1

First Lady is an unofficial term that is applied to the female spouse of an elected male head of state or head of government.

First Lady è un termine non ufficiale riferito al coniuge femminile di un eletto capo di stato o capo di governo di sesso maschile.

2

Although the words "first lady" were previously used in combination to refer to women, use of the title to refer to the spouse of an executive is credited to the United States where it was first widely used in 1877 to refer to Lucy Webb Hayes, popular wife of President Rutherford B. Hayes.

Sebbene le parole “first lady” in precedenza erano usate insieme per riferirsi alle donne, l’uso del titolo in riferimento al coniuge di un dirigente è attribuito agli Stati Uniti, dove esso fu ampiamente usato per la prima volta nel 1877 per riferirsi a Lucy Webb Hayes, la popolare moglie del Presidente Rutherford B. Hayes.

3

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.

In molti paesi (come nel Regno Unito), il consorte del Primo Ministro non ha una funzione, dei doveri o un titolo riconosciuti, ed il termine non viene usato.

4

In Canada, the closest equivalent is the Viceregal Consort, the husband or wife of the Governor General.

In Canada il termine equivalente più vicino è Consorte Vicereale, il marito o la moglie del Governatore Generale.

5

(Three of these, including the current consort, have been men.)

(Tre di questi, incluso il coniuge attuale, erano uomini).

6

Since the First Lady is not an elected or appointed official, she can not be impeached.

Dato che la First Lady non è un funzionario eletto o nominato, non può essere incriminata.

7

For this reason, no country explicitly grants the role of the First Lady with any formal governmental authority.

Per questo motivo nessun paese conferisce esplicitamente al ruolo della First Lady alcuna formale autorità governativa.

8

Any authority granted to the First Lady is derivative of the president's authority.

Qualsiasi potere concesso alla First Lady deriva dall’autorità del Presidente.

9

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.

Negli Stati Uniti, il termine First Lady non è mai menzionato nella Costituzione degli Stati Uniti, nè esso rappresenta una posizione ufficialmente riconosciuta per scopi di protocollo.

10

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;

Perciò, nella sua ufficiale posizione di moglie del Presidente in carica degli Stati Uniti, lei è chiamata (nella situazione attuale) Signora George W. Bush;

11

when introduced in company of her husband during official functions, the couple is introduced as President and Mrs. George W. Bush.

quando presentata in compagnia di suo marito nelle occasioni ufficiali, la coppia è presentata come Presidente e Signora George W. Bush.

12

In informal – non State matters – the wife of the President may also be identified or introduced as First Lady, Laura Bush.

Nelle questioni informali, non di stato, la moglie del Presidente può anche essere riconosciuta o presentata come la First Lady, Laura Bush.

13

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).

Molte First Ladies, comunque, hanno esercitato un potere ed un’influenza considerevoli sull’andamento del governo, nonostante la mancanza di un mandato legale (ad esempio, Edith Wilson, moglie di Woodrow Wilson).

14

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.

Esse hanno esercitato un’autorità personale e carismatica, e in alcuni casi sono state il Capo di Stato di fatto agendo in nome del loro consorte.

15

That use of power has also been a frequent source of controversy and scandal when discovered.

Tale uso di potere, quando scoperto, è anche stato una frequente fonte di controversia e scandalo.

16

Duties and ceremony

Doveri e cerimoniale

17

While the traditions and expectations of a First Lady vary by country and have changed significantly over time, they typically include responsibilities such as:

Sebbene le tradizioni e le prospettive di una First Lady variano di paese in paese e sono cambiate in modo significativo nel tempo, esse includono tipicamente responsabilità quali:

18

• hosting during receptions at the Presidential residence;

• Accogliere gli ospiti durante i ricevimenti presso la residenza presidenziale;

19

• advocating on behalf of public causes and charities;

 • sostenere le cause pubbliche e le opere di beneficenza:

20

• accompanying their spouse in official travel abroad;

 • accompagnare il loro consorte nei viagi ufficiali all’estero;

21

• State functions and other like duties.

 • mansioni di stato e doveri di questo genere.

22

Variations

Variazioni

The entire family of the head of state may be known familiarly as the "First Family".

L’intera famiglia del Capo di Stato può essere conosciuta in via confidenziale come la “First Family”.

The spouse of the second in command (such as a Vice President) maybe known as the "Second Lady".

La moglie del Sostituto (come il Vice Presidente) può essere chiamata “Second Lady”.

Less frequently, the family would be known as the "Second Family".

Meno frequentemente la famiglia potrebbe essere chiamata “Second Family”.

While this term has been used in the United States, it is considered outmoded and is not commonly used.

Anche se questo termine è stato usato negli Stati Uniti, esso è considerato superato e none normalmente usato.

Instead, the wife of the Vice President is officially called by her subordinate marital name

La moglie del Vice Presidente, invece, è ufficialmente chiamata con il suo nome coniugale secondario

(in the present circumstance, Mrs. Richard Cheney, on occasions when protocol is enforced, and by her professional name, Lynn Cheney in more informal settings.)

(attualmente, la Signora Richard Cheney, nele occasioni in cui il protocollo è imposto, e con il suo nome professionale, Lynn Cheney, in ambienti più informali).

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".

In Canada, al coniuge del Primo Ministro ci si può riferire occasionalmente come la First Lady, sebbene il termine più usuale sia semplicemente “moglie (o marito) del Primo Ministro”.

In situations where the head of state or government is a woman, the term "First Gentleman" is sometimes, but infrequently, used.

Nelle situazioni in cui il Capo di Stato o di Governo è una donna, il termine “First Gentleman” è a volte usato, ma raramente.

