Suo jure is a Latin phrase used, in English, to mean "in his/her own right".
It is commonly encountered in the context of titles of nobility or honorary titles, e.g. Lady Mayoress, and especially in cases where a woman holds a title in her own right rather than through her marriage.
An empress or queen who reigns suo jure is referred to as an "empress regnant" or queen regnant, those terms often being contrasted with empress/queen consort: "empress" and "queen" are, however, often used alone to refer to either a regnant or consort, the distinction being indicated by context.
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