The following is the

order of precedence An order of precedence is a sequential hierarchy of nominal importance and can be applied to individuals, groups, or organizations. Most often it is used in the context of people by many organizations and governments, for very formal and state o ...

England and Wales England and Wales () is one of the three legal jurisdictions of the United Kingdom. It covers the constituent countries England and Wales and was formed by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. The substantive law of the jurisdiction is En ...

as of . Separate orders exist for men and

women A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or Adolescence, adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female hum ...

. Names in italics indicate that these people rank elsewhere—either higher in that table of precedence or in the table for the other sex. Titles in italics indicate the same thing for their holders, or that they are vacant. Peers and their families make up a large part of these tables. It is possible for a peer to hold more than one title of nobility, and these may belong to different ranks and peerages. A peer derives his precedence from his highest-ranking title; peeresses derive their precedence in the same way, whether they hold their highest-ranking title in their own right or by marriage. The ranks in the tables refer to peers rather than titles: if exceptions are named for a rank, these do not include peers of a higher rank (or any peers at all, in the case of baronets). No exceptions are named for most categories, owing to their large size.

Men

Royalty, archbishops, et al.

Royal family

Precedence is accorded to spouses, children and grandchildren of the reigning sovereign, as well as children and grandchildren of former sovereigns.

Archbishops, High Officers of State, et al.

Nobility, bishops, et al.

Dukes, et al.

Marquesses, et al.

Earls, et al.

Viscounts, et al.

Bishops

Barons/Lords of Parliament

Gentry, et al.

Master of the Rolls and Supreme Court Justices

Royal Household officials

Cabinet, et al.

The Prime Minister determines the order of precedence for Secretaries of State as part of the

ministerial ranking The ministerial ranking, Cabinet ranking, order of precedence in Cabinet or order of precedence of ministers is the "pecking order" or relative importance of senior ministers in the UK government. Use The ministerial ranking is said by Peter ...

(also known as the order of precedence in Cabinet).

Knights of the Garter and Knights of the Thistle

Privy Counsellors, et al.

Senior judges, et al.

Baronets

Knights

Lower level judges, et al.

Other lower ranks, including
esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentlema ...
s and
gentlemen A gentleman (Old French: ''gentilz hom'', gentle + man) is any man of good and courteous conduct. Originally, ''gentleman'' was the lowest rank of the landed gentry of England, ranking below an esquire and above a yeoman; by definition, the r ...

Companions, commanders, lieutenants and officers of various orders

Eldest sons of various grades

Members of various orders

Younger sons of various grades

Women

Royal Family

The order of precedence accorded to women of the royal family:

High Officers of State, et al.

Nobility and bishops

Duchesses, et al.

Marchionesses, et al.

Countesses, et al.

Viscountesses, et al.

Female bishops

Baronesses

Gentry, et al.

Supreme Court Justices

Royal Household officials

Cabinet, et al.

The Prime Minister determines the order of precedence for Secretaries of State as part of the

(also known as the order of precedence in Cabinet).

Ladies and dames, et al.

Ladies of the Garter and Ladies of the Thistle

Wives of Knights of the Garter

Wives of Knights of the Thistle

Privy Counsellors, et al.

Senior judges, et al.

Dames

Lower level judges

Members of orders, et al.

* Companions of orders ** Companions of the Order of the Bath ** Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George ** Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order ** Commanders of the Order of the British EmpireCherie Blair CBE also has a higher precedence as the wife of Sir Tony Blair KG * Wives of Companions of the following Orders: ** Order of the Bath ** Order of the Star of India ** Order of St Michael and St George ** Order of the Indian Empire ** Royal Victorian Order ** Order of the British Empire * Wives of Companions of the

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, ty ...

* Lieutenants of the Royal Victorian Order * Officers of the Order of the British Empire * Wives of Lieutenants of the Royal Victorian Order * Wives of Officers of the Order of the British Empire * Companions of the

Imperial Service Order The Imperial Service Order was established by King Edward VII in August 1902. It was awarded on retirement to the administration and clerical staff of the Civil Service throughout the British Empire for long and meritorious service. Normally a p ...

* Wives of Companions of the Imperial Service Order

Wives and daughters of peers, baronets, and knights, et al.

* Wives of the eldest sons of sons of peers or peeresses * Daughters of sons of peers or peeresses * Wives of the eldest sons of baronets * Daughters of baronets * Wives of eldest sons of knights: ** Knights of the Garter ** Knights of the Thistle ** Knights of St Patrick ** Knights Grand Cross or Grand Commander ** Knights Commander * Daughters of knights: ** Daughters of Knights of the Garter ** Daughters of Knights of the Thistle ** Daughters of Knights Grand Cross or Grand Commander ** Daughters of Knights Commander * Members of the Royal Victorian Order * Members of the Order of the British Empire * Wives of members of the Royal Victorian Order * Wives of members of the Order of the British Empire

Wives of younger sons

* Wives of younger sons of baronets * Wives of younger sons of knights: ** Knights of the Garter ** Knights of the Thistle ** Knights of St Patrick ** Knights Grand Cross or Knights Grand Commander ** Knights Commander

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Order Of Precedence In England And Wales

England and Wales