30-Archbishop of Canterbury.

31-Lord Chancellor.

32-Archbishop of York.

33-The Prime Minister (Royal Warrant of 2 December 1905).

34-Commonwealth Prime Ministers, if visiting the UK, in seniority of appointment.

35-Lord High Treasurer (office in commission since 1714).

36-Lord President of the Council.

37-Speaker of the House of Commons.

38a-Lord Speaker

38-Lord Privy Seal.

39-Ambassadors of foreign countries and High Commissioners of Commonwealth countries in London according to the date of their arrival to take up official duties. A Royal Warrant of 24 December 1948 provided that if a minister of the Crown of a Commonwealth country is visiting the UK he is accorded precedence just above the High Commissioner of his country. Nowadays several countries retain Commonwealth membership but have no ministers of the Crown because they are republics &emdash; India, for instance, or Zimbabwe. But courtesy would dictate that a visiting Indian cabinet minister, say, should take precedence over his country's High Commissioner resident in London. Moreover, visiting cabinet ministers of foreign countries not in the Commonwealth are accorded precedence above their country's Ambassador in the UK.

40-Lord Great Chamberlain if a Duke and in actual performance of his duty, or when in attendance on the person of the Sovereign for the time being or when introducing a peer into the House of Lords. No Lord Great Chamberlain has been a Duke since 1779, however, after which the hereditary post descended to coheirs. The representatives (in practice, senior descendants) of these take it in turn to perform the office in successive reigns. Since 1990 the post has been held by the Marquess of Cholmondeley (qv), who accordingly ranks at the head of the Marquesses rather than at the head of the Dukes. Moreover, he holds the post of Lord Great Chamberlain strictly speaking as a deputy, but is styled and given precedence as if he were a full Lord Great Chamberlain.

41-Lord High Constable. This post is only recreated for a day at a time on the occasion of a new Sovereign's coronation.

42-Earl Marshal if a Duke (which he always has been since 1672, the post of Earl Marshal being hereditary in the family of the Duke of Norfolk (qv), who has precedence of all the other Dukes anyway as premier Duke of England).

43-Lord High Admiral if a Duke. The office has been in commission since 1828, when the future WILLIAM IV held it while still Duke of Clarence.

44-Lord Steward of the Household if a Duke. If of lower rank in the peerage at the head of his fellow holders of that rank.

45-Lord Chamberlain if a Duke. If of lower rank in the peerage at the head of his fellow holders of that rank.

46-Master of the Horse if a Duke (Royal Warrant of 2 December 1905). If of lower rank in the peerage then by Royal Warrant of 6 May 1907 next after the Lord Chamberlain.

47-Dukes in the peerage of England ranked among themselves according to the date of creation or any precedence assigned them different from the date of creation of their title. (See individual cases; the same applies to other ranks of the peerage.)

48-Dukes in the peerage of Scotland (23rd article of Act of Union 1707).

49-Dukes in the peerage of Great Britain.

50-Dukes in the peerage of Ireland created before the Union of British and Irish parliaments in 1801.

51-Dukes in the peerages of the United Kingdom or Ireland created since the Union of 1801.

52-Eldest son of Dukes of the Blood Royal if not a brother, uncle, grandson or nephew of the reigning sovereign.

53-Ministers representing foreign states as diplomats and other very distinguished foreigners. Formerly very few countries appointed Ambassadors &emdash; usually only the great powers. Accordingly, most representatives of foreign countries held a lower rank of Minister. Nowadays virtually every country appoints an Ambassador. The category ‘other very distinguished foreigners' would tend to comprise only senior politicians visiting the UK, who would rank among themselves according to the date of their appointment.

54-Marquesses in the peerage of England.

55-Marquesses in the peerage of Scotland.

56-Marquesses in the peerage of Great Britain.

57-Marquesses in the peerage of Ireland created before the Union of 1801.

58-Marquesses in the peerages of the United Kingdom or Ireland created since the Union.

59-Dukes' eldest sons according to the same order as dukes themselves.

60-Earls in the peerage of England.

61-Earls in the peerage of Scotland.

62-Earls in the peerage of Great Britain.

63-Earls in the peerage of Ireland created before the Union of 1801.

64-Earls in the peerages of the United Kingdom and of Ireland created since the Union.

65-Younger sons of Dukes of the Blood Royal.

66-Marquesses' eldest sons.

67-Dukes' younger sons.

68-Viscounts in the peerage of England.

69-Viscounts in the peerage of Scotland.

70-Viscounts in the peerage of Great Britain.

71-Viscounts in the peerage of Ireland created before the Union of 1801.

72-Viscounts in the peerages of the United Kingdom or Ireland created since the Union.

73-Earls' eldest sons and the eldest sons of peeresses in their own right who are Countesses.

74-Marquesses' younger sons.

75-The Bishop of London.

76-The Bishop of Durham.

77-The Bishop of Winchester.

78-Other Church of England Diocesan Bishops with seats in the House of Lords in order of seniority of confirmation of election.

79-Church of England Diocesan Bishops without seats in the House of Lords in same order as 78.

80-Church of England Suffragan Bishops in same order as 78.

81-Retired Church of England Bishops in order of original date of confirmation of election (a retired Bishop is still in valid Holy Orders and remains a Bishop).

82-Secretaries of State if of the rank of Baron.

83-Barons in the peerage of England.

84-Lords of Parliament in the peerage of Scotland.

85-Barons in the peerage of Great Britain.

86-Barons in the peerage of Ireland.

