# How would a titled person (British) introduce him/herself? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 12, 2016, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-a-titled-person-british-introduce-him-herself/762567 "2016-08-12T15:08:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Malden\_Capell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malden_capell/32/5274_2.png) [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-a-titled-person-british-introduce-him-herself/762567/21 "2016-08-15T18:35:12Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > The local Earl, who’s in the Lords these days due to an awarded baronetcy rather than the hereditary route, is universally called “Jamie”. He’s a nice man. Slight nitpick…I think you mean a barony, or life peerage. A baron **etc** y is a hereditary knighthood, and has no association with the House of Lords… ---
**Author:** ![Whiskey\_Dickens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc348/32.png) [@Whiskey\_Dickens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whiskey_Dickens)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-a-titled-person-british-introduce-him-herself/762567/22 "2016-08-15T19:19:49Z")
> [@Malden\_Capell](#): > > Actually, I’ve found it much more likely that it will be staff of the House of Lords as well as people meeting with the Lord to insist upon the title. In the case of ‘Richard’ above, the staffer in question turned round and said ‘Oh, no, my Lord; the title is not for you, it’s for me.’ This is confusing. Is it the case that the staffer wanted the prestige of working for a Lord and therefore wanted the Lord addressed formally? Seems odd that the staffer would publicly contradict his boss in something so personal as how his boss is addressed. ---
**Author:** ![Malden\_Capell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malden_capell/32/5274_2.png) [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-a-titled-person-british-introduce-him-herself/762567/23 "2016-08-15T20:08:02Z")
> [@Whiskey\_Dickens](#): > > This is confusing. Is it the case that the staffer wanted the prestige of working for a Lord and therefore wanted the Lord addressed formally? It made sense to me. Basically, the staffer has a job to do: to serve the House of Lords, its Members and committees. The Lords are their bosses. While things go fine, sure, everything’s fun and games and people can let their hair down, but once the shit hits the fan, it’s absolutely certain that bad-tempered Lords will pull rank or lash out. The staffer said it was an important reminder to both he and the Lords that their relationship is purely professional and reminds them of the place that they work in. He said something like, we can pretend it’s the 21st Century in the building as much as we like, but the fact is, informality breeds contempt and produces mistakes. It reminded him of the command structure. > [@](#): > > Seems odd that the staffer would publicly contradict his boss in something so personal as how his boss is addressed. It wasn’t public, or aggressively stated, to my knowledge of how he recalled the story to me… ---
**Author:** ![Whiskey\_Dickens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc348/32.png) [@Whiskey\_Dickens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whiskey_Dickens)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-a-titled-person-british-introduce-him-herself/762567/24 "2016-08-15T20:54:54Z")
> [@Malden\_Capell](#): > > It wasn’t public, or aggressively stated, to my knowledge of how he recalled the story to me… Ahh, that makes more sense. I thought the Lord had extended a hand and said “Call me Spanky” to you, and the staffer turned around to the Lord and said essentially “Lord Spankenton will do fine.” ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-a-titled-person-british-introduce-him-herself/762567/25 "2016-08-15T21:01:50Z")
They wouldn’t. That is the butler’s job. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-a-titled-person-british-introduce-him-herself/762567/26 "2016-08-15T21:27:48Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > They wouldn’t. > That is the butler’s job. Nope. Butlers don’t introduce. I doubt if they even announce visitors any more. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-a-titled-person-british-introduce-him-herself/762567/27 "2016-08-15T21:30:26Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > Nope. Butlers don’t introduce. I doubt if they even announce visitors any more. I hope for your sake _mine_ doesn’t read this thread, then. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-a-titled-person-british-introduce-him-herself/762567/28 "2016-08-15T22:23:27Z")
> [@Malden\_Capell](#): > > Slight nitpick…I think you mean a barony, or life peerage. A baron **etc** y is a hereditary knighthood, and has no association with the House of Lords… Quite right, and I think that’s a mistake I’ve made before on here. He was made Baron Erskine when he didn’t get in on the initial hereditary ballot. _looks at username_ You’d think I’d _know_ this stuff. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-a-titled-person-british-introduce-him-herself/762567/29 "2016-08-17T23:03:35Z")
Cecil imparted his wisdom on a similar [topic](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/884/what-did-prince-andrew-39-s-superiors-in-the-royal-navy-call-him) ---
**Author:** ![Ken001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@Ken001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ken001)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-a-titled-person-british-introduce-him-herself/762567/30 "2016-08-18T07:27:07Z")
> [@gkster](#): > > Back to Lord Peter Wimsey again, here’s how he introduces himself in one of the books, _The_\* None\*\* Tailors\*… Errrmm might I suggest m’lud you mean “The Nine Tailors”. Which you’ll recall, was a quite important point in the story. I shall be below stairs if you need me… ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-a-titled-person-british-introduce-him-herself/762567/31 "2016-08-18T09:49:21Z")
From the titled horse’s mouth: the young Queen Mum introduces herself at a stranger’s house. Her husband is presumed to be known: [The King's Speech (10/12) Movie CLIP - I Don't Think You Know King George VI (2010) HD - YouTube](https://youtu.be/Tp84-New5aA) The best scene in the movie. (And yes I’m not making a joke about Ann. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-a-titled-person-british-introduce-him-herself/762567.md?page=1)