What is the ceremony which peers go through in the UK to become peers?

Question

Is it like being knighted, ie. touched on the shoulders by a sword held by the Queen? Or is there some other ceremony? Where can i read about the detail of what takes place? (I'm writing a play and need to get it right!)

Answer 1

In the United Kingdom, life peers are created members of the Peerage whose titles may not be inherited (those whose titles are inheritable are known as hereditary peers). Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as age and citizenship. The legitimate children of a life peer take the privilege of children of hereditary barons, being entitled to style themselves with the prefix the Honourable.

Individuals may be created peers in various honours lists as rewards for achievement; these peers are not expected to be regular attendees of the House of Lords, but are at liberty to do so if they please. The New Year Honours List, the Birthday Honours List (to mark the Sovereign's official birthday, the second Saturday in June), the Dissolution Honours List (to mark the dissolution of Parliament) and the Resignation Honours List (to mark the end of a Prime Minister's tenure) have all been used to announce life peerage creations. Since the establishment of the House of Lords Appointments Commission, the various honours lists have no longer been used to announce life peerages. Partisan appointments are, however, still sometimes announced in this way.

Answer 2

There are hereditary peers, and life peers in Britain.

A hereditary peer inherits the title. Most titles go to the first born son, or if there is no son, to the next oldest brother, or then to that brother's sons. This transfer is immediate on the death of the peer, and requires no ceremony or approval of the monarch.

Life peers are honors granted by the monarch, and do involve a ceremony. I'm rather more up on history than current forms. I'd look for references to Dame Margret Thatcher, see when she was made a peer, for coverage of the ceremony. As a former Prime Minister, there'd have been plenty of coverage.