to think the statement should be "Mr and Mrs Tindall" and not "Mr and Mrs Mike Tindall"?

[OrlandoWoolf]

"Using Phillips' married name, a Palace spokesperson said in a statement at the time: "Mr and Mrs Mike Tindall are very pleased to announce that Zara Tindall is expecting a baby in the new year."

Talk about losing your identity.

I love posters talking about how the monarchy would be nice and modern if we had a gay Queen....here's a though, maybe society could be a bit more modern and we could get away with having a monarchy at all

Women should not be referred to as their husbands first name. We are not their possession.

But we ALL should object to being referred to as someones subject just because they were born to someone, who was born to someone Wyc that found a crown under a hedge.

'It's not part of the bigger picture it's middle class bullshit!'

'No one really cares about this!'

You seem determined to tell us over and over that it's unimportant and that no one cares. Well some people do think it's important and some people do care. There isn't a Definitive List of Things Women Can Be Pissed Off About you know.

"Flowery it's not part of an outdated society it's personal choice."

It's both, surely? Of course someone can choose how they want to be addressed. But the fact that it is even considered an option to call oneself by one's husbands first and surname speaks volumes about how far society still has to go IMO.

I can certainly see why people might put up with being addressed that way, because of not wanting to upset elderly relatives, not wanting to make a fuss, or not thinking it matters in the scheme of things. I definitely understand all of those viewpoints.

But I struggle to understand why any modern woman would actively prefer to be addressed in this way, would actively choose to be addressed as Mrs Dave rather than Mrs Janet.

it also isn't 'personal choice' when so many companies default to addressing you that way.

From Debretts

www.debretts.com/forms-of-address/joint-forms-of-address.aspx

Invitations to private functions were traditionally addressed only to the wife, when sent to the home address, with the names of both husband and wife inscribed on the invitation itself. Joint forms of address to private invitations are now more often preferred, however, and the following examples of names on envelopes may be useful:

The Duke and Duchess of Somerset

The Marquess and Marchioness of Salisbury

The Earl and Countess of Radnor

The Viscount and Viscountess Slim

The Lord and Lady Maclay

Lord and Lady John Manners

Mr Simon and Lady Victoria Leatham

Lt-Colonel the Hon John and Mrs Smith

Major James and the Hon Mrs Smith

The Reverend John and Mrs May

The Hon Guy and Lady Moira Black

The Hon William and Mrs White

Mr Donald Home and the Countess of Blackadder

The Rt Hon John and Mrs Brown

Mr John and the Hon Mrs Green

Mr and Mrs Thomas Grey

Dr John and Dr Jane Watkins

Mr Mark and the Reverend Hazel Pugh

Lord and Lady John Russell
Mr Thomas and Dame Elizabeth Richardson, DBE
Captain and Mrs George Rifle
Captain George Foremast, RN, and Mrs Foremast
Mr Justice Wig and Mrs Wig
Judge Mace and Mrs Mace
Mr Peter Jones and the Chairman of Board of Governors Mrs Mary Jones, CBE
Mr and Mrs Paul Neville
Dr and Mrs Henry James
The Reverend John and Mrs Henderson
Mr John and the Venerable Mary Eyre

So if you get a title, you count and you get your name! But if you are merely a Mrs, tough.

How would you know when to use "The Lord" or just "Lord"?

I tend to write "John and Mary Smith" rather than "Mr and Mrs Smith". Though I get a bit foggy about writing to whole families with more than one surname.