is determined, before marriage, by the Rank and Dignity, but not by the Office, of their Father.
All the unmarried Sisters in any family have the same Degree, which is the Degree that their eldest Brother holds (or would hold) amongst men. Thus:—Of the Sons of an Earl the eldest alone has an honorary Title of Nobility and is styled “My Lord,” while all the Daughters of an Earl have a similar honorary Title, and are styled “My Lady.”
By Marriage Women share the Dignities and Precedence of their Husbands: but, the strictly Official Dignity of a Husband is not imparted to a wife (except in India), in the case of the Archbishops and Bishops or holders of other offices.
The Dignities which Ladies have by Birth or by right of Inheritance, are not imparted by Marriage to their Husbands: nor does Marriage with an inferior in Dignity in any way affect the Precedence that a Lady may enjoy by Birth, Inheritance, or Creation—both her own Precedence and that of her Husband remain as before their Marriage, unless the Husband be a Peer.
In the Royal Family the following Precedence takes effect:—
The Queen.
The Queen Dowager.
The Princess of Wales.
The Daughters of the Sovereign.
The Wives of the Younger Sons of the Sovereign.