Style (manner of address)
Encyclopedia
A style of office, or honorific, is a legal, official, or recognized title
. A style, by tradition
or law
, precedes a reference to a person who holds a post or political office, and is sometimes used to refer to the office itself. An honorific
can also be awarded to an individual in a personal capacity. Such styles are particularly associated with monarchies
, where they may be used by a wife of an office holder or of a prince of the blood, for the duration of their marriage
. They are also almost universally used for president
s in republic
s and in many countries for members
of legislative bodies
, higher-ranking judge
s and senior constitutional office holders. Leading religious
figures
also have styles.
-speaking universities:
Traditional forms of address at Dutch
-speaking universities:
Traditional forms of address at Italian
-speaking universities:
The English style Serene Highness and even more Illustrious Highness goes back to an incorrect translation. These styles originally did not exist in English-speaking countries.
His/Her Serene Highness = German: Seine/Ihre Durchlaucht; Italian: Sua Altezza Serenissima; Russian Ваша светлость
His/Her Illustrious Highness = German: Seine/Ihre Erlaucht; Italian: Sua Altezza Illustrissima; Spanish: Su Ilustrísima; Russian Ваше сиятельство
General tradition indicates that where a monarch has been deposed but has not abdicated, they retain the use of their style and title for the duration of their lifetime, but both die with them. Hence Greece's deposed king is still technically His Majesty King Constantine II of the Hellenes
, as a personal title, not a constitutional office, since the abolition of the monarchy by the Hellenic Republic in 1974. Similarly, until his death, the last King of Italy, Umberto II
, was technically entitled to be called His Majesty the King of Italy or Your Majesty. In contrast, the ex-King Michael I of Romania
, who abdicated his throne in 1947, technically lost the use of his title, though out of politeness, he may still be called His Majesty King Michael or Your Majesty.
While this rule is generally observed, and indeed some exiled monarchs are allowed diplomatic passports by their former state, other states take offence at the use of such titles. The current Hellenic Republic has long challenged King Constantine's right to use his title; in 1981, the then Greek President Konstantinos Karamanlis declined to attend the wedding of the Prince of Wales when it was revealed that Greece's deposed monarch, a cousin of the Prince, had been referred to as 'King' in his invitation. However, King Constantine now travels in and out of Greece without any problems, on a Danish royal passport (as "King Constantine of Greece"), and has done so several times in the past few years. Because of the Schengen Agreement
, the Greek government cannot refuse him entry.
or Our Most Holy Lord
("Sanctissimus Dominus Noster") — the Roman Catholic Pope
, and the Coptic Orthodox Pope.His All Holiness (abbreviation HAH), oral address Your All Holiness — the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.
His Holiness (abbreviation HH), oral address Your Holiness — the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Patriarch of Peć and the Serbs, Catholicos of All Armenians, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia
, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church, and some other patriarchs of Christian Church
.His Holiness (abbreviation HH), oral address Your Holiness — the Dalai Lama
and holders of certain other Tibetan Buddhist lineages.
His Highness the Aga Khan
(abbreviation HH the Aga Khan.), oral address Your Highness and then Sir — The Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslims.
His Beatitude, oral address Your Beatitude — Eastern Orthodox
, Oriental Orthodox
and Roman Catholic patriarch
s, Macedonian Orthodox Church
and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic
Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halych. If they have been elevated to the cardinalate by the Pope, they use the traditional "His Eminence" like other cardinals (more properly and formally, "His Beatitude and Eminence").
His Eminence (abbreviation "HE", oral address Your Eminence) — Eastern Orthodox metropolitans
and archbishop
s who are not the First Hierarch of an autocephalous church; Roman Catholic cardinals
and certain high lama
s in Tibetan Buddhism.
His Excellency or The Most Reverend (abbreviation The Most Rev.), oral address Your Excellency — Roman Catholic Archbishop
s and Bishop
s in the U.S.A.; or,
His Grace or The Most Reverend (abbreviation The Most Rev.), oral address Your Grace) — Roman Catholic archbishop
s in Commonwealth
countries; and Roman Catholic bishop
s in Ireland
His Grace or The Right Reverend (abbreviation The Rt. Rev.), oral address Your Grace) — Eastern Orthodox
bishop
s.
His Lordship or The Right Reverend (abbreviation The Rt Rev.), oral address My Lord — Anglican and Roman Catholic bishop
s in Commonwealth countries.
The Most Reverend and Right Honourable (abbreviation The Most Rev. and Rt Hon.), oral address Your Grace — Church of England
(Anglican) archbishop
s who are Privy Council
lors, usually the Archbishop
s of Canterbury
and York
The Most Reverend (abbreviation The Most Rev.), oral address Your Grace) — Anglican
archbishop
s, primates, metropolitans and presiding bishops. Also moderators.
The Most Reverend (abbreviation The Most Rev.), oral address My Lord) — Church of Ireland
(Anglican) Bishop of Meath and Kildare (due to being, historically, the most senior bishop in Ireland)
The Most Reverend (abbreviation The Most Rev.), oral address Presiding Bishop — the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana
The Most Reverend (abbreviation The Most Rev.), oral address Bishop — the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church (United States)
The Right Reverend and Right Honourable Monsignor (abbreviation The Rt Rev. and Rt Hon. Mgr), oral address Monsignor, or according to personal preference) — Prelate of Honour who is also a Privy Counsellor
(The Right Reverend and Right Honourable Monsignor Graham Leonard
KCVO).
The Right Reverend and Right Honourable (abbreviation The Rt Rev. and Rt Hon.), oral address My Lord or Bishop — Church of England
(Anglican) bishop
s who are members of the Privy Council
, usually the Bishop of London
.
