Editing Baron (section)

=== Style of address ===

Formally, barons are styled ''The Right Honourable The Lord [Barony]'' and barons’ wives are styled ''The Right Honourable The Lady [Barony]''.<ref name="pine"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Forms of Address – Barons and their Wives |url=http://www.debretts.com/forms-of-address/titles/baron.aspx |publisher=Debrett's |access-date=10 August 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130807054956/http://www.debretts.com/forms-of-address/titles/baron.aspx |archive-date=7 August 2013 }}</ref><ref name=BurkesPeerage>{{cite web|title=British Titles – Baron |url=http://www.burkes-peerage.co.uk/articles/peerage/page66-baron.aspx |publisher=Burke's Peerage |access-date=10 August 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512215555/http://www.burkes-peerage.co.uk/articles/peerage/page66-baron.aspx |archive-date=12 May 2014 }}</ref> Baronesses in their own right, whether hereditary or for life, are either styled ''The Right Honourable The Baroness [Barony]'' or ''The Right Honourable The Lady [Barony]'', mainly based on personal preference (e.g. [[Margaret Thatcher|Lady Thatcher]] and [[Sayeeda Warsi|Baroness Warsi]], both life baronesses in their own right).<ref name=BurkesPeerage/><ref>{{cite web |title=Forms of Address – Baroness in Her Own Right and Life Baroness |url=http://www.debretts.com/forms-of-address/titles/baron/baroness.aspx |publisher=Debrett's |access-date=10 August 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111229214948/http://www.debretts.com/forms-of-address/titles/baron/baroness.aspx |archive-date=29 December 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=British Titles – Lady |url=http://www.burkes-peerage.co.uk/articles/peerage/page66-lady.aspx |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130811100828/http://www.burkes-peerage.co.uk/articles/peerage/page66-lady.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 August 2013 |publisher=Burke's Peerage |access-date=10 August 2013 }}</ref> Less formally, one refers to or addresses a baron as ''Lord [Barony]'' and his wife as ''Lady [Barony]'', and baronesses in their own right as ''Baroness [X]'' or ''Lady [X]''. In direct address, barons and baronesses can also be referred to as ''My Lord'', ''Your Lordship'', or ''Your Ladyship or My Lady''. The husband of a baroness in her own right gains no title or style from his wife.

''The'' ''Right Honourable'' is frequently abbreviated to ''The Rt Hon.'' or ''Rt Hon.'' When referred to by the Sovereign in public instruments, ''The Right Honourable'' is changed to ''Our right trusty and well-beloved'', with ''Counsellor'' attached if they are a [[Privy Council of the United Kingdom|Privy Counsellor]].

Children of barons and baronesses in their own right, whether hereditary or for life, have the style ''The Honourable [Forename] [Surname]''. After the death of the father or mother, the child may continue to use this style.

[[Courtesy titles in the United Kingdom|Courtesy barons]] are styled ''Lord [Barony]'', and their wives ''Lady [Barony]''; the article "The" is always absent. If the courtesy baron is not a Privy Counsellor, the style ''The Right Honourable'' will also be absent.

It is very common for the surnames of barons and baronesses to be identical to or included in the formal title of their barony. However, when addressed as a peer, the title of ''Lord'', ''Lady'', or ''Baroness'' is followed by the name of his or her barony, not his personal name. This is relevant when a baron or baroness's title is completely different from his or her personal surname (e.g. [[William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin|William Thomson, Lord Kelvin]]) or includes a territorial designation in addition to his surname (e.g. [[Martin Rees|Martin Rees, Lord Rees of Ludlow]]). This also means that including a baron or baroness's forename before his or her title is incorrect and potentially misleading. For example, "Lady Margaret Thatcher" (as opposed to "Lady Thatcher") would imply that she was the daughter of an earl, marquess, or duke, or [[Order of the Garter|Lady of the Garter]] or [[Order of the Thistle|Thistle]] not holding a peerage rather than a baroness. Likewise, in the case of men, "Lord [[Digby Jones]]" (as opposed to "Lord Jones of Birmingham") would imply that he was the younger son of a marquess or duke rather than a baron.

The United Kingdom has a policy of including titles of nobility on passports: the title is entered into the surname field and a standard observation is recorded giving the holder's full name and title. A Baron would therefore record his surname as ''Lord [Barony]'', and the observation would note that ''The holder is The Right Honourable [given names] [surname] Lord [Barony]''. However, if the title of an applicant's peerage is different from his surname, he can choose whether to use his surname or title in the surname field. A baroness in her own right would substitute "Baroness" for "Lord", and the wife of a Baron would similarly substitute "Lady". Titles of nobility are checked against Debrett's Peerage, Who's Who, or the London Gazette by the passport office on application.