What is the British aristocratic rank structure?

Question

So that I can better understand it correctly please write in in order starting from the lowest to the highest rank? i.e. Sir, Lord, Baron, etc...

Answer 1

First of all, members of a peer's family who aren't themselves peers are commoners, including members of the royal family whereas on the European Continent members of the peer's family were traditionally considered part of the peerage themselves.  In descending order of rank, British peers include the following:

------Duke (wife is a Duchess) Example: Duke of York, Prince Andrew

------Marquess (wife is a Marchioness) Example: George Mountbatten, 4th Marquess of Milford Haven

------Earl (wife is a Countess) Example: Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward

------Viscount (wife is a Viscountess) Example: Charles Edward Maurice Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer (Lady Diana Spencer younger brother)

------Baron (wife is a Lady; in Scotland called "Lord of Parliament") Examples: 6th Baron Byron, George Gordon Byron, the poet (1788-1824), Alfred Tennyson, first Baron Tennyson, Poet Laurette  (1809-1892)

Baronets, while holders of royal title, are not considered peers.  Examples: Sir Robert Baden-Powell (founder of the Boy Scouts), Sir James Matthew Barrie (author of "Peter Pan")

The lowest rank is Knight, whose wife is a Lady.  A woman similarly recognized is called a Dame. Examples pulled at random from Queen's Birthday List, June 2005:  Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Sacks, Pritpal Singh

A peerage can either be hereditary or only for the peer's life, for instance, former Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, or Baroness Thatcher, only holds a life peerage.  Her son will not inherit her title.

Answer 2

Sir - Knight or hereditary Baronet (Female equivalent -Dame)

Baron/Lord - Peer, can be hereditary or for life (Femal equivalent -Baroness). Lord and Baron are equivalent titles and usually interchangeable - the wife of a Baron is titled Lady unless she has a title in her own right.

Above that are Viscounts (Wives - Viscountess), then Earls (Wives- Countess, female earls also countesses but with a number), then Marquesses (Single - Marqess, wife- Marchioness).Finally Dukes (Wife-Duchess). Dukes can have the title HRH if they are closely realted to the reigning Monarch e.g. Current Royal dukes are the Queen's sons and cousins.

Answer 3

The Royal Family:

King and/or Queen

Prince/Princess of Wales(first born)

Prince/Princess (siblings)

The Peerage:

Duke and/or Duchess

Marquess and/or Marchioness

Earl and/or Countess (Count is European,but not British)

Viscount and/or Viscountess

Baron and/or Baroness

The Gentry:

Baronet and/or Baronetess

Knight and Lady (if the lady is knighted, she is a Dame)

Note: Men NEVER take their wives' titles. Women take rank from their fathers, and only from their husbands if the husband is of higher rank.