Titles

[Milz]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., "Benjamin" <jaffa276 at y...> wrote:
> >>> assume  
> > > that Simon Branford is the Duke of Oxford and Marquess of       
 
> > > Cambridge, having with his wife Hedwig an oldest child named    
 
> > > Hermione and a son named Ronald
> > > 
> > > (Disclaimer:  Any similarity between the above and any living   
 
> > > person is purely coincidental.  No shipping-preference should be 
> > > inferred from any of the above!).
> > > 
> > > Simon would then be "His Grace, the Duke of Oxford", Hermione   
 
> > > would be "The Most Honourable Lady Hermione, Marchioness of     
 
> > > Cambridge" and Ronald would be "The Honourable Ronald Branford". 
 
> > > The Duke may on occasion be referred to as "Lord Simon" or "Lord 
> > > Branford".  
> [snip]
> > > The Duke's   
> > > wife would be termed "Her Grace, the Duchess of Oxford", barring 
> > > the event of a divorce.  
> 
> After a divorce she would probably be styled Hedwig, Duchess of 
> Oxford.  With the specific removal of 'the' and 'grace' (not to 
> mention favour).  If they don't divorce and milord Simon dies before 
> Hedwig, then Hermione would be Duchess of Oxford with Hedwig as the 
> Dowager Duchess.  But if Hermione marries I don't know if her 
husband 
> becomes a Duke (as she is a duchess in her own right and not 
(merely) 
> the wife of a duke: for example if a Queen marries her husband does 
> not become a king, but a prince or duke ~ the male title being seen 
> as higher)
> 

A widowed Hedwig would be called, Her Grace the Dowager Duchess of 
Oxford or simply Hedwig, the Duchess of Oxford. Hermione's husband 
doesn't become a Duke. They would be addressed as Mr. Whatsit and Her 
Grace the Duchess of Oxford. Let's say Simon and Hedwig have a younger 
daughter, Virginia. She would be The Lady Virginia (Insert family 
surname here). If she were to marry a title-less fellow, they would be 
called Mr. Seamus and Lady Virginia Finnegan. 

For the peers below the level of Duke, the title could be Earl of 
Cambridge, but he would be addressed as Lord Cambridge (even if his 
family name is Whatsit). His wife is the Baroness of Cambridge, but 
would be addressed Lady Cambridge. 

Milz