Forms of Address in the United Kingdom
Encyclopedia
Forms of address used in the United Kingdom are given below.
Several terms have been abbreviated in the table below. The forms used in the table are given first, followed by alternative acceptable abbreviations in parentheses.
The usage 'Lord' as applied to a bishop pre-dates the United Kingdom, and is a well-established convention.
It is more usual to abbreviate Reverend to Rev'd rather than Rev.
Where a personal name is not used for a priest or deacon, the manner of address is Rev Mr etc., i.e. the Rev is used with the usual title. Without this title, the use of Rev with a surname refers to non-Anglican Protestant clergy, whereas Catholic clergy favour Fr (Father).
For further details see Crockford's Guide to addressing the Clergy.
Clergy: 'introduce as Mr Pike or Father Pike according to his preference' (Debrett's Etiquette and Modern Manners 1981 pg230)
A judge's first name only forms part of their judicial style if, at the time of their appointment, there is a senior judge with the same or a similar surname. Thus, if there is a "Mr Justice Smith", subsequent judges will be "Mr Justice John Smith", "Mrs Justice Mary Smith", etc.
Several terms have been abbreviated in the table below. The forms used in the table are given first, followed by alternative acceptable abbreviations in parentheses.
Abbreviations
- His/Her MajestyMajestyMajesty is an English word derived ultimately from the Latin maiestas, meaning "greatness".- Origin :Originally, during the Roman republic, the word maiestas was the legal term for the supreme status and dignity of the state, to be respected above everything else...
: HM - His/Her Royal HighnessRoyal HighnessRoyal Highness is a style ; plural Royal Highnesses...
: HRH - His/Her GraceGrace (style)His Grace or Her Grace is a style used for various high ranking personages. It was the style used to address the King or Queen of Scotland up to the Act of Union of 1707, which merged the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland, and to address monarchs of England prior to Henry VIII...
: HG - The Most HonourableThe Most HonourableThe prefix The Most Honourable is a title of quality attached to the names of marquesses in the United Kingdom. Dukes are The Most Noble or His Grace and peers under the rank of marquess are The Right Honourable. Scottish Feudal Barons and Lairds are The Much Honoured.Certain corporate entities...
: The Most Hon (The Most Honble) - The Right HonourableThe Right HonourableThe Right Honourable is an honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain people in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Anglophone Caribbean and other Commonwealth Realms, and occasionally elsewhere...
: The Rt Hon (The Rt Honble) - The HonourableThe HonourableThe prefix The Honourable or The Honorable is a style used before the names of certain classes of persons. It is considered an honorific styling.-International diplomacy:...
: The Hon (The Honble) - The Much HonouredThe Much HonouredThe Much Honoured is an honorific prefix that is given to Scottish feudal Barons and Lairds in the United Kingdom.-Entitlement:...
: The Much Hon (The Much Hon'd) - The Most Reverend: The Most Rev (The Most Revd or The Most Rev'd)
- The Right Reverend: The Rt Rev (The Rt Revd or The Rt Rev'd)
- The Very Reverend: The Very Rev (The Very Revd or The Very Rev'd)
- The ReverendThe ReverendThe Reverend is a style most often used as a prefix to the names of Christian clergy and ministers. There are sometimes differences in the way the style is used in different countries and church traditions. The Reverend is correctly called a style but is often and in some dictionaries called a...
