Editing Peerages in the United Kingdom (section)

===General precedence===
In England and Wales, the sovereign ranks first, followed by the Royal Family. Then follow the [[Archbishop of Canterbury|Archbishops of Canterbury]] and [[Archbishop of York|York]], the Great Officers of State and other important state functionaries such as the [[prime minister]]. Thereafter, dukes precede [[marquess]]es, who precede [[earl]]s, who precede [[viscount]]s, who precede bishops, who precede barons and lords of Parliament.<ref name="velde"/>

Within the members of each rank of the peerage, peers of England precede peers of Scotland. English and Scottish peers together precede peers of Great Britain. All of the aforementioned precede peers of Ireland created before 1801. Last come peers of Ireland created after 1801 and peers of the United Kingdom. Among peers of the same rank and Peerage, precedence is based on the creation of the title: those whose titles were created earlier precede those whose titles were created later. But in no case would a peer of a lower rank precede one of a higher rank. For example, the [[Duke of Fife]], the last non-royal to be created a duke, would come before the [[Marquess of Winchester]], though the latter's title was created earlier and is in a more senior peerage (the peerage of England).<ref name="velde"/>

The place of a peer in the order for gentlemen is taken by his wife in the order for ladies, except that a dowager peeress of a particular title precedes the present holder of the same title. Children of peers (and ''[[suo jure]]'' peeresses) also obtain a special precedence. The following algorithm may be used to determine their ranks:
* Eldest sons of peers of rank X go after peers of rank X−1
* Younger sons of peers of rank X go after eldest sons of peers of rank X−1
* Wives have a precedence corresponding to those of their husbands
* Daughters of peers of rank X go after wives of eldest sons of peers of rank X
Over time, however, various offices were inserted at different points in the order, thereby varying it.<ref name="velde"/>

Eldest sons of dukes rank after marquesses; eldest sons of marquesses and then younger sons of dukes rank after earls; eldest sons of earls and then younger sons of marquesses rank after viscounts. Eldest sons of viscounts, younger sons of earls, and then eldest sons of barons, in that order, follow barons, with the [[Treasurer of the Household]], the [[Comptroller of the Household]], the [[Vice-Chamberlain of the Household]] and Secretaries of State being interpolated between them and the barons. Younger sons of viscounts, and then younger sons of barons, come after the aforesaid eldest sons of barons, with Knights of the [[Order of the Garter]] and [[Order of the Thistle]], [[Privy council]]lors and senior judges being intercalated between them and eldest sons of barons.<ref name="velde"/>

Children of the eldest son of a peer also obtain a special precedence. Generally, the eldest son of the eldest son of a peer comes immediately before his uncles, while the younger sons of the eldest son of a peer come after them. Therefore, eldest sons of eldest sons of dukes come before younger sons of dukes, and younger sons of eldest sons of dukes come after them, and so forth for all the ranks. Below the younger sons of barons are baronets, knights, circuit judges and companions of the various orders of Chivalry, followed by the eldest sons of younger sons of peers.<ref name="velde"/>

Wives of all of the aforementioned have precedence corresponding to their husbands', unless otherwise entitled to a higher precedence, for instance by virtue of holding a certain office. An individual's daughter takes precedence after the wife of that individual's eldest son and before the wives of that individual's younger sons. Therefore, daughters of peers rank immediately after wives of eldest sons of peers; daughters of eldest sons of peers rank immediately after wives of eldest sons of eldest sons of peers; daughters of younger sons of peers rank after wives of eldest sons of younger sons of peers. Such a daughter keeps her precedence if marrying a commoner (unless that marriage somehow confers a higher precedence), but rank as their husband if marrying a peer.<ref name="velde"/>