Peerages in the United Kingdom
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| Peerages in the United Kingdom |
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The Peerage is a system of titles of nobility which exists in the United Kingdom and is one part of the British honours system. The term can be used to refer to the entire body of titles in a collective sense, or to a specific title. Historically, all peers (members of the Peerage) were members of the House of Lords (subject to qualifications such as age and citizenship), but such is no longer the case, as peers who hold hereditary titles, as opposed to titles granted for life only, are no longer given automatic seats in the House.
All British honours, including peerage titles, spring from the Sovereign, who is considered the fount of honour. The Sovereign him or herself cannot belong to the Peerage as "the fountain and source of all dignities cannot hold a dignity from himself" (opinion of the House of Lords in the Buckhurst Peerage Case). If one is neither a peer nor the Sovereign, then one is a commoner. Members of a peer's family are also commoners; the British system thus fundamentally differs from the European one, where entire families, rather than individuals, were ennobled. Even members of the Royal Family who do not hold peerage titles are considered commoners.
Some authorities consider the Lords Spiritual, i.e. the bishops and archbishops of the established Church of England who have seats in the House of Lords, to be spiritual peers. These consist of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of York and twenty-four diocesan bishops who hold seats in the House of Lords by virtue of their office, or by seniority among the bishops. Upon retirement they cease to be spiritual peers, though the archbishops are normally then granted a temporal peerage. Normally, however, the Lords Spiritual are not regarded as peers; an unqualified reference to "peer" should be taken to mean "temporal peer" (that is, a lay peer) unless the context otherwise requires.
Not all British titles are those of peerage. Baronets, though they hold inheritable titles, rank below peers, as do Knights. Even Princes and Princesses are not necessarily considered peers; many Princes, however, are granted peerages separately.
References used in the Series
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- Peerage Act 1963. (1963 c 48) London: HMSO.
- The Standing Orders of the House of Lords relating to Public Business (2002).
- Titles Deprivation Act 1917. (7 & 8 George 5 c 47) London: HMSO.
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