Order of precedence in England and Wales
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Precedence
The following is the order of precedence in England and Wales as of August 2025. Separate orders exist for men and women.
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.
GentlemenEdit
Royalty, archbishops, et al.Edit
Royal familyEdit
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.Edit
Nobility, bishops, et al.Edit
Dukes, et al.Edit
Note | Ref | ||
---|---|---|---|
Template:Flagicon image Royal dukes not grandsons of former sovereigns | None at present | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Template:Flagicon England | Ordered according to date of creation | Template:Efn | |
Template:Flagicon Scotland | Ordered according to date of creation | ||
Template:Flagicon Great Britain | Ordered according to date of creation | ||
Template:Flagicon Ireland | Maurice FitzGerald, 9th Duke of Leinster | ||
Template:Flagicon United Kingdom | Ordered according to date of creation | Template:Efn | |
Eldest sons of royal dukes who are not already ranked higher |
Alexander Windsor, Earl of Ulster (son of the Duke of Gloucester) | ||
George Windsor, Earl of St Andrews (son of the Duke of Kent) | |||
Ministers, envoys, and other very important visitors from foreign countries |
Marquesses, et al.Edit
Note | Ref | |
---|---|---|
Template:Flagicon England | Marquess of Winchester | |
Template:Flagicon Scotland | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon Great Britain | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon Ireland | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon United Kingdom | Ordered according to date of creation | Template:Efn |
Eldest sons of dukes according to the precedence of the peerage holders |
Earls, et al.Edit
Note | Ref | |
---|---|---|
Template:Flagicon England | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon Scotland | Ordered according to the Decreet of Ranking of 1606 according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon Great Britain | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon Ireland | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon United Kingdom | Ordered according to date of creation | Template:Efn |
Template:Efn | ||
Template:Efn | ||
Younger sons of royal dukes who are not already ranked higher |
Lord Nicholas Windsor (second son of the Duke of Kent) | |
Eldest sons of marquesses according to the precedence of the peerage holders | ||
Eldest sons of eldest sons of dukes according to the precedence of the peerage holders | ||
Younger sons of dukes according to the precedence of the peerage holders | ||
Younger sons of eldest sons of dukes according to the precedence of the peerage holders |
Viscounts, et al.Edit
Note | Ref | |
---|---|---|
Template:Flagicon England | Robin Devereux, 19th Viscount Hereford | |
Template:Flagicon Scotland | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon Great Britain | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon Ireland | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon United Kingdom | Ordered according to date of creation | Template:Efn |
Eldest sons of earls according to the precedence of the peerage holders | ||
Lord Frederick Windsor (only son of Prince Michael of Kent) | <ref name="Heraldica"/> | |
Eldest sons of eldest sons of marquesses ordered according to the precedence of the peerage holders | ||
Younger sons of marquesses ordered according to the precedence of the peerage holders | ||
Younger sons of eldest sons of marquesses ordered according to the precedence of the peerage holders |
BishopsEdit
Title | Holder | Ref | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Diocesan bishops with seats in the House of Lords – ex officio | Bishop of London | style="background: Template:Party color; width: 1px;" | | Dame Sarah Mullally | Office held by a woman | Template:Efn<ref name="1539Act3"/> |
Bishop of Durham | Vacant | ||||
Bishop of Winchester | Philip Mounstephen | ||||
Other diocesan bishops with seats in the House of Lords ordered according to seniority of confirmation of election | Template:Efn | ||||
Other diocesan bishops ordered according to seniority of confirmation of election | |||||
Suffragan bishops ordered according to seniority of consecration | |||||
Retired Church of England diocesan archbishops and bishops ordered according to original date of confirmation of election |
Barons/Lords of ParliamentEdit
Order of precedence | Notes | |
---|---|---|
Secretaries of State Being of the degree of a baron |
||
Template:Flagicon England | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon Scotland | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon Great Britain | Ordered according to date of creation | Template:Efn |
Template:Flagicon Ireland | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon United Kingdom | Ordered according to date of creation | Template:Efn |
Template:Efn | ||
Template:Efn | ||
Template:Efn | ||
Template:Efn | ||
Template:Efn |
Gentry, et al.Edit
Master of the Rolls and Supreme Court JusticesEdit
Royal Household officialsEdit
Title | Holder | Ref | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal | None; last appointed in 1850 | <ref name="Heraldica"/> | |||
Treasurer of the Household | style="background: Template:Party color; width: 1px;" | | Mark Tami | |||
Comptroller of the Household | Chris Elmore | ||||
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household | Samantha Dixon | Office held by a woman |
Cabinet, et al.Edit
Title |
---|
Secretaries of State Under the degree of a Baron |
Eldest sons of viscounts according to the precedence of the peerage holders |
Eldest sons of eldest sons of earls according to the precedence of the peerage holders |
Younger sons of earls according to the precedence of the peerage holders |
Younger sons of eldest sons of earls according to the precedence of the peerage holders |
Eldest sons of barons according to the precedence of the peerage holders |
The Prime Minister determines the order of precedence for Secretaries of State as part of the ministerial ranking (also known as the order of precedence in Cabinet).
