Peerage of Great Britain

The Peerage forms a part of the British Peerage and Honours System, which seeks to meritoriously award hardworking British Citizens for their service to the Empire of Great Britain. The ranks of the Peerage are Duke/Duchess, Marquess/Marchioness, Earl/Countess, Viscount/Viscountess, Baron/Baroness. The rank of Baronet/Baronetess was removed upon the publication of Order-in-Council 039.

History of the Peerage

The Peerage of Great Britain goes back to the Reign of King William V, with little to no record of Queen Victoria II bestowing titles nor honours upon British Citizens. Peerages were first mentioned in Order-in-Council 003 (1 William V o.3), which established the Rules of the Reign of King William V. This Order would later be repealed and replaced by Order-in-Council 013 (1 William V o.13), this also later repealed and replaced by Order-in-Council 022 (2 William V o.1). Lastly, Order-in-Council 039 (1 Elizabeth III o.9), which established the Rules of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth III, repealed and replaced the former Order, and is now the enforced Order regarding Peerages and other matters.