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Original poster

Styling yourself as Lord or Lady is the height of twattishness?

125 replies

GonnaGetGoingReturns · 17/06/2022 12:14

Googling an old ex of mine and found he's now changed his name (it would appear) to be 'Lord' and his newish wife is 'Lady'.

Don't you think that's the height of twattishness to change your name like that? See also adding a well-known/famous name to your own surname to make it double-barrelled so someone thinks you're related to them, e.g. Jones-Connery. The ex always did have delusions of grandeur! Grin

OP posts:
antelopevalley · 17/06/2022 13:33

@GonnaGetGoingReturns so can men only use the title Lord if they own a castle? Even if they inherit the title?

Original poster
GonnaGetGoingReturns · 17/06/2022 13:33

Shehasadiamondinthesky · 17/06/2022 12:57

Are they witches? In the USA 3rd degree witches style themselves Lord and Lady but anyone doing that over in the UK gets laughed off the planet.

Personally I think yes he is a witch but no, English as they come (kind of). She's not English not that that matters

OP posts:
balalake · 17/06/2022 13:34

I'll forgive Screaming Lord (David) Sutch (RIP) but no-one else.

Original poster
GonnaGetGoingReturns · 17/06/2022 13:36

antelopevalley · 17/06/2022 13:01

If you think everyone using the title Lord, Lady, Prince, Princess is twattish, then fine.
But I do not see any difference between buying a title and inheriting it. Neither si earned, both are meaningless.

I personally do see the difference between someone earning and title or buying it. They're meaningless yes.

I mean if you go far enough back in my family we have a Baron IFrench) but there were so many of them I don't think it really mattered. And as far as I know part of the reason they changed their surname and then came to England was to avoid Madame Guillotine!

OP posts:
Original poster
GonnaGetGoingReturns · 17/06/2022 13:36

antelopevalley · 17/06/2022 13:33

@GonnaGetGoingReturns so can men only use the title Lord if they own a castle? Even if they inherit the title?

In my eyes yes. It's wrong to use it if you buy it. being pedantic here now

OP posts:
Labracadabradoodle · 17/06/2022 13:37

Are they the Mountbatten-Windsors?

Original poster
GonnaGetGoingReturns · 17/06/2022 13:37

antelopevalley · 17/06/2022 13:21

You know you can just use the title Lady without paying anything. It is not a legally protected title.

Is that right aye?!

OP posts:
APJ1 · 17/06/2022 13:38

I suspect some kids (and probably nieces and newphews) of famous people do this. Change their surname to the famous relative's one or double barrel so that they have a link (and probably a leg up!)

Looks at Sophie Dahl

Original poster
GonnaGetGoingReturns · 17/06/2022 13:38

EcoEcoIA · 17/06/2022 13:27

Historically aristocratic titles would have been given to people who were the most violent in fighting over land or the ones who sucked up most to royalty, or married into similar. So if he wants to be associated with the inbred descendants of psychos, sycophants and gold-diggers then yep, that marks him out as a twat.

Used to work for a company that had real aristocrats as clients. Some of them wanted letters addressed without the tile, just the "surname", no first name e.g. Lord XXXX would be just addressed as XXXX.

I worked for similar companies!

Some loved using the Lord etc on their correspondence, some like you say just didn't bother and preferred to be plain Mr Jones!

OP posts:
Sortilege · 17/06/2022 13:38

I personally do see the difference between someone earning and title or buying it. They're meaningless yes.

That doesn’t really make much sense. If you have a title, you have a choice whether to use it or not. Using a title in daily life is the action of a twat. It doesn’t matter how you came by it.

I mean if you go far enough back in my family we have a Baron IFrench)

Ah that explains your support of inherited titles.🙂

Original poster
GonnaGetGoingReturns · 17/06/2022 13:39

SummerLobelia · 17/06/2022 13:31

So funny. DH is a proper Sir. His former wife still uses Lady, despite being divorced 20 years and remarried (for her) 14 years.

If something in the mail comes for him using Sir we know it is usually a bill of some sort.

I bow down to your DH!

I've got a friend of mine who's also DB's friend who styles himself 'Count' but everyone knows he's taking the piss and he's not serious about it.

Unlike my ex...

