Which would you hold in higher regard?

Would you agree that an hereditary peerage, is the highest honour that
the country can offer, for would you say that an OM, is superior to
being made a duke or a marquess?

ScottyFLL...

I guess it would depend on the definition of 'superior', but I'd have
to say that receiving a peerage title would afford one a higher status
than receipt of the OM.

marquess...

I think that people have been hard done by these days, being lead to
believe that MBE's and that sort, are the pinnicle of what one can
achieve. Dukedoms and Marquisates are superior to any of these. The
only thing that is given out now that is unchanged are Knighthoods,
which have remained the same. I look forward to the day when we might
have a tradditionlist in number 10, who excercises his or her
perogative to create some hereditary peers. Though I think that it

Joseph McMillan...

And here I was under the impression that the prerogative by which peers
could be created was the Queen's--even if exercised on her ministers'
advice--not the PM's. Live and learn.

Anyway, it strikes me that the Garter is a greater honor than a
peerage, hereditary or otherwise. It is, at any rate, a more select
club.

marquess...

Being K.G is indeed an exclusive club, but if offered the choice of a
K.G or a Dukedom, I think that that most people would choose the
latter. You are correct in saying that it is the perogative of the
monarch, who is the fountain of all honours. Thus it would be possible
for her to make anyone a peer that she chose to. However since the last
batch of hereditary peers in 1964, subsequent govs have chosen only go
give life peerages. The Queen would not wish to be seen going against
the views of an elected government. Thus if the PM were to recommend a
particular person to the monarch, for an hereditary peerage, she would
no doubt accede, providing the said invidual was not of dubious
character!

would be better if the upper house had a different compostion, which
would then remove the main objection to giving hereditary peerages.
After all such things are in keeping with our monarchial system!