Although the 1520 order is theoretically still in effect, in fact the 'Blood Royal' clause seems to have fallen into desuetude by 1917 when King George V limited the style of Royal Highness to children and male-line grandchildren of the sovereign. It did not matter how distantly related to the monarch the peers might be (presumably they ranked among each other in order of succession to the Crown). But it placed junior 'Dukes of the Blood Royal' above the most senior non-royal duke, junior 'Earls of the Blood Royal' above the most senior non-royal earl ( cf. The order did not apply within Parliament, nor did it grant precedence above the archbishop of Canterbury or other Great Officers of State such as is now enjoyed by royal dukes. This decree accorded precedence to any peer related by blood to the sovereign above all others of the same degree within the peerage. Although the term 'royal duke' therefore has no official meaning per se, the category 'Duke of the Blood Royal' was acknowledged as a rank conferring special precedence at court in the unrevoked 20th clause of the Lord Chamberlain's order of 1520. Rather, these peerages are called royal dukedoms because they are created for, and held by, members of the royal family who are entitled to the titular dignity of prince and the style Royal Highness. In the United Kingdom, there is nothing intrinsic to any dukedom that makes it 'royal'.

Royal d hiide