Under construction ...
Comments and questions can be mailed to
the author
Main Page: Titles of European hereditary rulers
Last updated: Dec 17,
2015
Great Britain
Overview
By the Act of Union of 1707, it was decided that
the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland, thitherto a personal union, should be
united for ever into one Kingdom by the name of Great Britain
The Acts of Union of 1800 united the Kingdom of
Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland to create the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland. The union came into effect on 1 January
1801.
In December 1922, the most of the Island of
Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and formed
a new Dominion, the Irish Free State. However, Northern Ireland almost
immediately exercised its right under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, to opt out of the
Irish Free State and back into the United Kingdom.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
continued in name until 1927 when it was renamed as the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland by the Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act
1927.
Bibliography.
1. British and Foreign State Papers (London :
1812-).
2. The Statutory Rules and Orders and Statutory
Instruments Revised to December 31, 1948 (London).
3. Queen’s College, Kingston. Royal
Charter. 1841 (Kingston, Canada : 1853).
4. Journal of the House of
Lords.
5. Journals of the House of
Commons.
6. Simonyi, Ernö. Angol diplomatiai
iratok II. Rakoczi Ferencz korara (Budapest : 1871-1877) [Archivum Rakoczianum;
II. Rakoczi Ferencz leveltara, bel- és külföldi
irattarakból bövítve, osztaly II (Diplomatia); kötet
II].
7. Wedderburn, Alexander. The Wedderburn
book, a history of the Wedderburns in the counties of Berwick and Forfar ...
1296-1896 (1898).
8. Charter, Supplemental Charters, By-laws, and
List of Members of the Institution of Civil Engineers (London :
1906).
9. The Charters, Acts of Parliament, and By-laws
of the Corporation of the Amicable Society (London : 1854).
10. Parry, D. H. The V.C. : its Heroes and
their Valour. From personal accounts, official records, and regimental tradition
(London, New York, Toronto, and Melbourne : Cassell, 1913).
11. Report of the Royal Commission on Historical
Manuscripts (London).
12. Society for the Protection of Birds. Annual
report.
13. Transactions of the Institution of Mining
Engineers (London).
14. The New Annual Register, or General
Repository of History, Politics, and Literature (London).
15. Hall, Hubert. A formula book of
English official historical documents (Cambridge : University press,
1908).
16. Celebration Legal Essays, by Various Authors
to Mark The Twenty-fifth Year Of Service Of John H. Wigmore (Chicago :
1919):
17. Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles. The right
to bear arms (London : 1900; 2nd edit.).
18. Palmer, Francis Beaufort. Peerage Law
in England: A Practical Treatise for Lawyers and Laymen (London : Stevens,
1907).
19. Handbuch des öffentlichen Rechts der
Gegenwart in Monographien (Freiburg i. B. und Tubingen : J.C.B. Mohr (Paul
Siebeck), 1892-).
20. Look Lai, Walton. The Chinese in the
West Indies, 1806-1995 (Kingston : The Press, University of the West Indies,
1998).
21. Crewdson, Richard. Apollo's Swan and
Lyre: Five Hundred Years of the Musicians' Company (Rochester, N. Y : Boydell
and Brewer, 2000).
22. The London Gazette.
23. Papers relative to the discussion with France
in the year 1806 (London : 1807).
24. Mercurio de España (Madrid : Imprenta
Real).
25. Acts of the General Assembly of the Church of
Scotland (Edinburgh).
26. Case on Behalf of Sir John Trotter Bethune
(Edinburgh : 1877) [Lindsay peerages].
27. Tratado definitivo de paz, amistad y alianza
entre S. M. el Rey de España y de las Indias D. Fernando VII ... y el rey
del Reino Unido de la Gran-Bretaña e Irlanda (Sevilla : Hidalgo,
1809).
28. House of Commons Papers.
29. Report of Board of Her Majesty's sole and
only Master Printers in Scotland, June 1840 (London) [The Sessional Papers
Printed by Order of the House of Lords. Session 1840; vol. XV; Accounts and
papers].
30. The Manchester municipal code (London &
Birmingham).
31. Proceedings of the Parliament of South
Australia (Adelaide).
32. Gazzetta ufficiale del regno d'Italia
(Roma).
Geographical names.
