Duke
| TITLES OF NOBILITY |
|---|
| Emperor / Empress |
| King / Queen |
| Prince / Princess |
| Grand Duke / Grand Duchess |
| Duke / Duchess |
| Earl / Countess |
| Baron / Baroness |
A duke or a duchess is the ruler or monarch of a sovereign duchy, or a high-ranking member of the nobility within a kingdom or empire. Manticoran duchies are held as territories subsidiary to the Star Kingdom, so SKM dukes and duchesses, while they are the administrators of their territories, are still subjects of the sovereign rather than monarchs of their duchies.
Star Kingdom of Manticore
Forms of Address
A duke or duchess is addressed as "Your Grace." Dukes are referred to in the third person as "His Grace" or "the Duke of Title" or "His Grace the Duke of Title." Duchesses are referred to in the third person as "Her Grace" or "The Duchess of Title" or "Her Grace the Duchess of Title." Unlike earls/countesses or barons/baronesses, they are never referred to as "Lord Title" or "Lady Title."
A Duke or Duchess with military rank may be referred to by their rank and title instead of their rank and given name. Formal usage: Admiral the Duke of High Sligo. Less formal usage: Admiral High Sligo.
In the peerage of the Star Kingdom of Manticore and in TRMN a ducal title may be held by a male or female. Dukedoms, like all other Manticoran peerages, are hereditary and typically the current holder will designate their eldest child as their heir, without regard to their gender. The spouse of the title holder is afforded the same title, without regard for the gender of the title holder.
The cadet (heir) of a duke or duchess (usually their eldest child) is addressed as "My Lord" (if male) or "My Lady" (if female), or "Lord/Lady [first name]" and is referred to in the third person as "Lord Firstname Lastname" (if male) or "Lady Firstname Lastname" (if female).
Children of a duke or duchess (other than the cadet) are referred to in the third person as "The Honorable Firstname Lastname." This is customarily abbreviated in written form as "Hon. Firstname Lastname." There is no special form of address for younger children of a duke or duchess.