Park Geunhye, currently the head of the Grand National Party of Korea, has been referred to as the First Lady to South Korean President Park Chung Hee.

Park Geunhye, attualmente a capo del Partito Nazionale della Corea, è stata chiamata la First Lady del Presidente della Corea del Sud Park Chung Hee.

Although she had been President Park's daughter, the title was bestowed to her after her mother's death.

Sebbene lei sia la figlia del Presidente Park, il titolo le fu conferito dopo la morte della madre.

Non-Political Uses

Usi non politici

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.

E’ ormai diventato comune conferire il titolo di “First Lady”, come appellativo affettuoso, a delle donne che si sono rivelate di un talento eccezionale, anche se questo talento non è politico.

For example, the term has been applied in the entertainment 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).

Il termine, per esempio, è stato impiegato nel campo dell’intrattenimento per indicare la First Lady del Soul americano (Aretha Franklin), la First Lady dello show radiofonico Grand Old Opry (Loretta Lynn) e la First Lady del palcoscenico americano (Helen Hayes).

Notable First Ladies & Gentlemen

First Ladies & First Gentlemen celebri

Notable First Ladies

First Ladies celebri

Elena Ceausescu née Petronescu (Romania; also became Deputy Prime Minister)

Elena Ceausescu, nata Petronescu (Romania; diventò anche Vice Primo Ministro).

Hillary Rodham Clinton (United States), now a Senator from New York

Hillary Rodham Clinton (Stati Uniti), ora Senatore di New York

Michèle Duvalier née Bennett (Haiti)

Michèle Duvalier, nata Bennett (Haiti)

Simone Duvalier née Ovide "Mama Doc" (Haiti)

Simone Duvalier, nata Ovide “Mama Doc” (Haiti)

Betty Ford née Bloomer (United States)

Betty Ford, nata Bloomer (Stati Uniti)

Madame Ngo Dinh Nhu (South Vietnam)

Signora Ngo Dinh Nhu (Vietnam del Sud)

Nexhmije Hoxha (Albania)

Nexhmije Hoxha (Albania)

Jiang Qing (People's Republic of China)

Jiang Qing (Repubblica Popolare Cinese)

Eliza Lynch (Paraguay)

Eliza Lynch (Paraguay)

Graça Machel (Mozambique; widowed in 1986, she married President Nelson Mandela of South Africa in July 1998, and is unique in having been first lady of two nations)

Graça Machel (Mozambico; rimasta vedova nel 1986, sposò il Presidente del Sudafrica Nelson Mandela nel Luglio 1998, ed è l’unica ad essere stata First Lady di due nazioni)

Dolley Madison née Payne (United States)

Dolley Madison, nata Payne (Stati Uniti)

Imelda Marcos née Romualdez (Philippines)

Imelda Marcos, nata Romualdez (Filippine)

Evita Perón née Duarte (Argentina)

Evita Peron, nata Duarte (Argentina)

Eleanor Roosevelt (United States)

Eleanor Roosevelt (Stati Uniti)

Marta Sahagún de Fox (Mexico)

Marta Sahagùn (Messico)

Guðrún Katrín Þorbergsdóttir (Iceland)

Guðrún Katrín Þorbergsdóttir  (Islanda)

Soong May-ling (Republic of China)

Soong May-Ling (Repubblica Cinese)

Sinéad de Valera (Republic of Ireland)

Sinéad de Valera (Repubblica d’Irlanda)

Khaleda Zia (Bangladesh; later became prime minister)

Khaleda Zia (Bangladesh; in seguito diventò Primo Ministro)

Jacqueline Kennedy née Bouvier (United States; later married to Aristotle Onassis)

Jacqueline Kennedy, nata Bouvier (Stati Uniti; in seguito sposata a Aristotele Onassis)

Aïcha Diori (Niger; executed during botched coup attempt)

Aīcha Diori (Niger; giustiziata durante un tentativo di colpo di stato mal organizzato)

Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings (Ghana)

Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings (Ghana)

Maryam Babangida (Nigeria)

Maryam Babangida (Nigeria)

Cecilia Kadzamira (Malawi)

Cecilia Kadzamira (Malawi)

Janet Jagan (Guyana)

Janet Jagan (Guyana)

Viola Burnham (Guyana)

Viola Burnham (Guyana)

Juana Manuela Gorriti (Bolivia)

Juana Manuela Gorriti (Bolivia) 

Notable First Gentlemen

 First Gentlemen celebri

Dr. Pentti Arajärvi (Finland)

 Dott. Pentti Arajärvi (Finlandia)

First Lady is an unofficial term that is applied to the female spouse of an elected male head of state or head of government.

Although the words "first lady" were previously used in combination to refer to women, use of the title to refer to the spouse of an executive is credited to the United States where it was first widely used in 1877 to refer to Lucy Webb Hayes, popular wife of President 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.

In Canada, the closest equivalent is the Viceregal Consort, the husband or wife of the Governor General.

(Three of these, including the current consort, have been men.)

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.

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 occasions 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".

In situations where the head of state or government is a woman, the term "First Gentleman" is sometimes, but infrequently, used.

Park Geunhye, currently the head of the Grand National Party of Korea, has been referred to as the First Lady to South Korean President Park Chung Hee.

Although she had been President Park's daughter, the title was bestowed to her after her mother's death.

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 entertainment 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 & Gentlemen

Notable First Ladies

Elena Ceausescu née Petronescu (Romania; also became Deputy Prime Minister)

Hillary Rodham Clinton (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; widowed in 1986, she married President Nelson Mandela of South Africa in July 1998, and is unique in having been first lady of two nations)

Dolley Madison née Payne (United States)