Marquess of Winchester
| Marquessate of Winchester | |
|---|---|
Sable, three swords pilewise points in base proper pomels and hilts or | |
| Creation date | 12 October 1551 |
| Created by | Edward VI |
| Peerage | Peerage of England |
| First holder | William Paulet, 1st Marquess of Winchester |
| Present holder | Christopher Paulet, 19th Marquess of Winchester |
| Heir apparent | Michael Paulet, Earl of Wiltshire |
| Remainder to | the 1st Earl's heirs male whatsoever |
| Subsidiary titles | Earl of Wiltshire Baron St John |
| Status | Extant |
| Motto | Aimez Loyaulté (Love Loyalty) |
Marquess of Winchester is a title in the Peerage of England that was created in 1551 for the prominent statesman William Paulet, 1st Earl of Wiltshire. It is the oldest of six surviving English marquessates; therefore its holder is considered the premier marquess of England. It is also now the only marquessate in the Peerage of England not being subsidiary to a higher title (although it was formerly subsidiary to the extinct Dukedom of Bolton; the other five are all still held by dukes). The current holder is Christopher Paulet, 19th Marquess of Winchester (born 1969), whose son uses the courtesy title Earl of Wiltshire.