Precedence

Precedence

Precedence. The taking place according to the degree, rank, or station in life. The Order of Precedency.

• The Sovereign.
• The Prince of Wales,
• The Queen's younger Sons.
• Grandsons of the Sovereign.
• The Archbishop of Canterbury,
• The Lord High Chancellor.
• The Archbishop of York.
• The Lord President of the Council.
• The Lord Privy Seal.
• The Lord Great Chamberlain.
• The Earl Marshal.
• The Lord Steward of Her Majesty's Household.
• The Lord Chamberlain.
• The last four rank above all Peers of their own degree.
• Dukes, according to their Patents of Creation.
• 1. Of England. 2. Of Scotland. 3. Of Great Britain. 4. Of Ireland. 5. Those created since the Union.
• Marquises according to their Patents, in the same order as Dukes.
• Dukes' eldest Sons.
• Earls, according to their Patents,
• in the game order as Dukes.
• Marquises' eldest Sons.
• Dukes' younger Sons.
• Viscounts, according to their Patents, in the same order as Dukes.
• Earls' eldest Sons.
• Marquises' younger Sons.
• Bishops of London, Durham, and Winchester.
• All other English Bishops, according to their seniority of Consecration.
• Bishops of the Irish Church, created before 1869, according to seniority.
• Secretaries of State, if of the degree of a Baron.
• Barons, according to their Patents, in the same order as Dukes.
• Speaker of the House of Commons.
• Treasurer of H.M.'s Household.
• Comptroller of H.M.'s Household.
• Master of the Horse.
• Vice-Chamberlain of Household.
• Secretaries of State under the degree of Barons.
• Viscounts' eldest Sons.
• Earls' younger Sons.
• Barons' eldest Sons.
• Knights of the Garter.
• Privy Councillors.
• Chancellor of the Exchequer.
• Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
• Lord Chief Justice Queen's Bench.
• Master of the Rolls.
• The Lords Justices of Appeal.
• Lords of Appeal.
• Judges according to seniority.
• Viscounts' younger Sons.
• Barons' younger Sons.
• Baronets of England, Scotland, Ireland, and
• United Kingdom, according to date of Patents.
• Knights of the Thistle.
• Knights of St. Patrick.
• Knights Grand Cross of the Bath.
• Knights Grand Commanders of the Star of India.
• Knights Grand Cross of St. Michael and St. George.
• Knights Grand Commanders of the Indian Empire.
• Knights Commanders of the Bath.
• Knights Commanders of the Star of India. Knights Commanders of St Michael and St. George.
• Knights Commanders of the Indian Empire.
• Knights Bachelors.
• Judges of County Courts.
• Companions of the Bath.
• Companions of the Star of India.
• Companions of St. Michael and St. George.
• Companions of the Indian Empire.
• Companions of the Distinguished Service Order.
• Eldest Sons of the younger Sons of Peers.
• Baronets' eldest Sons.
• Eldest Sons of Knights : 1. Garter. 2. Thistle. 3. St. Patrick. 4. The Bath. 5. Star of India. 6. St. Michael & St. George. 7. Indian Empire. 8. Knights Bachelors.
• Younger Sons of the younger Sons of Peers.
• Baronets' younger Sons.
• Younger Sons of Knights in the same order as eldest Sons.
• Esquires.
• Persons holding the Queen's commission in Civil, Naval, or Military capacity.
• Members of the Royal Academy of Arts.
• Barristers.
• Masters of Arts and Bachelors of Law.
• Clergymen.
• Gentlemen entitled to bear arms.

Women take the same rank as their husbands, or as their brothers ; but the daughterof a peer marrying a Commoner retains her Title as Lady or Honourable. Daughters of Peers rank next immediately after the wives of their elder brothers, and before their younger brothers' wives. Daughters of Peers marrying Peers of lower degree take the same order of precedency as that of their husbands ; thus the daughter of a Duke marrying a Baron degrades to the rank of Baroness only, while her sisters married to commoners retain their rank and take precedence of the Baroness. Merely official rank on the husband's part does not give any similar precedence to the wife.

Local Precedency. No written code of county or city order of precedence has beenpromulgated. but naturally in the county the Lord-Lieutenant stands first, and secondly the High sheriff. In London and other Corporations the Mayor stands first, after him the Sheriffs, Aldermen. Chief Officers, and Livery. At Oxford and Cambridge the High sheriff takes precedence of the Vice-Chancellor.