Brunswick -> Braunschweig (in Niedersachsen, N
Germany);
Lüneburg / Luneburg (in Niedersachsen, N
Germany);
Great Britain -> Magna
Britania;
Ireland -> Hibernia,
Éire;
Notes:
1. The term "the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland" was translated in the Latin language as Britanniarum (the
Britains or the British Isles). The term "the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Northern Ireland and of Our other Realms and Territories" is translated as
Britanniarum Regnorumque Suorum Ceterorum.
--- 1707-1714
King of Great Britain, France, Ireland;
@ Samples:
(Feb 1708) [4: vol.18; p.460]
< Anne (+1714), Queen of England 1702, of
Great Britain 1707 >
Anne, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain,
France, and Ireland, Queen,
Defender of the Faith, &c.
(May 1709) [6: kötet III (1877); p.437;
Doc.# 824]
Anna, Dei Gratia Magnæ Britanniæ,
Franciæ, et Hiberniæ Regina,
Fidei Defensor &c.
--- 1714-1801
-- the 1st form ( Foregn relations )
King of Great Britain, France, Ireland;
Duke of Brunswick, Lüneburg;
@ Added:
- [1714] Brunswick,
Lüneburg
George-Louis, Elector of the Holy Roman Empire
and Duke of Brunswick-Hanover, became King of Great Britain as George I
(1714).
@ Samples:
(Feb 1721, n.s.) [5: volume 19 (1803);
[1718-1721]; p.485]
Georgius, Dei Gratia, Magnae Britaniæ,
Franciæ & Hiberniæ, Rex,
Fidei Defensor,
Dux Brunsvicensis et Luneburgensis,
Sacri Romani Imperil Archithesaurarius et
Princeps Elector &c.
(Oct 1760) [15: part I; p.144; Doc. #
163]
< George III (+1820), King of Great Britain
1760, of Hanover 1814 >
Georgius Tertius, Dei Gratia, Magnae Britaniae,
Franciae et Hiberniae, Rex,
Fidei Defensor,
Dux Brunsvicensis et Luneburgensis,
Sacri Romani Imperil Archi-Thesaurarius et
Princeps Elector etc.
-- the 2nd form
King of Great Britain, France, Ireland;
@ Samples:
(Sep 1714) [4: vol.20; p.16]
< George-Louis (+1727), Elector & Duke
of Brunswick-Hanover 1698; King of Great Britain (George I) 1714
>
Georgius, Dei Gratia, Magnæ
Britanniæ, Franciæ, et Hiberniæ Rex,
Fidei Defensor, &c.
(Jan 1730) [9: p.37]
< George II (+1760), King of Great Britain
1727; Elector & Duke of Brunswick-Hanover 1727 >
George the Second, by the Grace of God, of Great
Britain, France and Ireland, King,
Defender of the Faith, &c.
(May 1790) [9: p.45]
< George III (+1820), King of Great Britain
1760, of Hanover 1814; Elector & Duke of Brunswick-Hanover 1760
>
George the Third, by the Grace of God, of Great
Britain, France, and Ireland, King,
Defender of the Faith, and so
forth
--- 1801-1814
-- the 1st form ( Foregn relations / Latin )
King of the Britains;
Duke of Brunswick, Lüneburg;
@ Replaced:
- [1801] "Great Britain, France, Ireland"
with "the Britains" / "the United Kingdom of Great Britain &
Ireland"
The Proclamation of the Brittish Royal title
introduced a new version of the title. The version reflected the new status of
Ireland, and the fact that the British government had recognized the French
Republic [14: Year 1801; p.116-118 (1801).
Note: the Act of Union of 1800 abolished the
Irish Parliament and created the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Ireland.
@ Samples:
(Oct 1801) [24: 102; tomo II;
p.26]
< George III (+1820), King of Great Britain
1760, of Hanover 1814; Elector & Duke of Brunswick-Hanover 1760
>
Georgius Tertius Dei gratia Britanniarum Rex,
Fidei Defensor,
Dux Brunsvicensis ac Luneburgensis,
Sacri Romani Imperii Archi Thesaurarius, et
Princeps Elector, &c.
(June 1806) [23: p.90; Doc.# 24]
Georgius Tertius, Dei Gratia Britanniarum Rex,
Fidei Defensor,
Dux Brunsvicensis ac Luneburgensis,
Sacri Romani Imperii Archi Thesaurarius et
Princeps Elector, &c.
