Legal Definitions - viscountess

A viscountess is a woman who holds the title of viscount. This title is a rank of nobility, typically hereditary, and is situated below an earl or count and above a baron in systems such as the British peerage. A woman can become a viscountess either by marrying a viscount or, less commonly, by being granted the title in her own right (known as a viscountess suo jure).

• Example 1: Marriage to a Titled Individual
  When Lady Clara, a prominent philanthropist, married Lord Edward, who had inherited the ancestral title of Viscount Blackwood, she became known as Viscountess Blackwood. This illustrates the most common way a woman acquires the title of viscountess, through marriage to a man who holds the viscountcy.

• Example 2: Direct Grant of Title
  For her exceptional contributions to international diplomacy, Ambassador Julia Chen was granted a peerage by the sovereign, becoming Viscountess of Willow Creek in her own right. This demonstrates a situation where a woman is bestowed the title of viscountess directly, recognizing her personal achievements rather than through marriage.

• Example 3: Retention of Title After Widowhood
  Following the death of her husband, Viscount Alistair, Mrs. Margaret Davies continued to be addressed as Viscountess Davies, even though her eldest son had now inherited the viscountcy. This shows how a woman can retain the title of viscountess, often as a dowager, after her husband's passing, reflecting her former status within the peerage.