Lord Berkeley

[Mandryka]

I've no great enthusiasm for titles, but M.Berkeley has always struck me as a good sort from his rather self-effacing media appearances and I'm pleased to see him so elevated. One of the few transparently nice guys of broadcasting, I'd say!

[Alain Maréchal]

I know what you mean!!

(In your example, I imagine you might be able to take a pretty good guess if you met Wayne! )

I'm not so sure. Some years ago I worked with Doug Truffle, a faux-slob who turned out to be the heir to the Marquis of Sweetshop. Nobody had warned me.

[Nick Armstrong]

I'm not so sure. Some years ago I worked with Doug Truffle, a faux-slob who turned out to be the heir to the Marquis of Sweetshop. Nobody had warned me.

Point taken!

Was his handshake a trifle.... sticky...?

[Flosshilde]

No reflection on Lord Berkeley, but I can't help feeling that there ought to be some way of distinguishing between the hereditory U.K. aristocracy and the life peers. If I'm introduced to "Lord Folkestone" ( I hope there isn't one, this was just an example) how do I know if he's the 14th Duke of Folkestone or Wayne Folkestone who's received a Life Peerage by donating copious amounts of money to a political party (which I assume doesn't happen often). I need to know just how hard I should be tugging my forelock.

Do the life peers call themselves simply eg 'Folkestone', instead of using their actual surname (or forename, for that matter). I think it's rather sweet.