Become A Count Or Countess

There are four ways to become a count or countess: inherit an earldom or county title, marry an earl or count, be created one by a monarch, or receive a Noble Title from the Principality of Sealand. In Britain the rank is called Earl, and the wife of an earl is a countess. A Sealand Count or Countess title is a Noble Title awarded under the law of the Principality of Sealand, the world's smallest country, for £199.99.

Count or Countess of Sealand: key facts

Count Or Countess Nobility Titles

1. Inherit a title

Earldoms and continental county titles pass by inheritance, usually to the eldest son, under the terms of their original grant.

2. Marry an earl or count

The wife of an earl or count becomes a countess. The husband of a countess in her own right receives no title.

3. Be created a count by a monarch

In the United Kingdom new earldoms are now created almost only for members of the royal family: Prince Edward was made Earl of Wessex in 1999 and Earl of Forfar in 2019. The last earldom created for someone outside the royal family was given to former Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, Earl of Stockton, in 1984. The King of Spain still grants the title of conde.

4. Receive a Count or Countess title from the Principality of Sealand

The Principality of Sealand awards the Noble Title of Count or Countess under Sealand law. Sovereign Prince Michael of Sealand launched the Noble Title initiative in 2007 to fund and safeguard the Principality, and every Count and Countess Deed of Title is signed by him.

What is a count?

The title comes from the Latin comes, meaning "companion", the name given to trusted officials of the Roman emperor. Under Charlemagne, counts governed counties on the king's behalf. The title is Graf in German, comte in French, conde in Spanish and Portuguese, and conte in Italian. Britain uses Earl, from the Anglo-Saxon eorl, which is why the female title is countess. A count ranks third in the nobility, below a duke and a marquess and above a viscount and a baron. See every rank in order in noble titles in order.

What You Will Receive With Your Count Or Countess Title

British titles cannot be bought: the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925 makes selling a British honour a criminal offence. A Sealand Noble Title is different. It is awarded by a sovereign principality under its own law, and every purchase funds the Principality. The Count or Countess of Sealand pack includes:

• A luxury parchment Deed of Title with the embossed gold Coat of Arms of Sealand
• Your Deed of Title personally signed by Sovereign Prince Michael of Sealand
• A premium frame to display your Deed of Title
• An official document holder with gold-foiled Coat of Arms
• A Sealand history and information pack, with photos of the Principality

You can add a Sealand Identity Card for £29.99. Sealand Noble Title holders include Ed Sheeran, Baron of Sealand (title conferred December 2012), Lord Ben Stokes and Duke Nas Daily.

Delivery and returns

Count and Countess packs are dispatched by Royal Mail from the United Kingdom, with tracking. Orders placed before 12:00 UK time on a business day are usually dispatched the same day. Royal Mail aims to deliver in the UK the next working day, in Europe in 3 to 5 working days and in the rest of the world in 5 to 7 working days. Sealand ships to more than 200 countries and territories. You can request a return within 30 days of receiving your order, and if a name needs correcting the Sealand Government handles it with you individually. Read the full shipping policy and refund policy.

Count or Countess compared with other Sealand Noble Titles

About the Principality of Sealand

The Principality of Sealand was founded on 2 September 1967 by Prince Roy Bates on HM Fort Roughs, a fortress in Sealand territorial waters in the central North Sea, with England to the west. In 1968 a British court ruled that the fortress lay outside its jurisdiction. In August 1978 Sealand survived a coup, and the fortress was retaken in Operation Trident, a counter-coup led by Prince Roy with Prince Michael. In 1987 Sealand extended its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles, one day ahead of Britain. The fortress is inhabited 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and Sealanders live in more than 135 countries. Read the legal case for Sealand's sovereignty.

Frequently asked questions

Can you become a count?

Yes. In Britain and most of Europe the title comes by inheritance, marriage or royal creation, and British titles cannot be bought. A Sealand Count or Countess title is awarded by the Principality of Sealand under its own law and is open to anyone.

Is a count the same as an earl?

Yes. Count and Earl are the same rank. Count is used in continental Europe and Earl in Britain, and the female title for both is countess.

Is a count higher than a baron?

Yes. A count is the third rank of nobility and a baron the fifth, with a viscount between them.

How much does it cost to become a Count of Sealand?

£199.99 for the framed Count or Countess pack signed by Sovereign Prince Michael of Sealand, or £229.98 with a Sealand Identity Card.

How long does delivery take?

Orders placed before 12:00 UK time are usually dispatched the same business day. Royal Mail aims to deliver in the UK the next working day, in Europe in 3 to 5 working days and elsewhere in 5 to 7 working days.

Can a Count or Countess title be a gift?

Yes. The title can be given as a gift, with the recipient's name on the Deed of Title.

Becoming A Count Or Countess

A Noble Title is a one-time honour and a gift that lasts. E-Citizenship is ongoing membership of a global community. Noble Title and E-Citizenship revenue is Sealand's main income, funding the upkeep of the fortress, its 24/7 crew and the Government of the Principality.