Need help for info on UK re 'knight' 'sir' and 'baron'

[HordHolm]

Ouch! How very 20th century. Not a way to make friends

I know. It's certainly not something I buy into, but then I'm not the sort that gets invited to those kinds of parties, anyway. But I would love to see the look on the face of my wife if we were announced that way (she's the one with all the accomplishments, and the letters after her name. I'm just a proletarian slob in comparison) - I don't think I'd want to be the announcer...

 

[MillieDynamite]

"The Honorable Mrs. and Mr. Hord Holm of Hord Holm's Wife's Hall." Problem solved. Just put the order correctly.

I know. It's certainly not something I buy into, but then I'm not the sort that gets invited to those kinds of parties, anyway. But I would love to see the look on the face of my wife if we were announced that way (she's the one with all the accomplishments, and the letters after her name. I'm just a proletarian slob in comparison) - I don't think I'd want to be the announcer...

 

[HordHolm]

The Honorable Mrs. and Mr. Hord Holm of Hord Holm's Wife's Hall.

Works for me...

 

[HordHolm]

Ouch! How very 20th century. Not a way to make friends

Of course, the one way she does get to keep her identity is if they aren't married, when the announcement becomes: "Mr John Smith and Miss Allie Clavert". There's a message in there, somewhere...

 

[DreamingOfMyEx]

I don't know offhand, but how were Margaret Thatcher and her husband announced after she became Prime Minister, and again after she was made a Baroness?

 

[stickygirl]

Mrs Cumsize and Sir Cumsize?

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Another quirk for completeness: while the wife of a Sir gets to be called Lady, that's only if she takes his surname, so you have Sir William Bearington and Lady Jane Bearington, or Sir William Bearington and Mrs Jane Dogley.

But the husband of a Dame gets no courtesy title, and nor do same-sex spouses.

 

[stickygirl]

I don't know offhand, but how were Margaret Thatcher and her husband announced after she became Prime Minister, and again after she was made a Baroness?

The late Queen famously went with 'My husband and I' at posh do.
and I've been described as a proper little madam, so there's that

 

[HordHolm]

I don't know offhand, but how were Margaret Thatcher and her husband announced after she became Prime Minister, and again after she was made a Baroness?

He had his own title by then - he was Sir Dennis. She was probably announced by her job title before he was announced, thus: The Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and Sir Dennis Thatcher. Once she was a baroness it would have become Sir Dennis and Lady Margaret Thatcher (she gets her own name as they both have a title, otherwise it would have been, "Sir Dennis and Lady Thatcher"). She is announced as Lady Thatcher rather than Baroness Thatcher in the same way as a male Baron would be announced as Lord X.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I don't know offhand, but how were Margaret Thatcher and her husband announced after she became Prime Minister, and again after she was made a Baroness?

I imagine it would have been The Prime Minister, Mrs Margaret Thatcher. Mr Denis Thatcher.

Then later, The Baroness Thatcher of Grantham and Sir Denis Thatcher - he was made a baronet in 1990.

Announcing the names of everyone to an event is incredibly unusual nowadays - it would likely be only guests of honour, so only the relevant one of the couple. Embassy events only announce a couple of people, and do them as individuals.

 

[HordHolm]

But the husband of a Dame gets no courtesy title, and nor do same-sex spouses.

Though I'm guessing that same sex spouses would now be announced as Mr and Mr, or Mrs and Mrs.

 

[stickygirl]

Though I'm guessing that same sex spouses would now be announced as Mr and Mr, or Mrs and Mrs.

Unless it was a Conservative event in which case they wouldn't be invited anyway. Ooops too political?

 

[HordHolm]

Unless it was a Conservative event in which case they wouldn't be invited anyway. Ooops too political?

Not at all - the Nasty Party only have themselves to blame.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Though I'm guessing that same sex spouses would now be announced as Mr and Mr, or Mrs and Mrs.

Or Sir and Mr, or Professor Dame and Commander...

The Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and Sir Dennis Thatcher.

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. (And one n in Denis)

Unless it was a Conservative event in which case they wouldn't be invited anyway. Ooops too political?

There's loads of non-straight Conservative MPs! Even been a few ministers. More gay Tory men than members of other parties.

 

[StillStunned]

Here's a question: does anyone know whether women in Germany still take their husband's titles? As in, a PhD who's married to a PhD used to be addressed as Frau Doktor Doktor - does that still happen?

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Here's a question: does anyone know whether women in Germany still take their husband's titles? As in, a PhD who's married to a PhD used to be addressed as Frau Doktor Doktor - does that still happen?

It's not done in the normal way of things; I don't know if it might be the hypercorrect way for very formal events. Someone with a PhD and a medical degree would be Frau Doktor Doktor, though.

 

[Bramblethorn]

There is also a version of an inherited knighthood. Someone before mentioned the "baronet". It is a sort of "gray area" between a knight and the nobility. While it sounds like "baron" it isn't, and isn't recognized as a title of nobility by anyone. It also doesn't exist outside the UK.

That last isn't quite right. There are a handful of baronetcies in other Commonwealth nations; I think there's one remaining from each of NSW, Victoria, and New Zealand, plus several in India. [edit: probably other countries too, those are the only ones I checked]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_peers_and_baronets#Australian_baronets

But they're so rare there's not really much room to add fictional ones in a present-day setting, and most people in those countries would never have encountered the concept.

 

[DreamingOfMyEx]

Oops, huge mistake on my part - lumping UK and Commonwealth together. Sorry about that. Had I been thinking I probably would have presumed there were more than that.

 

[Bramblethorn]

It's not done in the normal way of things; I don't know if it might be the hypercorrect way for very formal events. Someone with a PhD and a medical degree would be Frau Doktor Doktor, though.

I don't think a medical degree automatically qualifies one for "Doktor" in Germany?

 

[EmilyMiller]

How did I miss this thread? Takes me back to London days. Just the surreal silliness of Brits. I loved it then and love it now .

Em

 

[Uk_Guy_93]

Our eccentricity is all part of the charm

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I don't think a medical degree automatically qualifies one for "Doktor" in Germany?

No, but in practice they do a small thesis and get the title anyway.