Dukes in the United Kingdom Information & Dukes in the United Kingdom Links at HealthHaven.com

Elizabeth II, the current Duke of Normandy.

In the United Kingdom, duke is the highest-ranking hereditary title in the British peerage. As such, a duke therefore outranks all other titles in the peerage (Marquess, Earl, Viscount and Baron). The wife of a duke is known as a duchess, as is a woman who is entitled to a duchy in her own right. The latter are referred to as duchesses suo jure; their husbands, however, do not receive the title of duke. In the order of precedence in the United Kingdom, non-Royal Dukes without state offices or positions generally take precedence before all other nobility, in order of date of creation, but after Royalty and Officers of State.

[edit] History and Definition

Main article: Duke

A duke is a noble person, historically of highest rank below the king or queen, and usually controls a duchy or a Dukedom. The title comes from the Latin Dux Bellorum, which had the sense of "military commander" and was employed by both the Germanic peoples themselves and by the Roman authors covering them to refer to their war leaders.

In the Middle Ages the title signified first among the Germanic monarchies. Dukes were the rulers of the provinces and the superiors of the counts in the cities and later, in the feudal monarchies, the highest-ranking peers of the king. There were, however, variants of these meanings and there were even sovereign princes employing ducal titles.

In the Modern Age it has mostly become a nominal rank without an actual principality. It is still the highest titular peerage in France, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Italy. The Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall, which are held by the Sovereign and the eldest son of the Sovereign respectively, are the only remaining Duchies in the United Kingdom.

A woman who holds in her own right the title to such duchy or dukedom, or is the wife of a duke, is normally styled duchess. However, Queen Elizabeth II is known as Duke of Normandy in the Channel Islands and Duke of Lancaster in Lancashire.

[edit] Royal Dukedoms

Main article: Royal Dukedoms in the United Kingdom

A Royal Duke is a duke who is a member of the British Royal Family, entitled to the style of "His Royal Highness". The current Royal Dukedoms are, in order of precedence:

Edinburgh, held by The Prince Philip
Cornwall (England) and Rothesay (Scotland), held by The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales
York, held by The Prince Andrew
Gloucester, held by Prince Richard
Kent, held by Prince Edward

With the exceptions of the dukedoms of Cornwall and Rothesay (which can only be held by the eldest son of the Sovereign), these dukedoms are hereditary according to the Letters Patent that created them, which contain the standard remainder "heirs male of his body". The British monarch also holds and is entitled to the revenues of the Duchy of Lancaster, and within the borders of the County Palatine of Lancashire is by tradition saluted as "The Duke of Lancaster" (even when the monarch is a Queen regnant, she does not use the title Duchess).

[edit] Forms of Address

A Duke's coronet

Begin: My Lord Duke
Address: His Grace the Duke of _____
Speak to as: Your Grace
Ceremonial, formal, or legal title: The Most High, Noble and Potent Prince His Grace [forename], Duke of _____

[edit] Coronet

A British or Irish Duke is entitled to a coronet (a silver-gilt circlet, chased as jewelled but not actually gemmed) bearing eight conventional strawberry leaves on the rim of the circlet. The physical coronet is worn only at coronations. Any peer can bear his coronet of rank on his coat of arms above the shield.

[edit] See also

[edit] Link

Ten Dukes a dining http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1218628/Ten-dukes-dining-Gathered-lunch-unique-picture-grandees-2bn-340-000-acres-them.html#ixzz0TFh0OTQ1

[edit] References

Contents