87-Barons in the peerages of the United Kingdom or Ireland created since the Union of 1801. Life peers, who these days are always of baronial rank, are included here, as also are Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, who these days are made life peers too. They rank among themselves according to the date of the peerage's creation or the date of appointment as a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary.

88-Treasurer of the Household.

89-Comptroller of the Household.

90-Master of the Horse if not a peer.

91-Vice-Chamberlain of the Household.

92-Secretaries of State if not of the rank of Baron. Among themselves they rank according to the seniority of their appointment.

93-Viscounts' eldest sons.

94-Earls' younger sons, and younger sons of peeresses in their own right who are Countesses.

95-Barons/Scottish Lords of Parliament's eldest sons and eldest sons of hereditary peeresses in their own right who hold baronies or Scottish lordships of Parliament. Life Barons'/Baronesses' eldest sons do not have precedence here because they cannot inherit their father's/mother's peerages.

96-Knights of the Garter.

97-Knights of the Thistle.

98-Knights of St Patrick. No new knights of this order have been admitted since the late Duke of Gloucester was created a KP in 1934, 12 years after the founding of the Irish Free State in 1922, but the order is still in existence.

99-Privy Counsellors according to date of appointment.

100-Chancellor of the Order of the Garter if not a peer (decree of the chapter of the Order of the Garter 23 April 1629). Since 1837 the chancellorship has been held with the Bishopric of Oxford, however.

101-Chancellor of the Exchequer.

102-Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

103-Lord Chief Justice.

104-Master of the Rolls.

105-President of the Family Division of the High Court of Justice (Administration of Justice Act of 1920).

106-Lord Justices of Appeal by seniority of appointment (statute of 1851, when the Court of Appeal in Chancery was created). In practice they tend to be Privy Counsellors and often life peers as well.

107-High Court Judges by seniority of appointment. These days High Court Judges are knighted as Knights Bachelor.

108-Viscounts' younger sons.

109-Barons'/Scottish Lords of Parliament's younger sons, and all sons of Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, all sons of life peers and all sons of life peeresses.

110-Baronets by seniority of creation.

111-Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath. Honorary GCBs do not have precedence in the UK under this qualification because they do not receive the accolade.

112-Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India (statute of the Order of 19 April 1866) (GCSIs).

113-Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMGs).

114-Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (statute of the Order of 1 June 1887) (GCIEs).

115-Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVOs).

116-Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBEs).

117-Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCBs).

118-Knights Commander of the Order of the Star of India (KCSIs).

119-Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMGs).

120-Knights Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (KCIEs).

121-Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVOs).

122-Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBEs).

123-Knights Bachelor.

124-Circuit Judges in the following order: (a) Vice-Chancellor of the County Palatine of Lancaster; (b) Circuit Judges who just prior to 1 January 1972 were Official Referees to the Supreme Court, in order of appointment as between themselves; (c) The Recorder of London; (d) The Recorder of Liverpool or of Manchester according to whichever has seniority of appointment; (e) The Common Serjeant; (f) Circuit Judges who just prior to 1 January 1972 were (i) Additional Judges of the Criminal Court, or (ii) Assistant Judges of the Mayor's and City of London Court, or (iii) County Court Judges, or (iv) Full-time Chairmen or Deputy Chairmen of Courts of Quarter Sessions for Greater London, Cheshire, Durham, Kent and Lancashire, or (v) other Circuit Judges; all by seniority of appointment.

125-Companions of the Order of the Bath (CBs).

126-Companions of the Order of the Star of India (CSIs).

127-Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMGs).

128-Companions of the Order of the Indian Empire (CIEs).

129-Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order (CVOs).

130-Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBEs).

131-Companions of the Distinguished Service Order (DSOs).

132-Lieutenants of the Royal Victorian Order (LVOs).

133-Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBEs).

134-Companions of the Imperial Service Order (ISOs).

135-Eldest sons of younger sons of hereditary peers or hereditary peeresses in their own right and eldest sons of their heirs male (usually, of course, their eldest sons) among themselves according to the precedence enjoyed by their fathers (Ordinance of the Earl Marshal's Court 18 March 1615).

136-Baronets' eldest sons.

137-Eldest sons of Knights of the Garter.

138-Eldest sons of Knights of the Thistle.

139-Eldest sons of Knights of St Patrick. For the last few generations before new members of the Order ceased to be created every Knight of St Patrick was a peer, so any eldest son still alive would take higher precedence since he would have inherited his father's peerage.

140-Eldest sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath.

141-Eldest sons of Knights Grand Commander of the Star of India.

142-Eldest sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George.

143-Eldest sons of Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire.

144-Eldest sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.

145-Eldest sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire.

146-Eldest sons of Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath.

147-Eldest sons of Knights Commander of the Order of the Star of India.

148-Eldest sons of Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George.

149-Eldest sons of Knights Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire.

150-Eldest sons of Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.

151-Eldest sons of Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

152-Members of the Royal Victorian Order (MVOs).

153-Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBEs).

154-Baronets' younger sons.

155-Younger sons of Knights of the Garter.

156-Younger sons of Knights of the Thistle.

157-Younger sons of Knights of St Patrick.

158-Younger sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath.

159-Younger sons of Knights Grand Commander of the Star of India.

160-Younger sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George.

161-Younger sons of Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire.

162-Younger sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.

163-Younger sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire.

164-Younger sons of Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath.

165-Younger sons of Knights Commander of the Order of the Star of India.

166-Younger sons of Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George.

167-Younger sons of Knights Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire.

168-Younger sons of Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.

169-Younger sons of Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

Precedence Introduction.
Precedence Part 1.
Precedence Part 2.
Precedence in England and Wales for Ladies.
Local Precedence.
Precedence in Scotland.
Precedence in Northern Ireland.