First Lady
From Freepedia
- For the term in Italian opera, see Prima donna
First Lady is a term that is often, but not universally, applied to the female spouse of an elected male head of state or head of government, such as a President, Prime Minister, Premier or Governor.
The origin of the term First Lady is generally credited to Great Britain where it was a designation of duty, but never a title. Under the British definition, in circumstances where a king is unmarried (no Queen Consort), and the mother of the king (Dowager Queen) is deceased, and there is no Princess Royal, the wife of the King’s eldest brother is designated “First Lady” because she holds that place in royal processionals, and enjoys the perquisites that come with the role. There is no title for her that names her as the official First Lady, she instead uses the titles that she holds through her marriage. Once the King marries, and country gains a Queen Consort, the role of the First Lady ceases to exist and she returns to her station.
The French, too, receive credit for the use of the term “First Lady” which was applied to a lady-in-waiting to Marie Antoinette by the name of Jeanne Louise Henriette Campan, who was referred to as the First Lady of Boudoir [1].
The use of the term to denote a wife of a sitting head of state was used in the United States in the early 19th Century in an sporadic fashion as early as 1849 when President Zachary Taylor used it in a eulogy for Dolley Madison. The term began to be used in a common fashion when referring to the President’s wife with the administration of Rutherford B. Hayes.
In many countries (such as the United Kingdom), the Prime Minister's spouse has no recognized function, duties or title, and the term is not used.
Since the First Lady is not an elected or appointed official, she can not be impeached. For this reason, no country explicitly grants the role of the First Lady with any formal governmental authority. Any authority granted to the First Lady is derivative of the president's authority.
In the United States, the term First Lady is never mentioned in the United States Constitution, nor is it a position that is officially acknowledged for purposes of protocol. Therefore, in her official capacity as the wife of the sitting United States President, she is referred to as (present circumstances) Mrs. George W. Bush; when introduced in company of her husband during official functions, the couple is introduced as President and Mrs. George W. Bush. In informal – non State matters – the wife of the President may also be identified or introduced as First Lady, Laura Bush.
Several First Ladies have, however, exerted considerable power and influence over the course of government despite the lack of a legal mandate (example, Edith Wilson, wife of Woodrow Wilson). They have exercised personal and charismatic authority and have, in some cases, been the de facto head of state acting in the name of their spouse. That use of power has also been a frequent source of controversy and scandal when discovered.
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Duties and ceremony
While the traditions and expectations of a First Lady vary by country and have changed significantly over time, they typically include responsibilities such as:
- hosting during receptions at the Presidential residence;
- advocating on behalf of public causes and charities;
- accompanying their spouse in official travel abroad;
- State functions and other like duties.
Variations
The entire family of the head of state may be known familiarly as the "First Family".
The spouse of the second in command (such as a Vice President) maybe known as the "Second Lady". Less frequently, the family would be known as the "Second Family". While this term has been used in the United States, it is considered outmoded and is not commonly used. Instead, the wife of the Vice President is officially called by her subordinate marital name (in the present circumstance, Mrs. Richard Cheney, on occassions when protocol is enforced, and by her professional name, Lynn Cheney in more informal settings.
In Canada, the spouse of the Prime Minister may occasionally be referred to as the First Lady, although the more usual term is simply "wife (or husband) of the Prime Minister".
Non-Political Uses
It has become commonplace for the title of "First Lady" to be bestowed on women, as a term of endearment, who have proven themselves to be of exceptional talent, even if that talent is non-political. For example, the term has been applied in the enetertainment field to denote the First Lady of American Soul (Aretha Franklin) the First Lady of the Grand Old Opry (Loretta Lynn) and the First Lady of the American Stage (Helen Hayes).
Notable First Ladies
- See also: List of first ladies
- Elena Ceauşescu née Petronescu (Romania; also became Deputy Prime Minister)
- Hillary Clinton née Rodham (United States), now a Senator from New York
- Michèle Duvalier née Bennett (Haiti)
- Simone Duvalier née Ovide "Mama Doc" (Haiti)
- Betty Ford née Bloomer (United States)
- Madame Ngo Dinh Nhu (South Vietnam)
- Nexhmije Hoxha (Albania)
- Jiang Qing (People's Republic of China)
- Eliza Lynch (Paraguay)
- Graça Machel (Mozambique)
- Dolley Madison née Payne (United States)
- Imelda Marcos née Romualdez (Philippines)
- Evita Perón née Duarte (Argentina)
- Eleanor Roosevelt (United States)
- Marta Sahagún de Fox (Mexico)
- Guðrún Katrín Þorbergsdóttir (Iceland)
- Soong May-ling (Republic of China)
- Sinéad de Valera (Republic of Ireland)
- Khaleda Zia (Bangladesh; later became prime minister)
- Jacqueline Kennedy née Bouvier (United States; later married to Aristotle Onassis)
- Aïcha Diori (Niger; executed during botched coup attempt)
- Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings (Ghana)
- Maryam Babangida (Nigeria)
- Cecilia Kadzamira (Malawi)
- Janet Jagan (Guyana)
- Viola Burnham (Guyana)
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