: The Rev (The Revd or The Rev'd) - The Venerable: The Ven (The Venble)
Royalty
Position | On envelopes | Salutation in letter | Oral address |
---|---|---|---|
King British monarchy The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties... |
HM The King | Your Majesty | Your Majesty, and thereafter as "Sir/Sire" |
Queen British monarchy The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties... |
HM The Queen | Your Majesty | Your Majesty, and thereafter as "Ma'am" |
Prince of Wales Prince of Wales Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms... |
HRH The Prince of Wales Charles, Prince of Wales Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay... |
Your Royal Highness | Your Royal Highness, and thereafter as "Sir" |
Wife of the Prince of Wales | HRH The Princess of Wales | Your Royal Highness | Your Royal Highness, and thereafter as "Ma'am" |
Princess Royal Princess Royal Princess Royal is a style customarily awarded by a British monarch to his or her eldest daughter. The style is held for life, so a princess cannot be given the style during the lifetime of another Princess Royal... |
HRH The Princess Royal Anne, Princess Royal Princess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh... |
Your Royal Highness | Your Royal Highness, and thereafter as "Ma'am" |
Royal Peer | HRH The Duke of London, e.g., HRH The Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch.... |
Your Royal Highness | Your Royal Highness, and thereafter as "Sir" |
Royal Peeress | Currently there are none as a peeress holds the title in her own right, not by right of marriage or as a courtesy from their father. | ||
Sovereign's son (unless a peer) |
HRH The Prince John, e.g., HRH The Prince Edward Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex KG GCVO is the third son and fourth child of Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh... |
Your Royal Highness | Your Royal Highness, and thereafter as "Sir" |
Sovereign's son's wife (unless a peeress) |
HRH The Princess John | Your Royal Highness | Your Royal Highness, and thereafter as "Ma'am" |
Sovereign's daughter (unless a peeress) |
HRH The Princess Mary, e.g., HRH The Princess Margaret Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon was the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II and the younger daughter of King George VI.... |
Your Royal Highness | Your Royal Highness, and thereafter as "Ma'am" |
Sons of the Prince of Wales (unless a peer) | HRH Prince John of Wales, e.g., HRH Prince Harry of Wales Prince Harry of Wales Prince Henry of Wales , commonly known as Prince Harry, is the younger son of Charles, Prince of Wales and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and fourth grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh... |
Your Royal Highness | Your Royal Highness, and thereafter as "Sir" |
Sovereign’s son’s son, (unless a peer) | HRH Prince John of London, e.g. HRH Prince Michael of Kent Prince Michael of Kent Prince Michael of Kent is a grandson of King George V and Queen Mary, making him a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. He is also the first cousin once removed of Prince Phillip. Prince Michael occasionally carries out royal duties representing the Queen at some functions in Commonwealth realms outside... |
Your Royal Highness | Your Royal Highness, and thereafter as "Sir" |
Sovereign's son's son's wife (unless a peeress) |
HRH Princess John of London, e.g., HRH Princess Michael of Kent Princess Michael of Kent Princess Michael of Kent is an Austrian-Hungarian member of the British Royal Family. She is married to Prince Michael of Kent, who is a grandson of King George V.... |
Your Royal Highness | Your Royal Highness, and thereafter as "Ma'am" |
Sovereign's son's daughter (unless a peeress) |
HRH Princess Mary of London, e.g., HRH Princess Beatrice of York Princess Beatrice of York Princess Beatrice of York is the elder daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York... |
Your Royal Highness | Your Royal Highness |
Sovereign's son's son's son (unless a peer) |
The Lord John Windsor, e.g., The Lord Nicholas Windsor Lord Nicholas Windsor The Lord Nicholas Windsor is the youngest child of the Duke and Duchess of Kent, a great-grandson of King George V of the United Kingdom, and a first cousin once removed of Queen Elizabeth II.... |
