Quote Originally Posted by McClef View Post
Nathan, the correct styling is Her Royal Highness for both Cornwall and Rothesay titles as these are Royal Duchies and she takes her rank from her husband.

Non royal Duchesses are correctly styled "Her Grace".

Some confusion possibly comes from the late Princess Diana. As the daughter of an Earl she was correctly styled Lady Diana Spencer before her marriage. Camilla was simply Miss Shand then Mrs Parker-Bowles before her marriage to Charles. The title Lady is different from the the word Lady as applied to a female.

It can be confusing I know!
Thanks for the information Trefor,

I did know the title of Lady and the word lady were different but I'm fuzzy about who exactly gets to use it. I knew it applied to the wife of a Lord and by extension his mother who would have been married to his father the Lord and his daughters. Admittedly, I don't know how Dukes, Arch Dukes (If there is such a thing in Britain), Earls, Viscounts, Barons etc...work exactly. What makes an Earldom different from a Duchy? Which is more impressive? You don't actually have to answer as I can Google it I suppose.

I can't speak for the education system in every province but we didn't learn the various aristocratic titles and honourifics in school. As a commonwealth country, we pick some of it up by osmosis when Royals visit and through the media etc...

I did learn the honourifics for politicians and dignitaries in Canada as those are needed much more regularly in my life.

I'm picking it up from being on xmarks, but as I'm not rushing out for a copy of Debrett's this week, I appreciate the free education and stand corrected.

We don't have Duchies in Canada but until recently we did have Dutchies. Some were sad to see the end of them.