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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