Dear Lord John | Lord John |
Sovereign's son's son's son's wife (unless a peeress) |
The Lady John Windsor, e.g., The Lady Nicholas Windsor Lady Nicholas Windsor Lady Nicholas Windsor is the wife of Lord Nicholas Windsor, son of the Duke and Duchess of Kent.-Family History:... |
Dear Lady John | Lady John |
Sovereign's son's son's daughter (unless a peeress) |
The Lady Mary Windsor, e.g., The Lady Helen Taylor Lady Helen Taylor The Lady Helen Taylor A first cousin once removed of Queen Elizabeth II, she is a great-granddaughter of King George V of the United Kingdom and is in the line of succession to the British throne.... |
Dear Lady Mary | Lady Mary |
Peers and peeresses
Position | On envelopes | Salutation in letter | Oral address |
---|---|---|---|
Duke Duke A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy... |
(His Grace) The Duke of London | My Lord Duke or Dear Duke (of London) |
Your Grace or Duke |
Duchess Duke A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy... |
(Her Grace) The Duchess of London | Madam or Dear Duchess (of London) |
Your Grace or Duchess |
Marquess Marquess A marquess or marquis is a nobleman of hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The term is also used to translate equivalent oriental styles, as in imperial China, Japan, and Vietnam... or Marquis |
(The Most Hon) The Marquess of London | My Lord Marquess or Dear Lord London |
My Lord or Your Lordship or Lord London |
Marchioness | (The Most Hon) The Marchioness of London | Madam or Dear Lady London |
My Lady or Your Ladyship or Lady London |
Earl Earl An earl is a member of the nobility. The title is Anglo-Saxon, akin to the Scandinavian form jarl, and meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. In Scandinavia, it became obsolete in the Middle Ages and was replaced with duke... |
(The Rt Hon) The Earl of London | My Lord or Dear Lord London |
My Lord or Your Lordship or Lord London |
Countess | (The Rt Hon) The Countess of London | Madam or Dear Lady London |
My Ladyor Your Ladyship or Lady London |
Viscount | (The Rt Hon) The Viscount London | My Lord or Dear Lord London |
My Lord or Your Lordship or Lord London |
Viscountess | (The Rt Hon) The Viscountess London | Madam or Dear Lady London |
My Ladyor Your Ladyship or Lady London |
Baron Baron Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"... Lord of Parliament Lord of Parliament A Lord of Parliament was the lowest rank of nobility automatically entitled to attend sessions of the pre-Union Parliament of Scotland. Post-Union, it is a member of the lowest rank of the Peerage of Scotland, ranking below a viscount... |
(The Rt Hon) The Lord London | My Lord or Dear Lord London |
My Lord or Your Lordship or Lord London |
Baron Baron Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"... ess (in her own right) |
(The Rt Hon) The Lady London or (The Rt Hon) The Baroness London |
Madam or Dear Lady London or Dear Baroness London |
My Ladyor Your Ladyship or Lady London or Baroness London |
Baroness (in her husband's right) Lady of Parliament (in her or her husband's right) |
(The Rt Hon) The Lady London | Madam or Dear Lady London |
My Ladyor Your Ladyship or Lady London |
Eldest sons, grandsons and great-grandsons of dukes, marquesses and earls
Position | On envelopes | Salutation in letter | Oral address |
---|---|---|---|
(Eldest sons of dukes, marquesses and earls use their father's most senior subsidiary title Subsidiary title A subsidiary title is an hereditary title held by a royal or a noble but which is not regularly used to identify that person.For example, the Duke of Norfolk is also the Earl of Arundel, the Earl of Surrey, the Earl of Norfolk, the Baron Beaumont, the Baron Maltravers, the Baron FitzAlan, the Baron... as courtesy titles: note the absence of "The" before the title. If applicable, eldest sons of courtesy marquesses or courtesy earls also use a subsidiary title from their (great) grandfather, which is lower ranking than the one used by their father. Eldest daughters do not have courtesy titles; all courtesy peeresses are wives of courtesy peers.) |
|||
Courtesy Marquess | (The) Marquess of London | My Lord Marquess or Dear Lord London |
