Order of precedence in Scotland

The order of precedence in Scotland was fixed by Royal Warrant in 1905. Amendments were made by further Warrants in 1912, 1952, 1958, 1999 to coincide with the establishment of the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government and most recently in 2012.

The relative precedence of peers of Scotland is determined by the Act of Union 1707.

Royal family
Precedence is accorded to spouses, children and grandchildren of the reigning sovereign, as well as children and grandchildren of former sovereigns.

Judiciary, et al.

 * 1) Lord Justice General (The Rt Hon. Lord Carloway)
 * 2) Lord Clerk Register (office held by a woman)
 * 3) Lord Advocate (office held by a woman)
 * 4) Advocate General for Scotland (The Rt Hon. The Lord Stewart of Dirleton)
 * 5) Lord Justice Clerk (office held by a woman)


 * 1) Viscounts
 * 2) Eldest sons of earls
 * 3) Lord Frederick Windsor (only son of Prince Michael of Kent)
 * 4) Younger sons of marquesses

Viscounts, et al.

 * 1) Barons and Lords of Parliament
 * 2) Eldest sons of viscounts
 * 3) Younger sons of earls
 * 4) Eldest sons of barons
 * 5) Knights Companion of the Order of the Garter
 * 6) Knights of the Order of the Thistle
 * 7) Privy Counsellors
 * 8) Senators of the College of Justice and the Chairman of the Scottish Land Court
 * 9) Younger sons of viscounts
 * 10) Younger sons of barons
 * 11) Sons of law life peers
 * 12) Baronets
 * 13) Knights of the Order of St Patrick (none, order dormant)
 * 14) Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
 * 15) Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India (none, order dormant)
 * 16) Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
 * 17) Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (none, order dormant)
 * 18) Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
 * 19) Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire
 * 20) Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath
 * 21) Knights Commander of the Order of the Star of India (none, order dormant)
 * 22) Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
 * 23) Knights Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (none, order dormant)
 * 24) Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
 * 25) Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire
 * 26) Solicitor General for Scotland (Ruth Charteris – see Order of Precedence for Ladies below)
 * 27) Lord Lyon King of Arms (The Revd Canon Joseph Morrow)
 * 28) Scottish Barons
 * 29) Sheriffs-Principal
 * 30) Knights Bachelor
 * 31) Sheriffs as amended by
 * 32) Companions of the Order of the Bath
 * 33) Companions of the Order of the Star of India (none, order dormant)
 * 34) Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George
 * 35) Companions of the Order of the Indian Empire (none, order dormant)
 * 36) Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order
 * 37) Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
 * 38) Lieutenants of the Royal Victorian Order
 * 39) Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
 * 40) Officers of the Order of the British Empire
 * 41) Companions of the Imperial Service Order
 * 42) Eldest sons of younger sons of peers
 * 43) Eldest sons of baronets
 * 44) Eldest sons of Knights Companion of the Order of the Garter
 * 45) Eldest sons of Knights of the Order of the Thistle
 * 46) Eldest sons of Knights of the Order of St Patrick (none, order dormant)
 * 47) Eldest sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
 * 48) Eldest sons of Knights Grand Commander of the Star of India (none, order dormant)
 * 49) Eldest sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
 * 50) Eldest sons of Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (none, order dormant)
 * 51) Eldest sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
 * 52) Eldest sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire
 * 53) Eldest sons of Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath
 * 54) Eldest sons of Knights Commander of the Order of the Star of India (none, order dormant)
 * 55) Eldest sons of Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
 * 56) Eldest sons of Knights Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (none, order dormant)
 * 57) Eldest sons of Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
 * 58) Eldest sons of Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire
 * 59) Members of the Royal Victorian Order
 * 60) Members of the Order of the British Empire
 * 61) Younger sons of baronets
 * 62) Younger sons of Knights Companion of the Order of the Garter
 * 63) Younger sons of Knights of the Order of the Thistle
 * 64) Younger sons of Knights of the Order of St Patrick (none, order dormant)
 * 65) Younger sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
 * 66) Younger sons of Knights Grand Commander of the Star of India (none, order dormant)
 * 67) Younger sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
 * 68) Younger sons of Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (none, order dormant)
 * 69) Younger sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
 * 70) Younger sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire
 * 71) Younger sons of Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath
 * 72) Younger sons of Knights Commander of the Order of the Star of India (none, order dormant)
 * 73) Younger sons of Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
 * 74) Younger sons of Knights Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (none, order dormant)
 * 75) Younger sons of Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
 * 76) Younger sons of Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire
 * 77) King's Counsel as amended by
 * 78) Esquires
 * 79) Gentlemen

