📜 𝓠𝓾𝓲𝓬𝓴 𝓖𝓾𝓲𝓭𝓮: 𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓰𝓪𝓷 & 𝓐𝓶𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓪’𝓼 𝓣𝓲𝓽𝓵𝓮𝓼 𝓲𝓷 𝓓𝓲𝓪𝓶𝓸𝓷𝓭 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓡𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱 👑
this post goes out to @rosejewels91, who asked me this question in a comment on “Diamond in the Rough”! I did some research and this is what I found out...
How Padraic Could’ve Earned His Title
in Victorian England, someone could become a Viscount in two main ways: by inheriting it or by being granted the title by the Queen as a reward.
and since Ratigan has a... complicated past, it makes the most sense for him to have been granted the title! some believable ways this could happen in the story:
• he performed a heroic act (for example, helping stop an assassination attempt on Queen Victoria)
• he used his skills and connections to take down a major threat to the Empire that the government couldn’t handle officially
• he proved himself extremely useful politically or financially and was rewarded for his service
basically: redemption arc privileges! 🤣
once Padraic is officially a Viscount:
• Amelia automatically becomes a Viscountess through marriage; she doesn’t need her own claim to nobility
• Proper ways to address them:
—Lord/Viscount Ratigan (formal)
—“My Lord” (when spoken to)
—Padraic (close friends & family)
—The Right Honourable Viscount Ratigan (extremely formal letters)
–Lady/Viscountess Ratigan
–“My Lady” (when spoken to)
–Amelia (close friends & family)
–The Right Honourable Viscountess Ratigan (extremely formal letters)
Their Children (Cornelius & Alice)
• Cornelius Percival (as the elder twin) would be the heir, and he would be styled The Honourable Cornelius Ratigan while his father is alive; then, one day, he would inherit the title and become the next Viscount Ratigan.
• Alice Lavinia would be styled The Honourable Alice Ratigan, and she keeps this title for life!
because even with twins, the oldest son (even by a couple of minutes) is the heir in Victorian peerage! 🙄🤣