Can an American still be a Countess?

Question

The is this dreadful woman in NYC who married this minor European Count. She now insists everyone refer to her as The Countess, or Countess so and so.

I believe that she has not the right to use the title. She has not given up her US Citizenship, nor has she taken on the citizenship of her husband, The Count.

I always thought Americans were precluded from taking a foreign title.

Like if an American were to be knighted by The Queen, it has to be an "honorary" knighthood rather than a real nighthood.

What can be said to shut this horrible woman up?

Answer 1

She has married a Count and so is a Countess - If she married a Baron would be a Baroness - that is the way for anyone

Answer 2

well like the other girl if she married into his countship then she is a countess so yes she has the title to be called that and if you dont like who she is beeing then dont hang out with her leave it alone its not your life and its not your realtionship

Answer 3

By the way, an American can be knighted by the queen, and be a knight...  

So the same goes for the women married into that family, she is now a countess but I believe only while they are married, if she divorces him then it believe she will no longer be a countess, however is he dies some how she will remain a countess....

Answer 4

If she became an American Citizen and retained her European citizenship in the process,she can call herself "Countess" if she

wants,but if she is solely an American citizen she should be aware that she just can use the honorifc as long as she's married to her husband.She should also be aware that her over-insistence on using the honorific elicits sniggers from the true aristocracy and those Americans with social knowledge.This woman sounds very insecure and needs the title as a source of validation.

I am old enough to remember when Jackie Kennedy's sister married Prince Stanislaus Radziwill.He had become an British citizen and had "relinquished" the title but he still used it;he even went to Buckingham Palace and the Queen didn't mind him using the title,although some other aristocrats had a good laugh over his usage of the title.

Answer 5

Americans can have titles. Only Americans holding (federal, I believe) office in the United States are prohibiting from *accepting* titles or honours of nobility but they can still marry into them or inherit them. Titles transcend nationality or ethnicity. One can be a noble of a country without being resident in it or even a citizen at times.

Every titled noble or royal I know doesn't insist on being "the Countess" or "the Duke" or "the Princess". Only classless people insist on such things and it is *very* unbecoming of a Countess to absolutely insist upon the name.

If people want to shut her up they can call her Mrs de Lesseps and then ignore her protests immediately after.

Answer 6

If she married into it then she can take the title. If you don't like her then don't hang around her.

Answer 7

Legally, she is a countess.  There.  Not here.  We in america do not bow to royalty.  If she wishes to write her name with "countess," no big deal.

However, we do not have to address her as such, or treat her as such.

You may suggest if she wants rank respect, then she could

A- join the military

b- leave the country.

Answer 8

good for her

Answer 9

Ifahn25: a Count is not Royalty.

And actually it could be a matter of debate. I believe she would have to revoke her American citizenship and accept the citizenship of wherever the Count is. Not sure though.