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.
Gentlemen
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.[nb 1]
The Prime Minister determines the order of precedence for Secretaries of State. If he or she is absent from a Cabinet meeting, the chair is assumed by the highest-ranking Secretary of State present; the same rule is followed in Cabinet committees when both their chair and deputy chair are absent.[28] The current order of precedence can be found in the website of the Prime Minister's Office.[29]
Ordered according to the precedence of the baronets
Younger sons of knights
Ordered according to the precedence of the knights
Ladies
Royalty
The order of precedence accorded to women of the royal family differs depending on whether or not they are accompanied by a husband who is of higher precedence by birthright. Thus two tables are given below: the first outlines the order of precedence for women of the royal family when unaccompanied by a more senior ranking spouse. The second shows the order of precedence when female members of the royal family are joined by their spouses of the blood Royal. This is done because when unaccompanied, blood relations of the sovereign are always accorded higher precedence than those who are married in. For example, when not accompanied by the Prince of Wales, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, ranks after Princess Alexandra, The Honorable Lady Ogilvy; when with him, she ranks above all women other than the reigning sovereign and any queens dowager. The same goes for spouses of the Queen’s grandsons and their positioning with the Queen’s granddaughters. For example, as a Princess of the blood Royal, Princess Beatrice of York outranks Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge if Catherine is unaccompanied by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge.[44]
Order of Precedence for female members of the royal family when not accompanying their husbands
^ abcdThere is no specific place in the order for a great-grandchild of the Sovereign, no matter how senior in the order of succession. Prince George of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge are entitled to precedence as the eldest son and a daughter respectively of a Duke of the Blood Royal and Prince Louis of Cambridge is entitled to precedence as the younger son of a Duke of the Blood Royal, pursuant to the unrevoked Lord Chamberlain's Order of 1520 as amended in 1595.[1]
^The Duke of Edinburgh was accorded precedence immediately after his wife's "except where otherwise provided by Act of Parliament" by Royal Warrant dated 18 September 1952.[2]
^The title of Prime Minister was used unofficially in the 18th and 19th centuries for the First Lord of the Treasury; it first received official recognition with a Royal Warrant of 2 December 1905, which assigned the Prime Minister precedence immediately after that of the Archbishop of York.[10][11]
^The speakership of the House of Lords was historically vested in the Lord Chancellor; following the creation of a separate office of Lord Speaker, its rank and precedence was established by Royal Warrant dated 4 July 2006 as being immediately after that of the Speaker of the House of Commons.[13][14]
^When visiting the United Kingdom, cabinet ministers of foreign countries are given precedence immediately above that of their country's High Commissioner (if in the Commonwealth) or Ambassador (if not).
^If the Master of the Horse holds a rank lower than a duke in the peerage, then by Royal Warrant dated 6 May 1907, he ranks next after the Lord Chamberlain.[19]
^Excepting The Earl Peel, who ranks higher as Lord Chamberlain of the Household.
^Excepting The Viscount Severn (son of the Earl of Wessex), who ranks higher as member of the royal family.
^ abThe number of bishops entitled to sit in the House of Lords has been fixed at 21 since the 16th century; they were all male until 2015, when women who are bishops began to be introduced to the House of Lords under the terms of the Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015.
^Justices of the Supreme Court who are not peers have the right to the courtesy title of "Lord" or "Lady" for life by authority of Royal Warrant issued 10 December 2010.[25][26]
^ abPrivy Counsellors who do not already rank higher are mostly current or former politicians, civil servants, royal household staff, clergy and judiciary.
^This office was historically held jointly with that of Lord Chief Justice; following their separation, a Royal Warrant dated 30 September 2005 declared that "the rank and precedence of the President of the Queen's Bench Division shall be so placed as to be in order immediately before the President of the Family Division".[33]
^Rank and precedence set by Royal Warrant, dated 21 July 1958.[37]
^Baronetcies belong to either of five baronetages, namely the Baronetages of England (1611–1705), Nova Scotia (1625–1706), Ireland (1620–1799), Great Britain (1707–1800) and the United Kingdom (1801–present); this does not affect their precedence in relation to each other.
^In formal documents the word Knight or the abbreviation Kt. may be added. This style is often adopted by Knights Bachelor who are also peers, baronets or knights of the various statutory orders.[38]
^ abcdSquibb, G.D. (1981). "The Lord Chamberlain's Order of 1520, as amended in 1595". Order of Precedence in England and Wales. Oxford, England: Clarendon Press. pp. 99–101.
^Legally HRH Prince James of Wessex according to the 1917 Letters Patent as a male-line grandchild of a monarch, but styled as an earl's son per his parents' wishes on their wedding day and the will of the Queen.
^The Marquess of Londonderry (Earl Vane and Viscount Seaham in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, Baron Stewart in the Peerage of the United Kingdom and The Marquess Conyngham (Baron Minster in the Peerage of the United Kingdom) was created after the Acts of Union 1800. They take precedence after earlier Marquessates of the United Kingdom.
^The Earl of Limerick (The Baron Foxford in the Peerage of the United Kingdom), The Earl of Clancarty (The Viscount Clancarty in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, The Baron Trench in the Peerage of the United Kingdom), The Earl of Rosse, The Earl of Gosford (The Baron Worlington in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, The Baron Acheson in the Peerage of the United Kingdom), The Earl of Normanton (The Baron Mendip in the Peerage of Great Britain, The Baron Somerton in the Peerage of the United Kingdom), The Earl of Kilmorey, The Earl of Listowel (The Baron Hare in the Peerage of the United Kingdom), The Earl of Norbury and The Earl of Ranfurly (The Baron Ranfurly in the Peerage of the United Kingdom) was created after the Acts of Union 1800. It takes precedence after earlier Earldoms of the United Kingdom.
^The Viscount Monck (The Baron Monck in the Peerage of the United Kingdom) and The Viscount Gort was created after the Acts of Union 1800. It takes precedence after earlier Viscountcies of the United Kingdom.
^ abExcepting The Archbishops of Canterbury and York who ranks higher as the Primate of All England and the Primate of England respectively.
^ abLegally HRH Princess Louise of Wessex according to the 1917 Letters Patent as a male-line grandchild of a monarch, but styled as an earl's son per his parents' wishes on their wedding day and the will of the Queen.