Master (Peerage of Scotland)

The heir-apparent or heir presumptive to a Scottish peerage is known as a Master, or Mistress if the heir is female.

The heir's style is The Master of or The Mistress of . If the master is an heir-apparent, and the peerage has subsidiary titles that could be used as a courtesy title, then the styling of Master is usually forgone. However, if the person is an heir-presumptive, or if the peerage has no subsidiary titles, Master/Mistress is a common styling. However, because the word Mistress is quite archaic, many women choose not to use the style Mistress and instead use the regular styling, e.g. Lady Mary Smith or The Honourable Mary Smith.

Although regarded today as a form of courtesy title, the Mastership is a dignity in its own right, and originally conferred rights of attendance in the Parliament of Scotland.

People who currently hold the title Master or Mistress:

• Lord Alistair James Montagu Hay, Master of Tweeddale, heir-presumptive to the Marquessate of Tweeddale
• Lady Susan Helen of Mar, Mistress of Mar, heiress-presumptive to the Earldom of Mar
• John Andrew Douglas-Hamilton, Lord Daer and Shortcleuch, Master of Selkirk, heir-apparent to the Earldom of Selkirk
• Alexander David Erskine, Master of Mar, heir-presumptive to the Earldom of Mar and Kellie
• Lord David Thomas Kennedy, Master of Cassilis, heir-presumptive to the Earldom of Cassilis (also UK Marquessate of Ailsa)
• James Reginald Drummond, Master of Perth, heir-presumptive to the Earldom of Perth
• Geoffrey...... ...
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