the title that her husband bore had been created on 7 september 1871, when the german duke of saxe-coburg and gotha granted the noble title of "freiherr" (baron) to paul reuter, her grandfather-in-law. in november 1891, queen victoria granted paul reuter (and his subsequent male-line successors) the right to use that german title (listed as "baron von reuter") in britain. the title became extinct upon the death of her husband, the 4th baron, since there was no male heir.