OP posts:
SummerLobelia · 17/06/2022 13:40

APJ1 · 17/06/2022 13:38

I suspect some kids (and probably nieces and newphews) of famous people do this. Change their surname to the famous relative's one or double barrel so that they have a link (and probably a leg up!)

Looks at Sophie Dahl

I know someone who changed his name to Shackleton based on this. It seems to work for drinks being bought at the pub.

Original poster
GonnaGetGoingReturns · 17/06/2022 13:41

Sortilege · 17/06/2022 13:38

I personally do see the difference between someone earning and title or buying it. They're meaningless yes.

That doesn’t really make much sense. If you have a title, you have a choice whether to use it or not. Using a title in daily life is the action of a twat. It doesn’t matter how you came by it.

I mean if you go far enough back in my family we have a Baron IFrench)

Ah that explains your support of inherited titles.🙂

Hmmm yes I do see what you say kinda...

Honestly the Baron bit - there were loads of them in France... and sadly the land and vigneron is long gone, more's the pity!

OP posts:
Original poster
GonnaGetGoingReturns · 17/06/2022 13:41

Labracadabradoodle · 17/06/2022 13:37

Are they the Mountbatten-Windsors?

Nope!

OP posts:
WalkWithDignityAndPride · 17/06/2022 13:43

I've always fancied one, but I'm definitely a twat.

EcoEcoIA · 17/06/2022 13:44

@GonnaGetGoingReturns the one I was thinking of didn't want the Mr either so Lord Jones would have been JONES.

It might have been something to do with sorting their mail. If it was addressed without any title they knew the source. Or some kind of inverted snobbery, perhaps?

frogswimming · 17/06/2022 13:44

It is different. The basis of titles is class based. So it you earn it or inherit it then you are going along with that basis. If you buy it then you are accepting the class system on the one hand and trying to be posh; but yet you've bought it, which undermines the whole basis of the class system as you can't buy poshness.

spectre1356 · 17/06/2022 13:45

I have a family member who changed their name to lord for absolutely no reason. He came round to show it us on in a scroll. We were like 👍😬

Thisisit2022 · 17/06/2022 13:46

EcoEcoIA · 17/06/2022 13:27

Historically aristocratic titles would have been given to people who were the most violent in fighting over land or the ones who sucked up most to royalty, or married into similar. So if he wants to be associated with the inbred descendants of psychos, sycophants and gold-diggers then yep, that marks him out as a twat.

Used to work for a company that had real aristocrats as clients. Some of them wanted letters addressed without the tile, just the "surname", no first name e.g. Lord XXXX would be just addressed as XXXX.

"I'm Lord Melbury so I simply sign Melbury" - Fawlty Towers.

EcoEcoIA · 17/06/2022 13:49

Don't the proper aristocracy regard the Mountbatten-Windors as nouveau riche arrivistes?

gingersplodgecat · 17/06/2022 13:51

I know somebody who added 'Sir' to his name. Got him a lot of advantages, and people thought highly of him and gave him a lot of respect because of it.

He is currently in prison for a repulsive crime.

FAQs · 17/06/2022 13:55

@SummerLobelia not Lady Colin Campbell is it 😁

I have an awkward ditch outside my house which the local delivery man calls my ‘moat’ so I reckon I could qualify for a title for sure.

SummerLobelia · 17/06/2022 13:55

gingersplodgecat · 17/06/2022 13:51

I know somebody who added 'Sir' to his name. Got him a lot of advantages, and people thought highly of him and gave him a lot of respect because of it.

He is currently in prison for a repulsive crime.

I know of a self styled Lord who is currently in prison for sex offences.

What is ironic is that the fact he added 'Lord' to his name actually got the significant press attention. He changed it by deed poll when he was first arrested thinking it would throw people off the scent.

SummerLobelia · 17/06/2022 13:58

FAQs · 17/06/2022 13:55

@SummerLobelia not Lady Colin Campbell is it 😁

I have an awkward ditch outside my house which the local delivery man calls my ‘moat’ so I reckon I could qualify for a title for sure.

No. :)

Dh always jokes that I am 'The Real Lady whatever'.

The only person who (potentially) cares is my mother.

I did once sign myself up on a mailing list as a joke but found it a bit cringe.

EcoEcoIA · 17/06/2022 13:58

They gave a knighthood to Jimmy Savile.

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