Editing Lady (section)

=== British titles ===
Formally, "Lady" is the female counterpart to [[Social structure of the United Kingdom#Upper class|higher ranks in society]], from gentlemen, through knights, to peers of the realm. During the [[Middle Ages]], princesses or daughters of the [[Royal family|blood royal]] were usually known by their first names with "Lady" prefixed, e.g. ''The Lady Elizabeth'';<ref name=EB1911/> since [[Old English]] and [[Middle English]] did not have a female equivalent to princes or [[earl]]s or other royals or nobles.  Aside from the queen, women of royal and noble status simply carried the title of "Lady".

As a title of nobility, the uses of "lady" in Britain are parallel to those of "lord". It is thus a less formal alternative to the full title giving the specific rank, of [[marchioness (title)|marchioness]], [[countess]], [[viscountess]] or [[baroness]], whether as the title of the husband's rank by right or courtesy, or as the lady's title in her own right.<ref name=EB1911/> A peeress's title is used with the [[definite article]]: Lord Morris's wife is "the Lady Morris".  A widow's title derived from her husband becomes the [[dowager]], e.g. ''The Dowager Lady Smith''.   In the case of an heir apparent to a peerage  using one of his father's subsidiary titles by courtesy, his wife uses his courtesy  title in the same way as the wife of a substantive peer, except that the definite article  is not used.

The title "Lady" is also used for a woman who is the wife of a Scottish [[Scottish feudal lordship|feudal baron]] or [[laird]], the title "Lady" preceding the name of the barony or lairdship.<ref>{{cite book|title=Titles and Forms of Address|isbn=9781408148129 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UZKrBAAAQBAJ&q=laird+title+of+wife+of&pg=PT88 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|date=31 January 2007|access-date=26 January 2016|quote=The widow of a chief or laird continues to use the territorial style and the prefix Dowager may be used in the same circumstances ... In rural Scotland   (laird's) wives are often styled Lady, though not legally except in the case of the wives of chiefs.}}</ref> In the case of younger sons of a [[duke]] or [[marquess]], who have the [[courtesy title]] "Lord" prefixed to their given and family name, the wife may use "Lady" prefixed to the  husband's given and family names, e.g. ''Lady John Smith''.<ref name=EB1911/> However, she may not use "Lady" prefixed  to her husband's surname alone. Neither may she use the title prefixed to her own given name unless entitled to do so by her own birth as the daughter of an earl, marquess or duke.  

The daughters of dukes, marquesses and earls are by courtesy "ladies"; here, that title is prefixed to the given and family name of the lady, e.g. ''Lady Jane Smith'', and this is preserved if the lady marries a [[commoner]], e.g. ''Mr John and Lady Jane Smith''. "Lady" is also the customary title of the wife of a [[baronet]] or [[knight]], but in this case without Christian name: "Lady" with the surname of the husband only,<ref name=EB1911/> ''Sir John and Lady Smith''. When a woman divorces a knight and he marries again, the new wife will be ''Lady Smith'' while the ex-wife becomes ''Jane, Lady Smith'' until either her own death or until she remarries.<ref name="dpmc1">{{cite web |title=Titles and styles of knights and dames {{!}} Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) |url=https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/our-programmes/new-zealand-royal-honours/honours-lists-and-recipients/information-honours-recipients/titles-styles-knights-dames |website=[[Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (New Zealand)|Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet]] |publisher=[[New Zealand Government]] |access-date=24 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240424042112/https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/our-programmes/new-zealand-royal-honours/honours-lists-and-recipients/information-honours-recipients/titles-styles-knights-dames |archive-date=24 April 2024 |location=[[New Zealand Parliament, Wellington]] |language=en |date=7 November 2023}}</ref> Widows and former wives of knights retain their married style until their death or they remarry.<ref name="Debretts2014a">{{cite book |last1=Debrett's |editor1-last=Wyse |editor1-first=Elizabeth |editor2-last=Bryant |editor2-first=Jo |editor3-last=Noel |editor3-first=Celestria |editor4-last=Kidd |editor4-first=Charles |editor5-last=Alexander |editor5-first=Davina |editor3-link=Celestria Noel |editor5-link=Davina Alexander |title=Debrett's Handbook British Style, Correct Form, Modern Manners |date=16 October 2014 |publisher=[[Debrett's]] |location=[[Charles Street, Mayfair]] |isbn=9780992934811 |pages=54 |edition=2014 |url=https://archive.org/details/debrettshandbook0000unse/mode/2up |access-date=22 February 2025 |language=en |chapter=Formal Address - Knights (Widow and Former Wife of a Knight) |quote=She is addressed as the wife of a knight, provided that she does not remarry, when she will take her style from her present husband.}}</ref> She is also never addressed as "Lady Jane Smith".<ref name="Debretts2014b">{{cite book |last1=Debrett's |editor1-last=Wyse |editor1-first=Elizabeth |editor2-last=Bryant |editor2-first=Jo |editor3-last=Noel |editor3-first=Celestria |editor4-last=Kidd |editor4-first=Charles |editor5-last=Alexander |editor5-first=Davina |editor3-link=Celestria Noel |editor5-link=Davina Alexander |title=Debrett's Handbook British Style, Correct Form, Modern Manners |date=16 October 2014 |publisher=[[Debrett's]] |location=[[Charles Street, Mayfair]] |isbn=9780992934811 |pages=54 |edition=2014 |url=https://archive.org/details/debrettshandbook0000unse/mode/2up |access-date=22 February 2025 |language=en |chapter=Formal Address - Knights (Widow and Former Wife of a Knight) |quote=A knight's wife should never be addressed as, for example, 'Lady Barbara Waverton' (ie with the inclusion of her forename) unless she is the daughter of a duke, marquess or earl}}</ref>

Female members of the [[Order of the Garter]] and [[Order of the Thistle]] who do not hold a higher style also receive the prefix of "Lady"; here that title is prefixed to the given and family name of the lady, e.g. ''Lady [[Marion Fraser]], LT'', with the [[post nominal]] LG or LT, respectively, and this is preserved if the lady marries.{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}}