Legal Definitions - lord temporal

A Lord Temporal is a member of the United Kingdom's House of Lords. Unlike the Lords Spiritual, who are senior bishops of the Church of England, a Lord Temporal is a lay peer and not an ecclesiastic.

A lord temporal is a member of the United Kingdom's House of Lords whose right to sit in Parliament is not based on holding a religious office. Unlike "lords spiritual," who are senior bishops of the Church of England, lords temporal hold their seats through various non-ecclesiastical means, such as being appointed for life (life peers), inheriting a hereditary title, or holding specific judicial roles.

• Example 1: After a long and distinguished career in public service, a former diplomat is granted a life peerage and takes a seat in the House of Lords. This individual is a lord temporal because their membership is a personal appointment for their contributions to society, entirely separate from any religious position or church affiliation.

• Example 2: A prominent business leader, recognized for their entrepreneurial success and philanthropic efforts, is elevated to the peerage and becomes a member of the House of Lords. As their appointment is based on their professional achievements and not on their role within a religious institution, they are considered a lord temporal.

• Example 3: One of the 92 hereditary peers who retain a seat in the House of Lords inherits their title and, consequently, their right to sit in Parliament from their ancestors. This peer is a lord temporal because their position is derived from their noble lineage and not from an ecclesiastical office within the Church of England or any other religious body.