Courtesy title

A courtesy title is a form of address in the British peerage system used for wives, children, and other close relatives of a peer. These styles may mislead those unacquainted with the system into thinking that they have substantive titles.

Widows

If a peer dies, his wife's style does not change unless the new peer is married. If he is married, traditionally the widowed peeress puts "Dowager" in her style, i.e. "The Most Hon. The Marchioness of London" becomes "The Most Hon. The Dowager Marchioness of London." However, in more recent times, due to negative connotations of the word "Dowager," many widows choose to be styled as a divorcee, except keeping their style. So, "The Rt. Hon. The Viscountess London" becomes "The Rt. Hon. Mary, Viscountess London."

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If a widowed peeress's son predeceases her, her daughter-in-law may not use the Dowager styling and must use the Christian name designation until her mother-in-law dies, at which point she may use the Dowager title.

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