Courtesy Titles in The United Kingdom - The Wives of Peers

The Wives of Peers

The wives of courtesy peers hold their titles on the same basis as their husbands, i.e. by courtesy. Thus the wife of Marquess of Douro is known as Marchioness of Douro.

In contrast, the wife of a substantive peer is legally entitled to the privileges of peerage: she is said to have a "life estate" in her husband's dignity. Thus a duke's wife is titled a "duchess", a marquess's wife a "marchioness", an earl's wife a "countess", a viscount's wife a "viscountess" and a baron's wife a "baroness". Despite being referred to as a "peeress", she is not a peer "in her own right": this is a 'style' and not a substantive title. However, this is considered a legal title, unlike the social titles of a peer's children.

It is also possible for a woman to be a substantive peer in her own right, by succession or by first creation (i.e. ennoblement, most commonly in recent times under the Life Peerages Act 1958). Her children use courtesy titles according to her rank, as with the children of male peers, but her husband receives no special distinction. Thus the husband of Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone is called Peter Bottomley and has no courtesy title.