Prime Minister of the United Kingdom senior order of chivalry, the Order of the Garter. The practice of creating a retired Prime Minister a Knight (or, in the case of Margaret Thatcher, a Lady) of the Garter (KG and LG respectively) has been fairly prevalent since the mid-nineteenth century. Upon the retirement of a Prime Minister who is Scottish, it is likely that the primarily Scottish honour of Knight of the Thistle (KT) will be used instead of the Order of the Garter, which is generally regarded as an English honour. Historically it has also been common for Prime Ministers to be granted a peerage upon
Records of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom have both had immediate successors to die in office. The longest-married Prime Minister was James Callaghan who was married to his wife Audrey for 66 years from July 1938 until her death on 15 March 2005. Three Prime Ministers married while in office, all to second wives: The British Prime Minister widowed the shortest is James Callaghan, who died on 26 March 2005. His wife, Audrey Callaghan, died on 15 March 2005, only 11 days before him. Only two British Prime Ministers have been divorced: Only four British Prime Ministers were bachelors: At least 24 British Prime Ministers were related