Royal Family
The order of precedence accorded to women of the royal family:


 * 1) Lord-Lieutenants (see list below)
 * 2) Sheriffs-Principal (during term of office and with bounds of Sheriffdom)
 * 3) Commonwealth Prime Ministers, while visiting the UK, in order of appointment
 * 4) Ambassadors of foreign countries and High Commissioners of Commonwealth countries according to date of arrival
 * 5) Duchesses
 * 6) Countess of Ulster, wife of Earl of Ulster
 * 7) Countess of St Andrews, wife of Earl of St Andrews
 * 8) Lady Davina Windsor, elder daughter of the Duke of Gloucester
 * 9) Lady Rose Gilman, younger daughter of the Duke of Gloucester
 * 10) Lady Helen Taylor, only daughter of the Duke of Kent
 * 11) Marchionesses
 * 12) Wives of dukes' eldest sons
 * 13) Daughters of dukes not married to peers
 * 14) Countesses
 * 15) Lady Nicholas Windsor, wife of Lord Nicholas Windsor
 * 16) Wives of marquesses' eldest sons
 * 17) Lady Gabriella Kingston, only daughter of Prince Michael of Kent
 * 18) Marquesses' daughters not married to peers
 * 19) Wives of dukes' younger sons
 * 20) Viscountesses
 * 21) Wives of eldest sons of earls or of countesses in their own right
 * 22) Earls' daughters not married to peers
 * 23) Lady Frederick Windsor, wife of Lord Frederick Windsor
 * 24) Wives of marquesses' younger sons
 * 25) Baronesses, wives of Lords of Parliament and female holders of Lordships of Parliament
 * 26) Wives of viscounts' eldest sons
 * 27) Viscounts' daughters not married to peers
 * 28) Wives of younger sons of earls or of countesses in their own right
 * 29) Wives of eldest sons of barons or baronesses
 * 30) Daughters of barons or baronesses
 * 31) Ladies Companion of the Order of the Garter
 * 32) Lady Mary Fagan
 * 33) Lady Mary Peters
 * 34) Ladies of the Order of the Thistle
 * 35) The Rt Hon. Lady Elish Angiolini
 * 36) Wives of Knights Companion of the Order of the Garter (all rank higher, except)
 * 37) June, Lady Hillary
 * 38) Jennifer, Lady Acland
 * 39) Dame Norma, Lady Major
 * 40) Cherie, Lady Blair
 * 41) Wives of Knights of the Order of the Thistle (all rank higher, except)
 * 42) Lady (Helen) Wood
 * 43) Lady (Daphne) Reid
 * 44) Lady (Margaret) Palmer
 * 45) Wives of Knights of the Order of St Patrick (none, order dormant)
 * 46) Privy Counsellors
 * 47) Senators of the College of Justice
 * 48) Wives of viscounts' younger sons
 * 49) Wives of younger sons of barons or baronesses
 * 50) Wives of baronets
 * 51) Dames Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
 * 52) Dames Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
 * 53) Dames Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
 * 54) Dames Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire
 * 55) Wives of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
 * 56) Wives of Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India (none, order dormant)
 * 57) Wives of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
 * 58) Wives of Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (none, order dormant)
 * 59) Wives of Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
 * 60) Wives of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire
 * 61) Dames Commander of the Order of the Bath
 * 62) Dames Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
 * 63) Dames Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
 * 64) Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire
 * 65) Solicitor General for Scotland (Ruth Charteris)
 * 66) Wives of Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath
 * 67) Wives of Knights Commander of the Order of the Star of India (none, order dormant)
 * 68) Wives of Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
 * 69) Wives of Knights Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (none, order dormant)
 * 70) Wives of Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
 * 71) Wives of Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire
 * 72) Companions of the Order of the Bath
 * 73) Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George
 * 74) Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order
 * 75) Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
 * 76) Wives of Companions of the Order of the Bath
 * 77) Wives of Companions of the Order of the Star of India (none, order dormant)
 * 78) Wives of Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George
 * 79) Wives of Companions of the Order of the Indian Empire (none, order dormant)
 * 80) Wives of Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order
 * 81) Wives of Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