(Dec 1808) [27: p.13]
Georgius tertius Dei gratia, Britanniarum Rex,
Fidei Defensor,
Dux Brunsvicensis et Luneburgensis,
Sacri Romani Imperii Archi-Thesaurarius et
Princeps Elector &c.
-- the 2nd form
King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain &
Ireland;
@ Samples:
(Oct 1803) [7: vol.I; p.302; Doc.#
II]
< George III (+1820), King of Great Britain
1760, of Hanover 1814; Elector & Duke of Brunswick-Hanover 1760
>
George the Third by the Grace of God of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King,
Defender of the Faith
--- 1814-1837
-- the 1st form ( Latin )
King of the Britains;
@ Samples:
(Mar 1819) [25: 1811; p.4]
< George III (+1820), King of Great Britain
1760, of Hanover 1814; Elector & Duke of Brunswick-Hanover 1760
>
Georgius Tertius Dei gratia Britanniarum Rex,
Fidei Defensor
(Aug 1831) [28: Estimates and Accounts. Session
(14 June-20 October 1831) / vol. XIII (1831); p.149]
< William IV (+1837), King of Great Britain
& Hanover 1830 >
Gulielmus Quartus Dei gratia Britanniarum Rex,
Fidei Defensor
(July 1833) [26: p.145; Doc.#
124]
Gulielmus quartus Dei gratia Britanniarum Rex
fidei defensor
-- the 2nd form
King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain &
Ireland;
@ Samples:
(Feb 1823) [8: p.62]
< George IV (+1830), King of Great Britain
& Hanover 1820 >
George the Fourth, by the Grace of God, of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King,
Defender of the Faith
(Apr 1836) [9: p.81]
< William IV (+1837), King of Great Britain
& Hanover 1830 >
William the Fourth, by the Grace of God, of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King,
Defender of the Faith
--- 1837-1877
-- the 1st form ( Latin )
King of the Britains;
@ Samples:
(July 1839) [29: p.15; Doc.# II]
< Victoria (+1901), Queen of Great Britain
1837 >
Victoria, Dei Gratia Britanniarum Regina,
Fidei Defensor
(Apr 1862) [25: 1862; p.3; Doc.#
I]
Victoria, Dei gratia, Britanniarum Regina,
Fidei Defensor
-- the 2nd form
King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain &
Ireland;
@ Samples:
(Apr 1839) [30: vol. V (1899); p.292; Doc.#
Pt.V.3.B]
< Victoria (+1901), Queen of Great Britain
1837 >
Victoria, by the Grace of God, of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen,
Defender of the Faith
(Feb 1856) [10: p.409]
Victoria, by the Grace of God, of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen,
Defender of the Faith, etc.
--- 1877-1901
-- the 1st form
King of the Britains;
Emperor of India;
@ Added:
- [1877] India
Queen Victoria of Great Britain assumed the title
of Empress of India (1876) [2: vol. 2; p.796].
Note: the Imperial title was proclaimed at the
Delhi Durbar, January 1st, 1877.
