Editing Privilege of peerage (section)

== Extent ==

The privilege of peerage extends to all [[temporal peer]]s and peeresses regardless of their position in relation to the House of Lords. The right to sit in the House is separate from the privilege, and is held by only some peers (see [[History of reform of the House of Lords]]). [[Peerage of Scotland|Scottish peers]] from the [[Acts of Union 1707]] and [[Peerage of Ireland|Irish peers]] from the [[Act of Union 1800]], therefore, have the privilege of peerage. Since 1800, Irish peers have had the right to stand for election to the [[British House of Commons|United Kingdom House of Commons]] but they lose the privilege of peerage for the duration of their service in the lower House.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?LegType=All+Primary&PageNumber=104&NavFrom=2&parentActiveTextDocId=1473067&activetextdocid=1473081#comref-887699|title=Act of Union (Ireland) 1800 (c.38)|publisher=The UK Statute Law Database|access-date=2007-11-07}}</ref> Since 1999, hereditary peers of [[Peerage of England|England]], [[Peerage of Scotland|Scotland]], [[Peerage of Great Britain|Great Britain]], and the [[Peerage of the United Kingdom|United Kingdom]] who are not members of the House of Lords may stand for election to the House of Commons. Their privilege of peerage is not explicitly lost by service in the lower House. Any peer issuing a disclaimer under the provisions of the [[Peerage Act 1963]] loses all privileges of peerage.<ref name="so"/> The privilege of peerage also extends to wives and widows of peers. A peeress by marriage loses the privilege upon marrying a [[commoner]],<ref name="so"/> but a peeress ''[[suo jure]]'' does not. Individuals who hold [[courtesy title]]s, however, do not have such privileges by virtue of those titles. The [[Lords Spiritual]] (the 26 archbishops and bishops who sit in the House of Lords) do not have the privilege of peerage as, at least since 1621, they have been Lords of Parliament, and not peers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld/ldstords/116/11602.htm#a7 |title=Standing Orders Of The House Of Lords Relating To Public Business: No. 6|publisher=House of Lords|date=8 April 2010|access-date=13 June 2010}}</ref>