Hierarchy of the 'hereditary' Peers

Those with seats in the House of Lords

  1. Duke & Duchess - His & Her Grace
  2. Marquess & Marchioness - Lord & Lady
  3. Earl & Countess - Lord & Lady
  4. Viscount & Viscountess - Lord & Lady
  5. Baron & Baroness - Lord & Lady

 

 

Titled ranks

Who did NOT have seats in the House of Lords

  1. Baronet & Wife - Sir & Lady
  2. Knight & Wife - Sir & Lady 

 

A Baronetcy is the only hereditary honour that is not in the peerage.

NB! Women are only referred to as Dame - when she is either created a Baronetess or Knighted, which did NOT occur in the Regency Period 

KNIGHTS (to become a knight the recipient receives an accolade - the dubbing - usually with a sword by the monarch). 

The 3 highest orders of chivalry (membership by invitation from the reigning Sovereign) in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland - extant in the Regency Period were:

the Order of the GARTER (limited to 24 members) and formed in 1328,

the Order of the THISTLE formed in 1687

the Order of St. PATRICK formed in 1783

Knights of these Orders take precedence over Baronets.

 

Lesser Orders of chivalry extant in the Regency Period were:

the Most Honourable Order of the BATH formed in 1725 as a military order with initailly only 1 rank of Knight Companion (KCB) -  after 1815 the KCB was abandoned and 3 new ranks were created: Knight Grand Cross (KGCB), Knight Commander (KCB) and Companion (CB)

the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George formed in 1818 by the Prince Regent for individuals rendering extraordinary or important non-military service in a foreign country with 3 ranks - Knight Grand Cross (KGCMG), Knight Commander (KCMG) and Companion (CMG)

 

The humorous versions of the abbrevaitions of the ranks of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George are, in reverse order:

CMG - call me God

KCMG - Kindly call me God

KGCMG - Kindly, God calls me God