@ Samples:
(Feb 1878) [32: 1878; p.817-818; 2 Marzo;
Num.51]
< Victoria (+1901), Queen of Great Britain
1837 >
Victoria Dei Gratia Britanniarum Regina,
Fidei Defensor,
Indiæ Imperatrix et
prænobilis Periscelidis sive Garterii
Ordinis Suprema
(Nov 1901) [2: vol.2; p.799] [22: # 27372; 5
November 1901; p.7137]
< Edward VII (+1911), King of Great Britain
1901 >
Edwardus VII Dei Gratiâ Britanniarum Rex,
Fidei Defensor,
Indiae Imperator
-- the 2nd form
King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain &
Ireland;
Emperor of India;
@ Samples:
(Dec 1877) [22: # 24545; 22 January 1878;
p.327]
< Victoria (+1901), Queen of Great Britain
1837 >
Victoria, by the Grace of God, of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen,
Defender of the Faith,
Empress of India
(Oct 1900) [31: volume II (1901); Doc.# 116] <
for South Australia >
Victoria, by the Grace of God of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen,
Defender of the Faith,
Empress of India
-- the 3rd form
King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain &
Ireland;
@ Samples:
(Aug 1887) [8: p.11]
< Victoria (+1901), Queen of Great Britain
1837 >
Victoria, by the grace of God of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen,
Defender of the Faith
(Mar 1896) [8: p.19]
Victoria, by the grace of God of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen,
Defender of the Faith
(Mar 1901) [11: XVI (1904); p.7]
< Edward VII (+1911), King of Great Britain
1901 >
Edward the Seventh, by the Grace of God, of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King,
Defender of the Faith
--- 1901-1927
-- the 1st form ( Latin )
King of the Britains, the British Dominions beyond the
Seas;
Emperor of India;
@ Added:
- [1901] the British Dominions beyond the
Seas
In 1901, the Royal Titles Act was passed in
Parliament to enable King Edward VIII to make an addition to the Royal Style and
Titles in recognition of his Dominions beyond the Seas. The Proclamation making
an Addition to the Style and Titles Appertaining to the Imperial Crown of the
United Kingdom and its Dependencies reflected the importance the colonial empire
to Great Britain (1901) [22: # 27372; 5 November 1901; p.7137]
@ Samples:
(May 1927) [22: # 33274; 13 May 1927;
p.3111]
< George V (+1936), King of Great Britain
1910 >
Georgius, V Dei Gratia Britanniarum et terrarum
transmarinarum quae in ditione sunt Britannica Rex,
Fidei Defensor,
Indiae Imperator
-- the 2nd form
King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Ireland,
the British Dominions beyond the Seas;
Emperor of India;
@ Samples:
(Apr 1903) [22: # 27546; 24 April 1903;
p.2613]
< Edward VII (+1911), King of Great Britain
1901 >
Edward the Seventh, by the Grace of God, of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the British Dominions beyond
the Seas King,
Defender of the Faith,
Emperor of India
(May 1914) [22: # 28834; 26 May 1914;
p.4219]
< George V (+1936), King of Great Britain
1910 >
George the Fifth, by the Grace of God, of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the British Dominions beyond
the Seas King
Defender of the Faith
Emperor of India
-- the 3rd form
King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Ireland,
the British Dominions beyond the Seas;
@ Samples:
(July 1904) [11: XVII (1907);
p.9]
< Edward VII (+1911), King of Great Britain
1901 >
Edward The Seventh, by the Grace of God, of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the British Dominions beyond
the Seas King,
Defender of the Faith
(Dec 1905) [19: Band IV; Halbband II; Abteilung
IV; II (England); p.48]
Edward the Seventh, by the Grace of God, of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond
the Seas King,
Defender of the Faith
(Oct 1910) [16: p.409]
< George V (+1936), King of Great Britain
1910 >
George the Fifth, by the Grace of God of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond
the Seas King,
Defender of the Faith
(Mar 1927) [22: # 33261; 29 March 1927;
p.2047]
George the Fifth, by the Grace of God, of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the British Dominions beyond
the Seas King,
Defender of the Faith
--- 1927-1948
-- the 1st form
King of Great Britain, Ireland, the British Dominions
beyond the Seas;
Emperor of India;
@ Replaced:
- [1927] "the United Kingdom of Great Britain
& Ireland" with "Great Britain, Ireland"
The Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act was passed
in Parliament to enable King George V to make alterations in his style by the
Royal Proclamation May 13, 1927 [22: # 33274; 13 May 1927;
p.3111].
Note: This version of the Royal title reflected
the new relations between Great Britain and Ireland that had been recognized as
a separate state (with exception of the Nothern Ireland that continues to be
part of the Kingdom).
