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Courtesy titles in the United Kingdom
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Courtesy titles in the United Kingdom
A courtesy title is a form of address and/or reference in the British system of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer, as well as certain officials such as some judges and members of the Scottish gentry. These styles are used "by courtesy" in the sense that persons referred to by these titles do not in law hold the substantive title. There are several different kinds of courtesy titles in the British peerage system.
If a peer of one of the top three ranks of the peerage (a duke, a marquess or an earl) has more than one title, his eldest son – himself not a peer – may use one of his father's lesser titles "by courtesy". However, the father continues to be the substantive holder of the peerage title, and the son is using the title by courtesy only, unless issued a writ of acceleration.[citation needed] The eldest son of the eldest son of a duke or marquess may use a still lower title, if one exists. In legal documents, the courtesy title is implied, but not used directly – that is, the name of the person is given, followed by "commonly called [title]".
For example, the Duke of Norfolk is also Earl of Arundel and Baron Maltravers. His eldest son is, therefore, styled "Earl of Arundel" ("the" does not precede it, as this would indicate a substantive title). Lord Arundel's eldest son (should he have one during his father's lifetime) would be styled "Lord Maltravers". However, only the Duke of Norfolk is actually a peer; his son Lord Arundel and his hypothetical grandson Lord Maltravers are not.
Courtesy titles are used by the peer's eldest living son, and the eldest son's eldest living son, and so forth, only; other descendants are not permitted to use the peer's subsidiary titles. Only the heir apparent (and heir apparent to the heir apparent, and so on) may use them. An heir presumptive (for instance, a brother, nephew, or cousin) does not use a courtesy title. However, Scottish practice allows the style Master/Mistress of X to an heir presumptive as well as to an heir apparent; for example, the brother of the present Marquess of Tweeddale, Lord Alistair Hay, has the title Master of Tweeddale.
Holders of courtesy titles do not, at the Court of St James's, have their title preceded by "the": "Earl of Arundel" rather than "the Earl of Arundel", for instance.
Wives are entitled to use the feminine forms of their husbands' courtesy titles. Thus, the wife of an Earl of Arundel would be styled "Countess of Arundel" (again, without the definite article in front).
The children (either male or female) of holders of courtesy titles bear the styles as would be theirs if their fathers actually held the peerages by which they were known; for example, Serena Stanhope, daughter of Viscount Petersham (heir to the Earl of Harrington), had the style of the Honourable, which is reserved for daughters of viscounts and barons, a title which her father held by courtesy only.
The actual courtesy title which is used is a matter of family tradition. For instance, the eldest son of the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry is styled "Earl of Dalkeith", even though the duke is also Marquess of Dumfriesshire, a title that outranks the earldom. Similarly, the eldest son of the Marquess of Londonderry is styled "Viscount Castlereagh", even though the marquess is also Earl Vane.
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Courtesy titles in the United Kingdom
A courtesy title is a form of address and/or reference in the British system of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer, as well as certain officials such as some judges and members of the Scottish gentry. These styles are used "by courtesy" in the sense that persons referred to by these titles do not in law hold the substantive title. There are several different kinds of courtesy titles in the British peerage system.
If a peer of one of the top three ranks of the peerage (a duke, a marquess or an earl) has more than one title, his eldest son – himself not a peer – may use one of his father's lesser titles "by courtesy". However, the father continues to be the substantive holder of the peerage title, and the son is using the title by courtesy only, unless issued a writ of acceleration.[citation needed] The eldest son of the eldest son of a duke or marquess may use a still lower title, if one exists. In legal documents, the courtesy title is implied, but not used directly – that is, the name of the person is given, followed by "commonly called [title]".
For example, the Duke of Norfolk is also Earl of Arundel and Baron Maltravers. His eldest son is, therefore, styled "Earl of Arundel" ("the" does not precede it, as this would indicate a substantive title). Lord Arundel's eldest son (should he have one during his father's lifetime) would be styled "Lord Maltravers". However, only the Duke of Norfolk is actually a peer; his son Lord Arundel and his hypothetical grandson Lord Maltravers are not.
Courtesy titles are used by the peer's eldest living son, and the eldest son's eldest living son, and so forth, only; other descendants are not permitted to use the peer's subsidiary titles. Only the heir apparent (and heir apparent to the heir apparent, and so on) may use them. An heir presumptive (for instance, a brother, nephew, or cousin) does not use a courtesy title. However, Scottish practice allows the style Master/Mistress of X to an heir presumptive as well as to an heir apparent; for example, the brother of the present Marquess of Tweeddale, Lord Alistair Hay, has the title Master of Tweeddale.
Holders of courtesy titles do not, at the Court of St James's, have their title preceded by "the": "Earl of Arundel" rather than "the Earl of Arundel", for instance.
Wives are entitled to use the feminine forms of their husbands' courtesy titles. Thus, the wife of an Earl of Arundel would be styled "Countess of Arundel" (again, without the definite article in front).
The children (either male or female) of holders of courtesy titles bear the styles as would be theirs if their fathers actually held the peerages by which they were known; for example, Serena Stanhope, daughter of Viscount Petersham (heir to the Earl of Harrington), had the style of the Honourable, which is reserved for daughters of viscounts and barons, a title which her father held by courtesy only.
The actual courtesy title which is used is a matter of family tradition. For instance, the eldest son of the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry is styled "Earl of Dalkeith", even though the duke is also Marquess of Dumfriesshire, a title that outranks the earldom. Similarly, the eldest son of the Marquess of Londonderry is styled "Viscount Castlereagh", even though the marquess is also Earl Vane.