My Lord or Lord London |
Courtesy Marquess's wife | (The) Marchioness of London | Madam or Dear Lady London |
My Lady or Lady London |
Courtesy Earl | (The) Earl of London | My Lord or Dear Lord London |
My Lord or Lord London |
Courtesy Earl's wife | (The) Countess of London | Madam or Dear Lady London |
My Lady or Lady London |
Courtesy Viscount | (The) Viscount London | My Lord or Dear Lord London |
My Lord or Lord London |
Courtesy Viscount's wife | (The) Viscountess London | Madam or Dear Lady London |
My Lady or Lady London |
Courtesy Baron Courtesy Lord of Parliament |
(The) Lord London | My Lord or Dear Lord London |
My Lord or Lord London |
Courtesy Baron's wife Wife of Courtesy Lord of Parliament |
(The) Lady London | Madam or Dear Lady London |
My Lady or Lady London |
Heirs-apparent and heirs-presumptive of Scottish peers
Position | On envelopes | Salutation in letter | Oral address |
---|---|---|---|
(Heirs-apparent and heirs-presumptive of Scottish peers use the titles "Master" and "Mistress"; these are substantive, not courtesy titles. If, however, the individual is the eldest son of a Duke, Marquess or Earl, then he uses the appropriate courtesy title, as noted above.) | |||
Scottish peer's heir-apparent or heir-presumptive | The Master of Edinburgh | Sir or Dear Master of Edinburgh |
Sir or Master |
Scottish peer's heiress-apparent or heiress-presumptive | The Mistress of Edinburgh | Madam or Dear Mistress of Edinburgh |
Madam or Mistress |
Sons, grandsons and great-grandsons of peers
Position | On envelopes | Salutation in letter | Oral address |
---|---|---|---|
Duke's younger son (Courtesy) Marquess's younger son |
(The) Lord John Smith | My Lord or Dear Lord John (Smith) |
My Lord or Lord John |
Duke's younger son's wife (Courtesy) Marquess's younger son's wife |
(The) Lady John Smith | Madam or Dear Lady John |
My Lady or Lady John |
(Courtesy) Earl's younger son (Courtesy) Viscount's son (Courtesy) Baron's son (Courtesy) Lord of Parliament's son |
The Hon John Smith | Sir or Dear Mr Smith |
Sir or Mr Smith |
(Courtesy) Earl's younger son's wife (Courtesy) Viscount's son's wife (Courtesy) Baron's son's wife (Courtesy) Lord of Parliament's son's wife |
The Hon Mrs John Smith | Madam or Dear Mrs Smith |
Madam or Mrs Smith |
Daughters, granddaughters and great-granddaughters of peers
Position | On envelopes | Salutation in letter | Oral address |
---|---|---|---|
(If a daughter of a peer or courtesy peer marries another peer or courtesy peer, she takes her husband's rank. If she marries anyone else, she keeps her rank and title, using her husband's surname instead of her maiden name.) | |||
Duke's daughter (Courtesy) Marquess's daughter (Courtesy) Earl's daughter (unmarried or married to a commoner) |
(The) Lady Mary Smith (if unmarried), (The) Lady Mary Brown (Husband Surname, if Married) |
Madam or Dear Lady Mary |
My Lady or Lady Mary |
(Courtesy) Viscount's daughter (Courtesy) Baron's daughter (Courtesy) Lord of parliament's daughter (unmarried) |
The Hon Mary Smith | Madam or Dear Miss Smith |
Madam or Miss Smith |
(Courtesy) Viscount's daughter (Courtesy) Baron's daughter (Courtesy) Lord of Parliament's daughter (married to a commoner) |
The Hon Mrs Brown (Husband Surname) | Madam or Dear Mrs Brown |
Madam or Mrs Brown |
Baronets
Position | On envelopes | Salutation in letter | Oral address |
---|---|---|---|
Baronet Baronet A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown... |
Sir John Smith, Bt (or Bart) | Sir or Dear Sir John (Smith) |
Sir or Sir John |
Baronetess in her own right | Dame Mary Smith, Btss | Madam or Dear Dame Mary (Smith) |
Madam or Dame Mary |
Baronet's wife | Lady Smith | Madam or Dear Lady Smith |
My Lady or Lady Smith |
Baronet's divorced wife | Mary, Lady Smith | Madam or Dear Lady Smith |
My Lady or Lady Smith |
Baronet's widow | Dowager Lady Smith or Lady Smith if the heir incumbent is unmarried | Madam or Dear Lady Smith |
My Lady or Lady Smith |
Knights
Position | On envelopes | Salutation in letter | Oral address |
---|---|---|---|
Knight Knight A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior.... (of any order) |
Sir John Smith | Sir or Dear Sir John (Smith) |
Sir or Sir John |