 * 82) Wives of Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
 * 83) Lieutenants of the Royal Victorian Order
 * 84) Officers of the Order of the British Empire
 * 85) Wives of Lieutenants of the Royal Victorian Order
 * 86) Wives of Officers of the Order of the British Empire
 * 87) Wives of Senators of the College of Justice
 * 88) Wives of Knights Bachelor
 * 89) Companions of the Imperial Service Order
 * 90) Wives of Companions of the Imperial Service Order
 * 91) Wives of the eldest sons of sons of peers
 * 92) Daughters of sons of peers
 * 93) Wives of the eldest sons of baronets
 * 94) Daughters of baronets
 * 95) Wives of eldest sons of Knights Companion of the Order of the Garter
 * 96) Wives of eldest sons of Knights of the Order of the Thistle
 * 97) Wives of eldest sons of Knights of the Order of St Patrick (none, order dormant)
 * 98) Wives of eldest sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
 * 99) Wives of eldest sons of Knights Grand Commander of the Star of India (none, order dormant)
 * 100) Wives of eldest sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
 * 101) Wives of eldest sons of Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (none, order dormant)
 * 102) Wives of eldest sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
 * 103) Wives of eldest sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire
 * 104) Wives of eldest sons of Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath
 * 105) Wives of eldest sons of Knights Commander of the Order of the Star of India (none, order dormant)
 * 106) Wives of eldest sons of Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
 * 107) Wives of eldest sons of Knights Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (none, order dormant)
 * 108) Wives of eldest sons of Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
 * 109) Wives of eldest sons of Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire
 * 110) Daughters of Knights Companion of the Order of the Garter
 * 111) Daughters of Knights of the Order of the Thistle
 * 112) Daughters of Knights of the Order of St Patrick (none, order dormant)
 * 113) Daughters of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
 * 114) Daughters of Knights Grand Commander of the Star of India (none, order dormant)
 * 115) Daughters of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
 * 116) Daughters of Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (none, order dormant)
 * 117) Daughters of Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
 * 118) Daughters of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire
 * 119) Daughters of Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath
 * 120) Daughters of Knights Commander of the Order of the Star of India (none, order dormant)
 * 121) Daughters of Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
 * 122) Daughters of Knights Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (none, order dormant)
 * 123) Daughters of Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
 * 124) Daughters of Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire
 * 125) Members of the Royal Victorian Order
 * 126) Members of the Order of the British Empire
 * 127) Wives of Members of the Royal Victorian Order
 * 128) Wives of Members of the Order of the British Empire
 * 129) Wives of younger sons of baronets
 * 130) Wives of younger sons of Knights Companion of the Order of the Garter
 * 131) Wives of younger sons of Knights of the Order of the Thistle
 * 132) Wives of younger sons of Knights of the Order of St Patrick (none, order dormant)
 * 133) Wives of younger sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
 * 134) Wives of younger sons of Knights Grand Commander of the Star of India (none, order dormant)
 * 135) Wives of younger sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
 * 136) Wives of younger sons of Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (none, order dormant)
 * 137) Wives of younger sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
 * 138) Wives of younger sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire
 * 139) Wives of younger sons of Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath
 * 140) Wives of younger sons of Knights Commander of the Order of the Star of India (none, order dormant)
 * 141) Wives of younger sons of Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
 * 142) Wives of younger sons of Knights Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (none, order dormant)
 * 143) Wives of younger sons of Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order

