Difference Between Royalty and Nobility

Key Difference – Royalty vs Nobility
 

Although the ideas of royalty and nobility are closely related, there is a difference between these two words. We have heard in the news and papers where people speak about those belonging to the royal family, and also of people of noble birth. Are these the same? Or can we discern a difference between these two types. Royalty refers to the people who are members of the royal family. This includes the king, the queen, the princes, and the princesses. Nobility, on the other hand, is also of high breeding. However, not all nobles are royalty. Nobles can loosely be defined as those who belong to the aristocratic class in the society. This is the key difference between royalty and nobility. Through this article let us examine the differences between the two words, royalty and nobility.

What is Royalty?

Royalty refers to the people who are members of the royal family. In the past, the idea of royalty was quite common as most regions were ruled by kings and queens. These kings and queens belong to royalty. When observing the modern world one notices that the concept of royalty is slowly fading away. This is mainly due to the emergence of various forms of governments that have replaced the position of royalty.

Royalty is not something that an individual can achieve. It is an ascribed status. A person has to be born to such a family in order to be royalty. This goes on from one generation to another. When the king dies, his heir will come to the throne. If we were to provide a modern example of royalty, Queen Elizabeth the second and Prince of Wales can be considered fine examples of the British royalty. It is important to highlight that royalty exists in many other countries, although royalty now does not have supreme power as they did in the past.

What is Nobility?

Nobility can simply be understood as aristocracy. The people who are considered as nobles belong to the highest class and have hereditary titles. In a way, royals can also be viewed as nobles as they belong to the highest class in the social structure. Some examples for nobles are dukes, duchess, earls, countesses, barons, baronesses, etc. However, it is vital to highlight that royals are always superior to nobles.

Nobility is similar to royalty in some ways as people are of high births and ranks as well. However, a clear difference between the two stem from the fact that nobles gain power, titles and other privileges from the Royals. Hence, the two are very much connected. Nobility also goes from one generation to the other as they attempt to secure their positions.

What is the Difference Between Royalty and Nobility?

Definitions of Royalty and Nobility:

Royalty: Royalty refers to the people who are members of the royal family.

Nobility: Nobility can simply be understood as aristocracy. The people who are considered as noble belong to the highest class and have hereditary titles.

Characteristics of Royalty and Nobility:

Aristocratic class:

Royalty: Royalty belongs to aristocrats.

Nobility: Nobility also belongs to aristocrats.

Examples:

Royalty: Kings, queens, princes and princesses are Royalty.

Nobility: Dukes, duchess, earls, countesses, barons, baronesses, etc. are Nobility.

 

Image Courtesy:

1. King Henry I from NPG  [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

2. George Hayter – Portrait of Countess Yelizaveta Vorontsova – WGA11228 By George Hayter [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons