I am from a republic, so when I watch British period dramas, I am always confused as to who is on which rung of the aristocratic hierarchy ladder. Encyclopaedia Brittanica taught me this:
The British monarchy’s rank order is
- monarch
- senior royals
- lesser royals
- peers and knights
The peerage is then split into five ranks:
- Duke (Duchess)
- Marquess (Marchionness)
- Earl (Countess)
- Viscount (viscountess)
- Baron (Baroness)
An Earl is higher in rank than a Lord.
Internationally, these ranks vary across countries and cultures, but normally it is:
- Emperor/Empress
- King/Queen
- Grand Duke/Grand Duchess
- Prince/Princess
- Duke/Duchess
- Marquess/Marchioness
- Earl/Countess
- Viscount/Viscountess
- Baron/Baroness
Life peerages are granted to honour individuals and they may vote in the House of Lords. But your peerage ends when you die.
Wikipedia really confused me:
And when it comes to Queens
- Queen regnant – a queen who reigns in her own right. Equivalent in rank to a king.
- Queen regent – a guardian of a child monarch who reigns in their stead (either jointly – de jure, or alone – de facto) until the child comes of age
- Queen consort – wife of a reigning king. Equal to the king in rank but not in power. The male equivalent is usually Prince consort, although there have been some King consorts
- Queen dowager /Dowager Queen – the widow of a King
- Queen mother – a former Queen who is the mother of the reigning monarch
Where does Donald Trump fit in?
This goes back to the days when kings and queens fought amongst themselves in order to gain more land, wealth and serfs. In the 21st century it is outdated, should be scrapped and we should have an elected head of state, even if it is for life.