LGBT nobility and royalty


Throughout history, monarchs have engaged in same-gender relationships. Even in jurisdictions where homosexuality was not prohibited or proscribed by law or religious edicts, titles of aristocracy were almost always directly transferred through married heterosexual spouses and their offspring.

History

Ancient times

Imperial China

Several Chinese emperors had openly homosexual relationships, even though most also had active heterosexual relationships as well. A famous example is that of Emperor Ai of Han and his lover, Dong Xian, whom Ai promoted quickly through government ranks and ennobled as a marquess.
Throughout written Chinese history, the role of women is given little positive emphasis, with relationships between women being especially rare. One mention by Ying Shao, who lived about 140 to 206, does relate palace women attaching themselves as husband and wife, a relationship called dui shi. He noted, "They are intensely jealous of each other."

United Kingdom

Since the Parliament of the United Kingdom enacted a series of reforms to the honours system, few hereditary titles have been created, while life peerages have proliferated, allowing for more openly LGBT persons to be appointed to the House of Lords. However, despite the legalization of civil partnerships for same-sex couples in 2004, spouses of ennobled civil partners have not been allowed the extension of title and privilege from their spouses' ennoblements as those accorded to married opposite-sex spouses of ennobled persons. In July 2012, Conservative MP Oliver Colvile announced a private member's bill, titled "Honours Bill 2012-13", to amend the honours system to both allow husbands of those made dames and for civil partners of recipients to receive honours by their relationship statuses. Another bill, the Equality Bill, which would allow for both female first-born descendants to inherit hereditary titles as well as for "husbands and civil partners" of honours recipients "to use equivalent honorary titles to those available to wives", was introduced by Lord Lucas in the House of Lords on 13 May 2013, but did not progress past Committee stage.

Elsewhere

A significant event in LGBT aristocracy occurred in 2006, when Manvendra Singh Gohil, a prince of the former princely state of Rajpipla in Gujarat, India, came out as gay to Indian media; the event caused controversy both in India and abroad, and his family unsuccessfully attempted to disinherit him.
On 7 March 2008 Luisa Isabel Álvarez de Toledo, 21st Duchess of Medina Sidonia, a Spanish aristocrat, married Liliana Maria Dahlmann in a civil ceremony on her deathbed. Today, the Dowager Duchess is Liliana Maria.
It was rumored to be an open secret that late Sultan Qaboos of Oman was the only gay ruling monarch, however, his rule did not improve the lot of LGBT Omanis.

In fiction

A recent treatment of LGBT nobles and royalty is the 2002 children's book King & King, which shows the heir to a throne sifting through potential brides before falling in love with, and marrying, another prince before the two become kings. The book was challenged by social conservatives in various countries, and was honored with a variety of accolades from supporters of LGBT rights.