Laws of Precedency

The recognised order of precedency is as follows:-
Peers rank among themselves by date, according to their patent of creation.
Foreign ambassadors are given the precedence of our nobility, as the representatives of the person of the Sovereign who accredits them.
There is no specified place for physicians or medical men, but they are ranked in the Royal household as next to knights.

PRECEDENCY AMONG MEN.

• Sovereign.
• Prince of Wales.
• Other Sons of Sovereign.
• Grandsons of Sovereign.
• Brothers of Sovereign.
• Uncles of Sovereign.
• Sovereign's brothers' or sisters' sons.
• Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Primate of All England.
• The Lord High Chancellor or Lord Keeper.
• The Archbishop of York, Primate of England.
• The Archbishop of Armagh, Primate of Ireland.
• The Archbishop of Dublin.
• The Lord High Treasurer.
• The Lord President of the Privy Council.
• The Lord Privy Seal.
• The Lord Great Chamberlain.
• The Lord High Constable.
• The Earl Marshal.
• The Lord High Admiral.
• The Lord Steward of Her Majesty's Household.
• The Lord Chamberlain of Her Majesty's Household.
• Dukes, according to their patent of creation.
• Marquises, according to their patent of creation.
• Duke's eldest sons.
• Earls, according to their patents.
• Marquises' eldest sons.
• Dukes' younger sons.
• Viscounts, according to their patents.
• Earls' eldest sons.
• Marquises' younger sons.
• Bishops - London, Durham, and Winchester. All other English Bishops according to their seniority of consecration.
• Bishops of Meath and Kildare, All other Irish Bishops according to their seniority of consecration.
• Secretaries of State of the degree of Baron.
• Barons, according to their patent.
• Speaker of the House of Commons.
• Commisioners of the Great Seal.
• Treasurer of Her Majesty's Household.
• Comptroller of Her Majesty's Household.
• Master of the Horse.
• Vice-Chamberlain of Her Majesty's Household.
• Secretaries of State under the degree of Baron.
• Viscounts' eldest sons.
• Earls' younger sons.
• Baron's eldest sons.
• Knights of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.
• Privy Councillors.
• Chancellor of the Exchequter.
• Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
• Lord Chief Justice of the Queen's Bench.
• Master of the Rolls.
• Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas.
• Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequter.
• The Lords Justices of the Court of Appeal in Chancery.
• Vice-Chancellors.
• Judges and Barons of the degree of the Coif of the said Courts.
• Commissioners of the Court of Bankruptcy.
• Viscounts' younger sons.
• Baronets of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
• Knights of the Grand Crosses of the Bath.
• Knights of the Grand Crosses of St. Michael and St. George.
• Knights Commanders of the Bath.
• Knights Commanders of St. Michael and St. George.
• Knights Bachelors.
• Companions of the Bath.
• Cavaliers Companions of St. Michael and St. George.
• Eldest sons of younger sons of peers.
• Baronets' eldest sons.
• Eldest sons of Knights of the Garter.
• Knights' eldest sons.
• Younger sons of younger sons of Peers.
• Baronets' younger sons.
• Esquires of the Sovereign's Body.
• Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber.
• Esquires of Knights of the Bath.
• Esquires by creation.
• Younger sons of Knights of the Garter.
• Younger sons of Knights of the Bath.
• Younger sons of Knights Bachelors.
• Clergymen, Barristers-at-law, Officers in the Navy and Army, who are all Gentlemen, and have their respective precedency in their several professions.
• Citizens.
• Burgesses.

PRECEDENCY AMONG WOMEN.

• The Queen.
• Princess of Wales.
• Princesses, daughters of the Sovereign.
• Princesses and Duchesses, wives of the Sovereign's sons.
• Granddaughters of the Sovereign.
• Wives of the Sovereign's grandsons.
• The Sovereign's sisters.
• Wives of the Sovereign's brothers.
• The Sovereign's aunts.
• Wives of the Sovereigns uncles.
• Wives of the eldest sons of Dukes of the Blood Royal.
• Daughters of Dukes of the Blood Royal.
• Duchesses.
• Marchionesses.
• Wives of the eldest sons of Dukes.
• Daughters of Dukes.
• Countesses.
• Wives of eldest sons of Marquises.
• Daughters of Marquises.
• Wives of younger sons of Dukes.
• Viscountesses.
• Wives of eldest sons of Earls.
• Daughters of Earls.
• Wives of younger sons of Marquises.
• Baronesses.
• Wives of eldest sons of Viscounts.
• Daughters of Viscounts.
• Wives of younger sons of Earls.
• Wives of eldest sons of Barons.
• Daughters of Barons.
• Wives of younger sons of Viscounts.
• Wives of younger sons of Barons.
• Wives of Baronets.
• Wives of Knights of the Garter.
• Wives of Knights of Grand Crosses, Order of the Bath.
• Wives of Knights Grand Crosses of St. Michael and St. George.
• Wives of Knights Bachelors.
• Wives of Companions of the Bath.
• Wives of Companions of St. Michael and St. George.
• Wives of the eldest sons of the younger sons of Peers.
• Wives of the eldest sons of Baronets.
• Daughters of Baronets.
• Wives of the eldest sons of Knights of the Garter.
• Daughters of Knights of the Garter.
• Wives of eldest sons of Knights of the Bath.
• Daughters of Knights of the Bath.
• Wives of Eldest sons of Knights Bachelors.
• Daughters of Knights Bachelors.
• Wives of younger sons of younger sons of Peers.
• Wives of younger sons of Baronets.
• Wives of Esquires of the Sovereign's Body.
• Wives of Esquires to the Knights of the Bath.
• Wives of Gentlemen entitled to bear arms.
• Daughters of Esquires entitled to bear arms who are Gentlewomen by birth.
• Daughters of Gentlemen entitled to bear arms who are Gentlewomen by birth.
• Wives of Clergymen, Barristers-at-law.
• Wives of Officers in the Navy and Army.
• Wives of Citizens.
• Wives of Burgesses.

Source: Lady Colin Campbell, Etiquette of Good Society (London: Cassell and Company Limited, 1893), 49-52.

N.B.: This is an excerpt of the small book, Etiquette of Good Society. Further sections will be used for future posts.