Lady (of the Order of the Garter Order of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St... or the Thistle Order of the Thistle The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order... ) |
Lady Mary Smith | Madam or Dear Lady Mary (Smith) |
My Lady or Lady Mary |
Dame (of an order other than the Garter or the Thistle) | Dame Mary Smith | Madam or Dear Dame Mary (Smith) |
Madam or Dame Mary |
Knight's wife | Lady Smith | Madam or Dear Lady Smith |
My Lady or Lady Smith |
Scottish feudal barons, and Chiefs, chieftains and lairds
Position | On envelopes | Salutation in letter | Oral address |
---|---|---|---|
Feudal baron Feudal baron Feudal baron may refer to:*English feudal barony*Scottish feudal barony*Irish feudal barony... |
John Smith of Edinburgh or John Smith, Baron of Edinburgh or The Baron of Edinburgh |
Sir or Dear Edinburgh or Dear Baron |
Edinburgh or Baron |
Female feudal baroness or Feudal baron's wife |
As feudal baron, substituting "Madam" for first name and substituting "Baroness" for "Baron", or Lady Edinburgh |
Madam or Dear Baroness or Dear Lady Edinburgh |
Madam or Baroness or Lady Edinburgh |
Chief, chieftain or laird Laird A Laird is a member of the gentry and is a heritable title in Scotland. In the non-peerage table of precedence, a Laird ranks below a Baron and above an Esquire.-Etymology:... (Only lairds recognised in a territorial designation by the Lord Lyon) |
John Smith of Smith or John Smith of Edinburgh or John Smith of that Ilk or The Smith of Smith or The Smith of Edinburgh or The Smith (varies according to family) (only the 2nd form of address above applies to lairds) |
Sir or Dear Edinburgh (if placename in title) or Dear Smith (otherwise) |
Edinburgh (if placename in title) or Smith (otherwise) |
Female Chief, chieftain or laird or Chief, chieftain or laird's wife |
As Chief, substituting "Madam" or "Mrs" for first name or "The" or The Lady Edinburgh |
Madam or as on envelope |
Madam or as on envelope |
Chief (etc.)'s heir-apparent | John Smith of Edinburgh, yr or John Smith, yr of Edinburgh or John Smith of Edinburgh (last only if different first name to father) |
Sir or Dear Younger of Edinburgh or Dear Mr Smith of Edinburgh |
Sir or Young Edinburgh or The Younger of Edinburgh |
Chief (etc.)'s heir-apparent's wife | Mrs Smith of Edinburgh, yr or Mrs Smith, yr of Edinburgh |
Madam or Dear Mrs Smith of Edinburgh |
Madam or Mrs Smith of Edinburgh |
Chief (etc.)'s eldest daughter (if none senior) | Miss Smith of Edinburgh or Jane Smith, Maid of Edinburgh |
Madam or Dear Miss Smith of Edinburgh or Dear Maid of Edinburgh |
Madam or Miss Smith of Edinburgh or Maid of Edinburgh |
Chief (etc.)'s younger daughter | Miss Mary Smith of Edinburgh | Madam or Dear Miss Smith of Edinburgh |
Madam or Miss Smith of Edinburgh |
Church of England
Similar styles are also applied to clergy of equivalent status in other religious organisations.Position | On envelopes | Salutation in letter | Oral address |
---|---|---|---|
Archbishop | The Most Rev and Rt Hon The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury | Dear Archbishop | Your Grace or Archbishop |
Archbishop that is not in Privy Council | The Most Rev The Lord Archbishop of Wales | Dear Archbishop | Your Grace or Archbishop |
Diocesan bishop in Privy Council | The Rt Rev and Rt Hon The Lord Bishop of London | Dear Bishop | My Lord or Bishop |
Bishop, diocesan or suffragan | The Rt Rev The Lord Bishop of Durham | Dear Bishop | My Lord or Bishop |
Dean | The Very Rev The Dean of York | Dear Mr/Madam Dean | Dean or Mr/Madam Dean |
Archdeacon | The Ven The Archdeacon of London | Dear Archdeacon | Archdeacon |
Prebendary | The Rev Prebendary Smith | Dear Prebendary Smith | Prebend |
Canon | The Rev Canon John Smith | Dear Canon | Canon |
Priest | The Rev John Smith or Father John Smith | Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms Smith or Dear Father Smith |
Mr/Mrs/Ms Smith or Father John/Smith or Vicar/Rector/Prebendary/Curate/Chaplain etc. as applicable |
Deacon | The Rev Deacon John Smith or The Rev John Smith |
Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms Smith or Dear Deacon Smith |
Deacon Smith or Mr/Mrs/Ms Smith |
The usage 'Lord' as applied to a bishop pre-dates the United Kingdom, and is a well-established convention.
