Debrett's

The press has been abuzz of late with the results of a survey about Gen Z and their attitude to punctuality. The survey revealed that half of respondents (aged 16–26) believe that being five to ten minutes late is effectively the same as being on time. What none of the journalists have mentioned, however, is that the survey was published in 2024 and they have only just got around to writing about it. Two years? 10 minutes? Who is counting – not the journalists either it would seem.

Knights or Dames Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Companions of Honour, Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order, Members of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. These are among the various honours that will be bestowed in the honours list published to commemorate the official Birthday of His Majesty The King. There are few British institutions quite as curious, enduring or distinctly national as the Honours System.

London, 20 May - Debrett’s, founded in London in 1769, is returning to the capital with the opening of its new office at 17 Carlisle Street in Soho, part of the growing ThamesBank Properties portfolio of central London office buildings. ThamesBank Properties is a design-led developer and investor, specialising in characterful buildings defined by volume, light and architectural integrity.

The passage of the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Act 2026 has prompted a familiar flurry of headlines declaring the ‘end’, of the hereditary peerage. Such statements are dramatic certainly, though (fortunately) constitutionally inaccurate. What has ended is not the hereditary peerage itself, but the final automatic connection between hereditary titles and membership of the House of Lords. The ancient dignities remain.

“And would you care to choose some wine?” These are words that can strike fear into to most resolute of us. When dining alone or as a couple the choice is often an indulgent, leisurely pleasure but when there is a larger group it can feel more like sitting an exam you didn’t revise for. Whether it’s a work dinner with colleagues or a social outing with friends, the arrival of an impressive wine list can trigger waves of anxiety and self doubt.

Birmingham, 12 May - Debrett’s has advised the shareholder of Granada Secondary Glazing (“Granada”) and its subsidiary Clearview Secondary Glazing (“Clearview”), one of the UK’s largest manufacturers of bespoke secondary glazing products, on its sale to Lifco AB, the Stockholm-listed industrial conglomerate.

The State Visit of King Charles III to the United States in April 2026 is one of the most diplomatically significant moments of his reign. Timed to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence, it is at once commemorative and contemporary - an exercise in both memory and statecraft.

Birmingham, 17 April 2026 – Debrett’s has advised William James Financial Services (“William James”) on securing growth funding and completing the acquisition of Clarke Fencott LLP, marking the first step in its long-term buy-and-build strategy. William James is an independent financial advisory business providing a broad range of financial planning and investment advice services.

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By Rupert Wesson Diplomacy has been in our thoughts a great deal of late due as much for it’s absence as for it’s presence. British Prime Minister Edward Heath once described a diplomat as “a man who thinks twice before saying nothing” which is of course to misunderstand diplomacy entirely.