Courtesy Titles in The United Kingdom - Indirect Inheritance

Indirect Inheritance

Occasionally a peer has inherited the title upon the death of a relative who is not one of his parents. (Some say it is incorrect in this case to say the title is inherited from the relative, merely on the death of the relative — since when a peer has no direct descendants, the peerage moves to the second heir of the previous holder (or his heirs), failing that to the second heir of the holder before that (or his heirs), and so in a recursive fashion). When this happens, the relatives in the direct line to the new peer may be allowed to use courtesy titles appropriate to their relationship to that peer or prior heirs.

For instance, Rupert Ponsonby, 7th Baron de Mauley, succeeded his uncle in 2002. His brother Ashley had no title, as their father was only an Honourable and was never actually Baron de Mauley. However, in 2003, Ashley was granted, by Warrant of Precedence from Queen Elizabeth II, the style and precedence that would have been his had his father survived to inherit the barony, becoming The Honourable Ashley Ponsonby. Precedence in such circumstances is usually granted but is not automatic.