Knights Companion of the Order of the Garter and Knights of the Order of the ThistleEdit
Order | Post-nominal letters | Holder | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Knights Companion of the Order of the Garter | KG | style="background: Template:Party color; width: 1px;" | | Sir John Major | Template:Efn |
style="background: Template:Party color; width: 1px;" | | Sir Tony Blair | |||
Knights of the Order of the Thistle | KT | Sir Ian Wood | ||
style="background: Template:Party color; width: 1px;" | | Sir George Reid | |||
Sir Geoff Palmer | ||||
Knights of the Order of St Patrick | KP | None; order dormant | Template:Efn |
Privy Counsellors, et al.Edit
Privy Counsellors | Holder | Ref | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Privy Counsellors (PC) | style="background: Template:Party color; width: 1px;" | | Ordered according to date of oath-taking | Template:Efn | ||
Chancellor of the Order of the Garter | Eliza Manningham Buller, Baroness Manningham-Buller | Office held by a woman | |||
Chancellor of the Exchequer | style="background: Template:Party color; width: 1px;" | | Rachel Reeves | Office held by a woman | ||
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | style="background: Template:Party color; width: 1px;" | | Pat McFadden | Template:Efn |
Senior judges, et al.Edit
Holder | Ref | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Senior Judges | President of the King's Bench Division | style="background: Template:Party color; width: 1px;" | | Dame Victoria Sharp | Office held by a woman | Template:Efn<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref>Template:Efn | |
President of the Family Division | style="background: Template:Party color; width: 1px;" | | Sir Andrew McFarlane | Template:Efn | ||||
Chancellor of the High Court | style="background: Template:Party color; width: 1px;" | | Sir Julian Flaux | Template:Efn | ||||
Lords Justices of Appeal | Ordered according to seniority of appointment | Template:Efn | |||||
Judges of the High Court | Ordered according to seniority of appointment | Template:Efn | |||||
Eldest sons of eldest sons of viscounts according to the precedence of the peerage holders | |||||||
Younger sons of viscounts according to the precedence of the peerage holders | |||||||
Younger sons of eldest sons of viscounts according to the precedence of the peerage holders | |||||||
Eldest sons of eldest sons of barons according to the precedence of the peerage holders | |||||||
Younger sons of barons according to the precedence of the peerage holders | |||||||
Younger sons of eldest sons of barons according to the precedence of the peerage holders | |||||||
All sons of life peers according to the precedence of the peerage holders | Template:Efn |
BaronetsEdit
Post-nominal letters | Ref | ||
---|---|---|---|
Baronets | Bt | Template:Efn |
KnightsEdit
Level | Order | Post-nominal letters | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Knights Grand Cross | Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath | GCB | ||
Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India | GCSI | Template:Efn | ||
Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George | GCMG | |||
Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire | GCIE | Template:Efn | ||
Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order | GCVO | |||
Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire | GBE | |||
Knights Commander | Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath | KCB | ||
Knights Commander of the Order of the Star of India | KCSI | Template:Efn | ||
Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George | KCMG | |||
Knights Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire | KCIE | Template:Efn | ||
Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order | KCVO | |||
Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire | KBE | |||
Knights Bachelor | (None) | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Lower level judges, et al.Edit
Title | Holder | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|
Vice-Chancellor of the County Palatine of Lancaster | Sir Timothy Fancourt | Template:Efn | |
Recorder of London | Mark Lucraft | ||
Recorders of Liverpool and Manchester | Template:Efn | ||
Recorder of Liverpool | Andrew Menary | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Recorder of Manchester | Nicholas Dean | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Common Serjeant of London | Richard Marks | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Circuit Judges |
Other lower ranks, including esquires and gentlemenEdit
Companions, commanders, lieutenants and officers of various ordersEdit
Order | Post-nominal letters | Ref |
---|---|---|
Companions of the Order of the Bath | CB | |
Companions of the Order of the Star of India | CSI | Template:Efn |
Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George | CMG | |
Companions of the Order of the Indian Empire | CIE | Template:Efn |
Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order | CVO | |
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire | CBE | |
Companions of the Distinguished Service Order | DSO | |
Lieutenants of the Royal Victorian Order | LVO | |
Officers of the Order of the British Empire | OBE | |
Companions of the Imperial Service Order | ISO |
Eldest sons of various gradesEdit
Note | Ref | |
---|---|---|
Eldest sons of younger sons of hereditary peers in their own right | Ordered according to the precedence of the peerage holders | |
Eldest sons of baronets | Ordered according to the precedence of the baronets | |
Eldest sons of knights | Ordered according to the precedence of the knights |
Members of various ordersEdit
Order | Post-nominal letters | Ref |
---|---|---|
Members of the Royal Victorian Order | MVO | |
Members of the Order of the British Empire | MBE |
Younger sons of various gradesEdit
Note | Ref | |
---|---|---|
Younger sons of baronets | Ordered according to the precedence of the baronets | |
Younger sons of knights | Ordered according to the precedence of the knights |
