BRITISH COURT TO RANK DUCHESS SOON

Northern Advocate, 4 January 1938, Page 8

BRITISH COURT TO RANK DUCHESS SOON

The Duchess of Windsor’s order of precedence is to be settled shortly. The statement is made by the wellinformed diarist of the “Evening Standard.’’

“Court officials, in conjunction with the College of Heralds, are now consiedring the matter,” he writes. It is likely that the final decision will be made by the King himself. “Some Court officials are urging that because the title ‘Royal Highness’ is specifically withheld from the Duchess she cannot take precedence over wives of Dukes of earlier creation.

Issue of Controversy,

“In support of this view they point out that her name was omitted from | the list published last month of orders of knighthood of members of the Royal Family, whose presence at formal occasions makes the wearing of medals and decorations obligatory.” The controversy about the Duchess’s status in matters of precedence arose when Debrett’s Peerage and Burke’s Peerage disagreed. Burke’s held that the Duchess is the most junior of the 29 duchesses. Debrett’s stated that because of her husband’s position she is eighth lady in the land.