Oh, and randomly: 'Excellency' is used mostly for ministers of state (the royally-appointed kind), which amounts to ambassadors, Privy Councilors, Masters of the Royal Orders, etc. Baronets get 'sir', earls (we have these instead of Counts) and viscounts (but for some reason we have these anyway) and whatnot get 'my lord', and princes are highnesses. Actually, all royalty except the monarch are highnesses. Members of Parliament are Right Honourables, regardless of actual behaviour. Titles are tied to land, and you can go up in the world if you inherit a higher title from someone who kicks the bucket. Empty estates can also be bestowed by monarchs. Anyone who has a title can be called Lord or Lady Wherever as a formal title.
Give me half an hour to find the almanac and I could even tell you the number of knobs on their coronets. :p ::wanders reluctantly back to work::
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Date: 18 Apr 2005 03:21 am (UTC)Give me half an hour to find the almanac and I could even tell you the number of knobs on their coronets. :p ::wanders reluctantly back to work::