LadiesEdit
Royal FamilyEdit
The order of precedence accorded to women of the royal family:
High Officers of State, et al.Edit
Title | Holder | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|
Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain | style="background: Template:Party color; width: 1px;" | | Shabana Mahmood | |
Lord President of the Council | style="background: Template:Party color; width: 1px;" | | Lucy Powell | |
Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales | style="background: Template:Party color; width: 1px;" | | Sue Carr, Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill | |
Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal | style="background: Template:Party color; width: 1px;" | | Angela Smith, Baroness Smith of Basildon | |
The Ambassadors and High Commissioners to the United Kingdom in order of arrival |
Nobility and bishopsEdit
Duchesses, et al.Edit
Note | Ref | |
---|---|---|
Template:Flagicon England | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon Scotland | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon Great Britain | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon Ireland | Duchess of Leinster | |
Template:Flagicon United Kingdom | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Wives of eldest sons of royal dukes | Claire Windsor, Countess of Ulster (wife of Earl of Ulster) | |
Sylvana Windsor, Countess of St Andrews (wife of Earl of St Andrews) | ||
Daughters of royal dukes | Lady Davina Windsor (elder daughter of the Duke of Gloucester) | |
Lady Rose Gilman (younger daughter of the Duke of Gloucester) | ||
Lady Helen Taylor (only daughter of the Duke of Kent) | ||
Ministers, envoys, and other very important visitors from foreign countries |
Marchionesses, et al.Edit
Note | Ref | |
---|---|---|
Template:Flagicon England | Marchioness of Winchester | |
Template:Flagicon Scotland | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon Great Britain | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon Ireland | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon United Kingdom | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Wives of the eldest sons of dukes according to the precedence of the peerage holders | ||
Daughters of dukes not married to peers |
Countesses, et al.Edit
Note | Ref | |
---|---|---|
Template:Flagicon England | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon Scotland | Ordered according to the Decreet of Ranking of 1606 according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon Great Britain | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon Ireland | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon United Kingdom | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Wives of younger sons of royal dukes who are not already ranked higher |
Lady Nicholas Windsor (wife of Lord Nicholas Windsor) | |
Wives of eldest sons of marquesses according to the precedence of the peerage holders | ||
Daughters of Princes who are not Royal Dukes | Lady Gabriella Kingston (only daughter of Prince Michael of Kent) | |
Daughters of marquesses not married to peers | ||
Wives of younger sons of dukes according to the precedence of the peerage holders |
Viscountesses, et al.Edit
Note | Ref | |
---|---|---|
Template:Flagicon England | Viscountess Hereford | |
Template:Flagicon Scotland | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon Great Britain | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon Ireland | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon United Kingdom | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Wives of eldest sons of earls according to the precedence of the peerage holders | ||
Lady Frederick Windsor (wife of Lord Frederick Windsor) | ||
Daughters of earls not married to peers | ||
Wives of younger sons of marquesses ordered according to the precedence of the peerage holders |
Female bishopsEdit
Title | Holder | Ref | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Female diocesan bishops with seats in the House of Lords – ex officio | Bishop of London | style="background: Template:Party color; width: 1px;" | | Dame Sarah Mullally | Template:Efn |
Other female diocesan bishops with seats in the House of Lords ordered according to seniority of confirmation of election | Template:Efn | |||
Other female diocesan bishops ordered according to seniority of confirmation of election | ||||
Female suffragan bishops ordered according to seniority of consecration | ||||
Retired female Church of England diocesan archbishops and bishops ordered according to original date of confirmation of election |
BaronessesEdit
Note | Ref | |
---|---|---|
Secretaries of State Being of the degree of a baroness |
None at present | |
Template:Flagicon England | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon Scotland | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon Great Britain | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon Ireland | Ordered according to date of creation | |
Template:Flagicon United Kingdom | Ordered according to date of creation | Template:Efn Template:Efn Template:Efn |
Gentry, et al.Edit
Supreme Court JusticesEdit
Title | Holder | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|
Justices of the Supreme Court | style="background: Template:Party color; width: 1px;" | | Vivien Rose, Lady Rose of Colmworth | |
style="background: Template:Party color; width: 1px;" | | Ingrid Simler, Lady Simler |
Female Royal Household officialsEdit
Title | Holder | Ref |
---|---|---|
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household | Samantha Dixon |
Cabinet, et al.Edit
Title |
---|
Secretaries of State Under the degree of a Baroness |
Wives of Viscounts' eldest sons |
Daughters of Viscounts not married to peers |
Wives of younger sons of Earls |
Wives of eldest sons of Barons |
Daughters of Barons not married to peers |
The Prime Minister determines the order of precedence for Secretaries of State as part of the ministerial ranking (also known as the order of precedence in Cabinet).
