Regency Priorities For Servants When Waiting on Women
Regency priorities for servants meant that when they were waiting on women, they had to serve female guests according to their rank. This meant that it helped if you were familiar with those you were serving. If not, it could be tricky, as marriage, remarriage, or widowhood could affect a woman’s rank and it could be difficult to determine if you served Kitty Pakenham, the Duchess of Devonshire, or Elizabeth Farren first. Moreover, if a servant was new or if they were waiting on a large party and unfamiliar with their guest’s titles or ranks, it could make their task nearly impossible.

Servant serving chocolate. Courtesy of Wikipedia.
Besides waiting on women according to rank, the servant also had to take into consideration the age of the person being served. This meant the oldest person within a rank was served first and the youngest person within that rank last. For example, the oldest daughter of a Duke would be served first, the second oldest daughter next, and so on, with the Duke’s youngest daughter being served last.
To help eliminate some confusion when serving women, there was a designated order servants could use. It was accomplished in the following order after first serving the Queen.
- Daughters of the King
- Wives of the King’s sons.
- Wives of the King’s brothers
- Wives of the King’s uncles
- Wives of the eldest sons of Dukes of royal blood
- Wives of the King’s nephews
- Wives of Archbishops
- Duchesses
- Marchionesses
- Wives of the eldest sons of Dukes.
- Daughters of Duke
- Countesses
- Wives of the eldest sons of Marquesses
- Daughters of Marquesses
- Wives of the younger sons of Dukes
- Viscountesses
- Wives of the eldest sons of Earls
- Daughters of Earls
- Wives of the younger sons of Marquesses
- Wives of Bishops
- Baronesses
- Wives of the eldest sons of Viscounts
- Daughters of Viscounts
- Wives of the younger Sons of Earls
- Wives of the Sons of Barons
- Maids of Honour
- Wives of the younger sons of Viscounts
- Wives of the younger Sons of Barons
- Wives of Baronets
- Wives of Knight Grand Crosses of the Bath
- Wives of Bannerets
- Wives of Knights Grand Crosses of the Bath
- Wives of Knights Commanders of the Bath
- Wives of Nights Bachelors
- Wives of the eldest sons of the younger sons of Peers
- Wives of the eldest Sons of Baronets
- Daughters of Baronets
- Wives of the eldest sons of Knights of the Garter
- Wives of the eldest sons of Bannerets
- Daughters of Bannerets
- Wives of the eldest Sons of Knights of the Bath
- Daughters of Knights of the Bath
- Wives of the eldest Sons of Knight Bachelors
- Daughters of Knights Bachelors
- Wives of the younger sons of Baronets
- Daughters of Knights
- Wives of the Companions of the Order of th3 Bath
- Wives of the Esquires of the King’s body
- Wives of the Esquires of the Knights of the Bath
- Wives of Esquires by creation
- Wives of Esquires by office
- Wives of the younger Sons of Knights of the Garter
- Wives of the Younger Sons of Bannerets
- Wives of the younger Sons of Knights of the Bath
- Wives of the younger Knights Bachelors
- Wives of Gentlemen entitled to bear arms
- Daughters of Esquires entitled to bear arms
- Daughters of Gentlemen entitled to bear arms
- Wives of Clergymen
- Wives of Barristers at Law
- Wives of Officers in the Navy
- Wives of Officers in the Army
- Wives of Citizens
- Wives of Burgesses
- Widows
- Daughters of Citizens
- Daughters of Burgesses
Although in general, women were served as indicated above, there were a few exceptions.
- A precedent existed involving the wife of the greatest land-owner in a county. She had precedence at any public dinner given on any public occasion in that county.
- If three sisters were married to three lords, and the eldest sister’s husband died, then the younger sisters were served first. But if the younger sisters were not married, then the widow was served first.
- If young ladies invited company to dinner, the strangers were served first and the young ladies last.
To see Regency Priorities for Servants When Waiting on Men, click here.