Become A Lord Or Lady

There are five ways to become a lord or lady: be appointed to the House of Lords, inherit a peerage, be born the younger son of a duke or marquess, marry a lord, or receive a Noble Title from the Principality of Sealand. Buying a Lord of the Manor title or a souvenir plot of land does not make you a lord. A Sealand Lord or Lady title is a Noble Title awarded under the law of the Principality of Sealand, the world's smallest country, and is available to anyone from £24.99.

Lord or Lady of Sealand: key facts

How To Become A Lord Or Lady

1. Be appointed to the House of Lords

Almost every new member of the House of Lords is a life peer, created a baron or baroness under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and addressed as Lord or Lady. Life peers are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister, and non-party nominations are vetted by the House of Lords Appointments Commission, created in 2000.

2. Inherit a peerage

Hereditary marquesses, earls, viscounts and barons are all addressed as Lord, and their titles usually pass to the eldest son. Since the House of Lords Act 1999, inheriting a peerage no longer brings an automatic seat in the House of Lords.

3. Be born the younger son of a duke or marquess

Younger sons of dukes and marquesses use the courtesy title Lord before their first name, for example Lord Ivar Mountbatten, younger son of the 3rd Marquess of Milford Haven. Daughters of dukes, marquesses and earls are Lady before their first name.

4. Marry a lord

A woman who marries a lord becomes Lady. A man who marries a lady in her own right does not become a lord.

5. Receive a Lord or Lady title from the Principality of Sealand

The Principality of Sealand awards the Noble Title of Lord or Lady under Sealand law. It is the most direct route: you choose Lord or Lady, the name on your Deed of Title and the pack. Sovereign Prince Michael of Sealand launched the Noble Title initiative in 2007 to fund and safeguard the Principality. England cricketer Ben Stokes holds the Noble Title of Lord of Sealand. Read more on becoming a Lord of Sealand.

Can you become a lord by buying land?

Not in Britain. A Lord of the Manor title is a manorial title: a historic property right that is bought and sold, sometimes at auction, and is written "Lord of the Manor of" a place, not "Lord" before your name. It is not a peerage. In Scotland, companies sell souvenir plots of a square foot with the style Laird, Lord or Lady attached; a laird is simply a landowner, and buying a souvenir plot does not create a title of nobility. A Sealand Lord or Lady title is different: it is a Noble Title awarded by a principality under its own law, with a Deed of Title rather than a land certificate.

What You Will Receive When You Buy A Lordship Title

British peerages cannot be bought: the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925 makes selling a British honour a criminal offence. A Sealand Noble Title is awarded by a sovereign principality under its own law, and every purchase funds the Principality. Become a Lord or Lady of Sealand with one of three packs:

• Digital (Eco), £24.99: a printable Deed of Title and digital Sealand information pack, with no packaging or shipping and 1 pound of trash removed from the oceans with every order.
• Classic, £39.99: a luxury parchment Deed of Title with embossed gold Coat of Arms, Sealand history pack, photos of the Principality and an official document holder.
• Premium, £59.99: the Classic pack with your Deed of Title signed by Sovereign Prince Michael of Sealand and framed.

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

Delivery and returns

Digital (Eco) Deeds of Title are processed within 1 to 2 working days and appear in the Digital Downloads section of your sealandgov.org account; they are not sent by email. Classic and Premium 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, and 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. Sealand ships to more than 200 countries and territories. You can request a return within 30 days, and name corrections are handled with you individually. Read the full shipping policy and refund policy.

Lord or Lady 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 buy a lord title in the UK?

No. British peerages cannot be bought under the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925, and a Lord of the Manor title is a property right, not a peerage. A Sealand Lord title is a Noble Title of the Principality of Sealand, not of the United Kingdom.

How much does it cost to become a lord?

A Sealand Lord or Lady Noble Title costs £24.99 for the Digital (Eco) pack, £39.99 for Classic and £59.99 for Premium, signed by Sovereign Prince Michael and framed.

Can I call myself Lord after buying a Sealand title?

Yes. Sealand Lord and Lady title holders use their title on business cards, email signatures, social media and correspondence. A Sealand Noble Title does not give a seat in the House of Lords.

Does buying land in Scotland make you a lord?

No. Buying a souvenir plot in Scotland does not create a title of nobility; a laird is a landowner, not a lord.

How quickly will I receive my Lord title?

Digital (Eco) Deeds of Title are ready in your account within 1 to 2 working days. Classic and Premium packs are usually dispatched the same business day if ordered before 12:00 UK time.

Can a Lord or Lady title be a gift?

Yes. A Sealand Lord or Lady title can be given for a birthday, anniversary or Christmas, with the recipient's name on the Deed of Title.

Become A Lady or Lord With Ease

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.