Local precedence

 * 1) Lord-Lieutenants of the lieutenancy areas (the Lord Provost is Lord Lieutenant in the four largest cities):
 * 2) *The Lord Provost of Aberdeen (Dr David Cameron)
 * 3) *Lord Lieutenant of Aberdeenshire (Sandy Manson)
 * 4) *Lord Lieutenant of Angus (Patricia Ann Sawers)
 * 5) *Lord Lieutenant of Argyll and Bute (Jane Margaret MacLeod )
 * 6) *Lord Lieutenant of Ayrshire and Arran (Iona McDonald)
 * 7) *Lord Lieutenant of Banffshire (Andrew Simpson)
 * 8) *Lord Lieutenant of Berwickshire (Jeanna Swan)
 * 9) *Lord Lieutenant of Caithness (The Rt Hon. The Viscount Thurso)
 * 10) *Lord Lieutenant of Clackmannanshire (Johnny Stewart)
 * 11) *Lord Lieutenant of Dumfries (Fiona Armstrong)
 * 12) *Lord Lieutenant of Dunbartonshire (Jill Williamina Young)
 * 13) *The Lord Provost of Dundee (Bill Campbell)
 * 14) *Lord Lieutenant of East Lothian (Roderick Urquhart)
 * 15) *The Lord Provost of Edinburgh (Robert Aldridge)
 * 16) *Lord Lieutenant of Fife (Robert William Balfour)
 * 17) *The Lord Provost of Glasgow (Jacqueline McLaren)
 * 18) *Lord Lieutenant of Inverness (James Wotherspoon)
 * 19) *Lord Lieutenant of Kincardineshire (Alastair Macphie)
 * 20) *Lord Lieutenant of Lanarkshire (The Rt Hon. The Lady Haughey)
 * 21) *Lord Lieutenant of Midlothian (Richard Callander)
 * 22) *Lord Lieutenant of Moray (Major-General Seymour Monro)
 * 23) *Lord Lieutenant of Nairn (George Russell Asher)
 * 24) *Lord Lieutenant of Orkney (Elaine Grieve)
 * 25) *Lord Lieutenant of Perth and Kinross (Stephen Leckie)
 * 26) *Lord Lieutenant of Renfrewshire (Colonel Peter McCarthy)
 * 27) *Lord Lieutenant of Ross and Cromarty (Joanie Whiteford)
 * 28) *Lord Lieutenant of Roxburgh, Ettrick and Lauderdale (HG The Duke of Buccleuch and Queensbury)
 * 29) *Lord Lieutenant of Shetland (Lindsay Tulloch)
 * 30) *Lord Lieutenant of Stirling and Falkirk (Alan Simpson)
 * 31) *Lord Lieutenant of Sutherland (Major-General Patrick Marriott)
 * 32) *Lord Lieutenant of The Stewartry of Kirkcudbright (The Rt Hon. The Lord Sinclair)
 * 33) *Lord Lieutenant of Tweeddale (Sir Hew Strachan)
 * 34) *Lord Lieutenant of the Western Isles (Iain Macaulay)
 * 35) *Lord Lieutenant of West Lothian (Moria Niven)
 * 36) *Lord Lieutenant of Wigtown (Aileen Brewis)
 * 37) The Provost
 * 38) The Deputy Provost
 * 39) Justices of the peace
 * 40) The Chief Constable