried during his term; De L'Isle remarried after his term had finished. The longest-serving spouse has been

Zara Hore-Ruthven, Countess of Gowrie Zara Hore-Ruthven, Countess of Gowrie ( Zara Eileen Pollok; 20 January 1879 – 19 July 1965) was the Anglo-Irish wife of the 1st Earl of Gowrie, Governor of South Australia 1928–34, Governor of New South Wales 1935–36 and the longest servi ...

, wife of the longest-serving governor-general,

Alexander Hore-Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie Brigadier General Alexander Gore Arkwright Hore-Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie, (; 6 July 1872 – 2 May 1955) was a British Army officer who served as the 10th Governor-General of Australia, in office from 1936 to 1945. He was previously Governor ...

, who served nine years from 1936 to 1945. The shortest-serving spouse was Alison Morrison, Viscountess Dunrossil, wife of William Morrison, 1st Viscount Dunrossil, who died in 1961, one year and one day after taking up the office, being the only governor-general to die in office; Viscountess Dunrossil died in 1983. Most of the spouses of governors-general have been content to be background figures providing the office-holder with support. Some have been all but unknown to the general Australian public. However, some have been notable in their own right, and details are shown in the following table.

List of viceregal consorts of Australia

References

{{Reflist, 2

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...

List of viceregal consorts of Australia

See also

References