Ladies and dames, et al.Edit
Ladies Companion of the Order of the Garter and Ladies of the Order of the ThistleEdit
Order | Post-nominal letters | Holder | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ladies Companion of the Order of the Garter | LG | Lady Mary Fagan | Template:Efn | |
Lady Mary Peters | ||||
Ladies of the Order of the Thistle | LT | style="background: Template:Party color; width: 1px;" | | Lady Elish Angiolini | Template:Efn |
Wives of Knights Companion of the Order of the GarterEdit
Wife | Husband who is/was member | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|
Lady (June) Hilary | Sir Edmund Hillary | Template:Efn | Template:Efn |
Lady (Jennifer) Acland | Sir Antony Acland | ||
Lady (Norma) Major | Sir John Major | Template:Efn | |
Lady (Henrietta) Dunne | Sir Thomas Dunne | ||
Lady (Tessa) Brewer | Sir David Brewer | ||
Lady (Cherie) Blair | Sir Tony Blair |
Wives of Knights of the Order of the ThistleEdit
Wife | Husband who is/was member | Ref | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Lady (Poppy) Anderson | Sir Eric Anderson | |||
Lady (Gillian) Morrison | Sir Garth Morrison | Template:Efn | ||
Lady (Helen) Wood | Sir Ian Wood | |||
Lady (Daphne) Reid | Sir George Reid | |||
Lady (Margaret) Palmer | Sir Geoff Palmer |
Female Privy Counsellors, et al.Edit
Privy Counsellors | Holder | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|
Privy Counsellors (PC) | style="background: Template:Party color; width: 1px;" | | Ordered according to date of oath-taking | Template:Efn |
Chancellor of the Order of the Garter | Eliza Manningham-Buller, Baroness Manningham-Buller | Template:Efn | |
Chancellor of the Exchequer | style="background: Template:Party color; width: 1px;" | | Rachel Reeves | Template:Efn |
Senior judges, et al.Edit
Holder | Ref | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
President of the King's Bench Division | style="background: Template:Party color; width: 1px;" | | Dame Victoria Sharp | Template:Efn | |
Lady Justices of Appeal | Ordered according to seniority of appointment | |||
Judges of the High Court | Ordered according to seniority of appointment | Template:Efn | ||
Wives of younger sons of viscounts according to the precedence of the peerage holders | ||||
Wives of younger sons of barons according to the precedence of the peerage holders | ||||
Baronetesses in their own right | None at present | Template:Efn | ||
Wives of baronets |
DamesEdit
Level | Order | Post-nominal letters | Ref |
---|---|---|---|
Dames Grand Cross | of the Order of the Bath | GCB | |
of the Order of St Michael and St George | GCMG | ||
of the Royal Victorian Order | GCVO | ||
of the Order of the British Empire | GBE | ||
Wives | of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath | ||
of Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India | |||
of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George | |||
of Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire | |||
of Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order | |||
of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire | |||
Dames Commander | of the Order of the Bath | DCB | |
of the Order of St Michael and St George | DCMG | ||
of the Royal Victorian Order | DCVO | ||
of the Order of the British Empire | DBE | Template:Efn | |
Wives of Knights Commander | of the Order of the Bath | ||
of the Order of the Star of India | |||
of the Order of St Michael and St George | |||
of the Order of the Indian Empire | |||
of the Royal Victorian Order | |||
of the Order of the British Empire | |||
Wives of knights bachelor |
Lower level judgesEdit
Title | Holder | Ref |
---|---|---|
Circuit Judges |
Members of orders, et al.Edit
- Members of the following 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 EmpireTemplate:Efn
- 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
- 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
- Wives of Companions of the Imperial Service Order
Wives and daughters of peers, baronets, and knights, et al.Edit
- 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 Companion of the Order of the Garter
- Knights of the Order of the Thistle
- Knights of the Order of St Patrick
- Knights Grand Cross or Grand Commander
- Knights Commander
- Daughters of knights:
- Daughters of Knights Companion of the Order of the Garter
- Daughters of Knights of the Order 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 sonsEdit
- Wives of younger sons of baronets
- Wives of younger sons of knights:
- Knights Companion of the Order of the Garter
- Knights of the Order of the Thistle
- Knights of the Order of St Patrick
- Knights Grand Cross or Knights Grand Commander
- Knights Commander
NotesEdit
Template:Notelist Template:Reflist