It is more usual to abbreviate Reverend to Rev'd rather than Rev.
Where a personal name is not used for a priest or deacon, the manner of address is Rev Mr etc., i.e. the Rev is used with the usual title. Without this title, the use of Rev with a surname refers to non-Anglican Protestant clergy, whereas Catholic clergy favour Fr (Father).
For further details see Crockford's Guide to addressing the Clergy.
Clergy: 'introduce as Mr Pike or Father Pike according to his preference' (Debrett's Etiquette and Modern Manners 1981 pg230)
Church of Scotland
Position | On envelopes | Salutation in letter | Oral address |
---|---|---|---|
Lord High Commissioner Lord High Commissioner Lord High Commissioner is the style of High Commissioners, i.e. direct representatives of the monarch, in three cases in the Kingdom of Scotland and the United Kingdom, two of which are no longer extant... to the General Assembly |
His Grace The Lord High Commissioner | Your Grace | Your Grace |
Clergy | The Rev John Smith | Dear Mr Smith | Mr Smith |
Current Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland | The Right Rev John Smith | Dear Mr Smith | Mr Smith |
Former Moderators of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland | The Very Rev John Smith | Dear Mr Smith | Mr Smith |
Judiciary
Position | On envelopes | Salutation in letter | Oral address | In court |
---|---|---|---|---|
Male Lord Justice of Appeal Lord Justice of Appeal A Lord Justice of Appeal is an ordinary judge of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, the court that hears appeals from the High Court of Justice, and represents the second highest level of judge in the courts of England and Wales-Appointment:... |
The Rt Hon. Lord Justice (John) Smith | Lord Justice | Lord Justice | My Lord |
Retired male Lord Justice of Appeal | The Rt Hon. Sir John Smith | Judge or Sir John | Sir John | My Lord |
Female Lord Justice of Appeal | The Rt Hon. Lady Justice (Mary) Smith, DBE | Lady Justice | Lady Justice | My Lady |
Retired female Lord Justice of Appeal | The Rt Hon. Dame Mary Smith, DBE | Judge or Dame Mary | Dame Mary | My Lady |
Male High Court Judge High Court judge A High Court judge is a judge of the High Court of Justice, and represents the third highest level of judge in the courts of England and Wales. High Court judges are referred to as puisne judges... |
The Hon. Mr Justice (John) Smith | Judge | Judge | My Lord |
Retired male High Court Judge | Sir John Smith | Judge or Sir John | Sir John | My Lord |
Female High Court Judge | The Hon. Mrs Justice (Mary) Smith, DBE | Judge | Judge | My Lady |
Retired female High Court Judge | Dame Mary Smith, DBE | Judge or Dame Mary | Dame Mary | My Lady |
Circuit Judge who was Queen's Counsel Queen's Counsel Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law... |
His Honour Judge (John) Smith, QC | Judge | Judge | Your Honour |
Circuit Judge | His Honour Judge (John) Smith | Judge | Judge | Your Honour |
District Judge | District Judge (John) Smith | Judge | Sir or Madam | Sir or Madam |
A judge's first name only forms part of their judicial style if, at the time of their appointment, there is a senior judge with the same or a similar surname. Thus, if there is a "Mr Justice Smith", subsequent judges will be "Mr Justice John Smith", "Mrs Justice Mary Smith", etc.