Baronesses

Baroness is the female form of the noble rank baron. A baroness may be a woman who holds the title in her own right, such as a hereditary baroness or a life peer, or she may be the wife of a baron and thus associated with the title. In contemporary usage, the wife of a baron is usually styled The Lady [Surname] rather than Baroness [Surname], though the title Baroness remains the formal designation for a woman who holds the peerage in her own right.

In the United Kingdom, baroness is the rank assigned to female peers and is the female counterpart of baron. The position sits among the lower ranks of the peerage, below viscount, and is used for both hereditary and life peerages. Women who are baronesses can serve in the House of Lords, participate in ceremonial duties, and hold various offices, depending on the terms of their creation or inheritance.

Notable examples include individuals who held significant political, legal, or public roles. Margaret Thatcher was created Baroness Thatcher after leaving the prime ministership, and Brenda Hale became Baroness Hale of Richmond, a prominent legal figure and former president of the UK Supreme Court. The title is used across different countries with European or historic ties to the British system, where it commonly signifies a woman who holds a high rank within a noble hierarchy or who is closely associated by marriage to a baron.