@ Samples:
(May 1937) [20: p.261]
< George VI (+1952), King of Great Britain
1936 >
George the Sixth, by the Grace of God, of Great
Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the seas,
King, Defender of the Faith,
Emperor of India
(June 1948) [2: vol.2; p.803]
Georgius VI Dei Gratia Magnae Britanniae,
Hiberniae et terrarum transmarinarum quae in ditione sunt Britannica Rex,
Fidei Defensor,
Indiae Imperator
-- the 2nd form
King of Great Britain, Ireland, the British Dominions
beyond the Seas;
@ Samples:
(June 1932) [22: # 33833; 7 June 1932;
p.3673]
< George V (+1936), King of Great Britain
1910 >
George the Fifth, by the Grace of God, of Great
Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas King,
Defender of the Faith
(Feb 1936) [22: # 34255; 14 February 1936;
p.971]
< Edward VIII (+1972), King of Great
Britain [Jan 1936- Dec 1936] >
Edward the Eighth, by the Grace of God, of Great
Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas King,
Defender of the Faith
(Mar 1944) [22: # 36425; 14 March 1944;
p.1229]
< George VI (+1952), King of Great Britain
1936 >
George the Sixth, by the Grace of God, of Great
Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King,
Defender of the Faith
--- 1948-1953
King of Great Britain, Ireland, the British Dominions beyond
the Seas;
@ Removed:
- [1948] India
This title of Emperor of India was omitted by the
Proclamation of June 1948, due to the Indian Independence Act of 1947 [22: #
38330; 22 June 1948; p.3647].
@ Samples:
(Dec 1951) [21: p.277; Doc. #
10]
< George VI (+1952), King of Great Britain
1936 >
George the Sixth, by the Grace of God, of Great
Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King,
Defender of the Faith
(July 1952) [22: # 39610; 29 July 1952;
p.4074]
< Elizabeth II (born 1926), Queen of Great
Britain 1952 >
Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of
Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas Queen,
Defender of the Faith
--- Since 1953
Note:
1. The Royal Style and Titles question was
discussed on of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference in London in 1949.
There was general agreement that the Royal Style and Titles was archaic and
needed to be changed to bring it into conformity with the existing structure of
the Commonwealth. Although at that time no precise understanding was reached on
how it might be done, there was general agreement that each Commonwealth country
would use for its own purpose a title in which the country concerned would be
mentioned by name and the other parts of the Commonwealth would be described in
a generic phrase. A further suggestion was that, since the phrases "By the Grace
of God" and "Defender of the Faith" although traditional in the United Kingdom -
might not be considered appropriate in all the other Commonwealth countries, it
would be for the government of each country to consider whether one or both of
these phrases should be omitted from the title adopted for use in that
country.
The Royal Style and Titles question had been
under consideration by the various Governments of the Commonwealth since the
Accession of Queen Elizabeth II. On April 5, 1952, the Commonwealth Relations
Office asked each of these Governments for their views on the wording of the new
Royal Style and Titles. Because the uniformity could not be obtained, it was
decided to allow each country to use the Royal Style and Titles of its own
preference.
-- the 1st form ( Latin )
King of the Britains, other Realms;
Prince of the Consortium of Peoples;
@ Replaced:
- [1953] "Great Britain, Ireland", "the
British Dominions beyond the Seas" with "the Britains", "other Realms",
the Consortium of Peoples
see above
@ Samples:
(May 1953) [22: # 39873; 26 May 1953;
p.3023]
< Elizabeth II (born 1926), Queen of Great
Britain 1952 >
Elizabeth II, Dei Gratia Britanniarum Regnorumque
Suorum Ceterorum Regina,
Consortionis Populorum Princeps,
Fidei Defensor
-- the 2nd form ( English )
King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern
Ireland, other Realms & Territories;
Head of the Commonwealth;
@ Replaced:
- [1953] "Great Britain, Ireland", "the
British Dominions beyond the Seas" with "the United Kingdom of Great
Britain & Ireland", "other Realms & Territories", the
Commonwealth
The new version of the Royal title was introduced
by the Act for the alteration of the Royal Style and Titles (1953) [22: # 39873;
26 May 1953; p.3023]. The version reflected the following
events:
1) in 1949 Ireland had left the British
Commonwealth;
2) after the World War II, many of the British
colonies gained independence, and the British Empire transformed into the
British Commonwealth.
@ Samples:
(Nov 1953) [22: # 40022; 20 November 1953;
p.6286]
< Elizabeth II (born 1926), Queen of Great
Britain 1952 >
Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Our other Realms and
Territories Queen
Head of the Commonwealth
Defender of the Faith
(Jan 1969) [22: # 44782; 6 February 1969;
p.1403]
Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Our other Realms and
Territories Queen,
Head of the Commonwealth,
Defender of the Faith
(July 1982) [22: # 49051; 14 July 1982;
p.9255]
Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Our other Realms and
Territories Queen,
Head of the Commonwealth,
Defender of the Faith