What is a duchess?

Answer 1

A duchess is a lady who holds that title in her own right or as a wife of a duke.
a duchess is married to a duke. they are the equivalent to a Marquise in french history they are one rank higher then a lady in waiting

Answer 2

In Nobiliary terms a Duchess is normally the wife of a Duke, or may be a Duchess in her own right. In Czarist Russia, a Grand Duchess ranked ABOVE a Princess and the four Romanov Girls were so-called. Properly the title Czarevna= colloquially crown princess actual daughter of the Czar, was also used. It is interesting that the woman who claimed to be Anastasia was quite content with the Czarevna ( Princess-Grand duchess) role and never personally styled herself as Czarina or Empress- though certainly the media did- Girl Czarina of all the Russias, indeed. Modest Romanov girl, then again, it is like an Ex-Colonel of the Confederacy looking for combat bonuses-after the Civil war was over and lost. (Yesterday don"t matter if its gone) at least politically.

Answer 3

No. A Duchess is the wife of a Duke. A Duchess can be a princess. But being queen is a higher title than duchess.