Claiming a royal title is no easy feat these days. Gone are the days when one could simply declare themselves as nobility and expect others to accept it. In the modern world, there are strict legal processes that must be followed to gain official recognition of a royal or noble title.
The Requirements
The requirements for claiming a royal title vary depending on the country and title in question. However, there are some general requirements that apply in most cases:
- Prove a valid hereditary claim – You must be able to trace your lineage back to someone who held the title previously. This usually requires extensive genealogical research.
- Obtain formal recognition – To make your claim official, you must petition the proper noble authority in the country your title would be linked to. This could be a monarch, government ministry, or college of arms.
- Pay fees – Most noble authorities charge fees for investigating lineage claims and conferring titles. These can range from a few hundred to tens of thousands of dollars.
- Use the title publicly – Once your claim is accepted, you must consistently use the title you’ve been granted in public life and private correspondence.
- Maintain noble status – Depending on the country, you may need to actively engage in noble activities or pay annual fees to maintain recognition of your title.
Tracing Your Lineage
The first major hurdle to claiming a title is proving your noble descent. The farther back you can trace your lineage to someone of noble birth, the stronger your claim will be. Here are some tips for tracing your ancestry:
- Start with family records – Birth, marriage, and death certificates can provide clues to your ancestry. Also look for old family bibles, diaries, letters, and photographs.
- Search genealogy databases – Websites like Ancestry.com have billions of historical records you can search for documentation of your ancestors.
- Hire a professional genealogist – If you hit a roadblock, a professional genealogist can help uncover hard-to-find records.
- Network with relatives – Distant cousins who have already researched your family tree may share their findings.
- Look abroad – You may need to access records in the country your title originates from via local archives or genealogists.
With persistence and an exhaustive search, you may be able to put together a noble lineage worthy of staking a claim.
Gaining Formal Recognition
Once you’ve traced your lineage, it’s time to make your case to the proper authorities. This means petitioning the monarch, government body, or college of arms in charge of conferring titles in the country where the title originated. For example:
- Great Britain – Petition the Crown through the College of Arms in London
- France – Apply to the Ministry of Justice
- Italy – Petition the Consulta Araldica in Rome
- Germany – Apply to the German Office of Nobility in Marburg
Your petition will be researched extensively before a decision is made. You’ll likely need to submit detailed genealogical records and undergo interviews. If your claim meets the legal standards, you will be granted formal recognition of your title and given documents like letters patent as proof.
Using Your Royal Title
Once granted, you must consistently use your title in public and private life to maintain recognition. This means:
- Legally change your name to include the title
- Use the title on all government IDs, bank accounts, passports, etc.
- Insist others address you by your noble title
- Use your title on websites, business cards, and correspondence
- Display your title and coats of arms appropriately
You should also learn proper noble etiquette like forms of address for servants and social inferiors. Actively using your title cements your status and makes it difficult for authorities to later rescind recognition.
Maintaining Your Title
In some countries, you must continually engage in noble duties or pay fees to maintain official recognition of your title. This may include:
- Attending royal ceremonies and events when summoned
- Maintaining membership in noble societies or colleges
- Paying annual fees to the noble authority
- Performing ceremonial noble roles when requested
If you fail to meet these duties, authorities may eventually suspend your official status. So you must be prepared for ongoing responsibilities when claiming a title.
Conclusion
Claiming a royal title is difficult but not impossible with time, persistence, and expense. By thoroughly researching your ancestry, petitioning the proper authorities, using your title continuously, and maintaining noble duties, your claim may be successful. Just be aware it’s a long and arduous process with no guarantee of recognition in the end.