The Right Reverend (abbreviation The Rt Rev.), oral address My Lord or Bishop — other Church of England
bishop
s
The Right Reverend (abbreviation The Rt Rev.), oral address Bishop — bishop
s Episcopal Church (United States)
The Right Reverend (abbreviation The Rt Rev.) — Moderator
of the United Church of Canada
The Right Reverend Father (abbreviation The Rt. Rev. Fr.), oral address Father — Eastern Orthodox
archimandrite
s.
The Right Reverend (abbreviation The Rt. Rev.), oral address Father or Father Abbot — Roman Catholic abbot
s.
The Right Reverend (abbreviation The Rt Rev., oral address Bishop) — diocesan bishop
of the Methodist Church Ghana
Bishop (oral address Bishop) an area bishop
in The United Methodist Church
. The Right Reverend has never been pervasive in The United Methodist Church.
The Very Reverend (abbreviation The Very Rev. , oral address Father) — Catholic
vicars general, judicial vicars, judge
s, rectors of seminaries, vicars forane, episcopal vicars, general superiors of religious orders of priests, provincial superiors, priors of monasteries or friaries
The Very Reverend Father (abbreviation The Very Rev. Fr., oral address Father) — Eastern Orthodox
archpriest
s
The Very Reverend (abbreviation The Very Rev. , oral address Mr Dean or Mr Provost, as appropriate, or Very Reverend Sir) — Anglican Deans and Provosts of Cathedral
s, the Deans of Westminster Abbey
and St George's Chapel, Windsor
, and, for historical reasons, a few parish priests
, such as the Dean of Bocking
. Sometimes an Anglican Cathedral
Dean has previously been a bishop
, in which case he is styled as a bishop
, except that on formal occasions he may be addressed, Mr Dean.
The Very Reverend (abbreviation The Very Rev. , oral address Very Reverend Sir or Mr Dean) — Deans of some Anglican Seminaries, especially those in the USA
The Very Reverend (abbreviation The Very Rev. , oral address Osofo Panin) — Superintendent Minister in the Methodist Church Ghana
The Very Reverend (abbreviation The Very Rev., oral address Reverend) — former Moderators
of the United Church of Canada
The Reverend Monsignor (abbreviation The Rev. Msgr., oral address Monsignor) — Catholic Church protonotaries apostolic, honorary prelates, chaplains of his holiness
The Venerable (oral address Venerable Sir or Mr. Archdeacon) — Anglican Archdeacons
Venerable (abbreviation "Ven.", oral address "Venerable" or "Venerable ") — fully ordained Buddhist monks and nuns
The Reverend and Right Honourable (abbreviation The Revd and Rt Hon.) — Protestant ordained ministers who are members of the Privy Council
(Dr Ian Paisley
)
The Reverend the Honourable (abbreviation The Rev. the Hon., oral address according to ecclesiastical or other status) — ordained son of an earl, viscount, or baron, or ordained daughter of a viscount or baron (unless also a privy counsellor or peer)
The Very Reverend (abbreviation "The Very Rev.", oral address: "Overseer") In the Anglican-Apostolic Communion (Pentecostal)tradition, the Overseer is the lowest level of Prelate (only Non-Consecrated Bishop Prelate), with oversight to a specific work or department, directly responsible to the Primate/Presiding Bishop or a Bishop (Ordinary/Diocesan).
The Reverend (abbreviation The Rev., or, occasionally, The Revd) — Protestant ordained ministers (common variants include Pastor, Parson, Vicar, or simply Reverend" (Rev.), as used in American English; see: The Reverend
) ); some Jewish cantors also use this style
The Reverend Canon (abbreviation The Rev. Canon, oral address Canon) — Catholic
and Anglican Canons
The Reverend Doctor (abbreviation The Rev. Dr., oral address Father or Doctor) — priest
s and other ordained clergy with a Doctorate
The Reverend Father (abbreviation The Rev. Fr., oral address Father) — Catholic
(and many Anglican) priest
s
The Reverend Mother (abbreviation The Rev. Mo., oral address Mother) — Abbess
es (also, some female Anglican priest
s)
The Reverend Deacon (abbreviation Rev. Deacon, oral address Deacon) Catholic
permanent Deacons.
The Reverend Mister (abbreviation The Rev. Mr., oral address Deacon) — Catholic
transitional deacons, i.e. those preparing for priesthood. Transitional Deacons belonging to religious orders (monastic and non-monastic) are titled Reverend Brother, (similar situations and modifications apply to Anglican deacons as in The Rev. Fr., above)
Mother (oral address Mother) — heads of some female Catholic
religious convents and other communities who are not abbesses
Mister (abbreviation Mr., oral address Mister) — Catholic
Sulpician priests
Mister (abbreviation Mr., oral address often Mister) — Catholic
seminarians and scholastics (members preparing for priesthood) of some religious orders (notably, Jesuits)
Brother (abbreviation Br., oral address Brother) — Catholic
members of religious orders under vows (both monastic and non-monastic) who are not priests
Sister (abbreviation Sr.,oral address Sister) - Catholic
members of religious orders under vows (both monastic and non-monastic) who are not abbesses
Grand Rabbi (oral address Rabbi;) - Hasidic
rabbi
s, who are scions of a Hasidic Dynasty
Rabbi (oral address Rabbi; if holder of the appropriate degree, Doctor both in oral and written communication) - rabbis
Grand Ayatullah (oral address Ayatullah or Ayatullah al-Uzma;) - Shia Ayatullahs, who have accomplished the highest religious jurisprudent knowledge degree called as Ijtihad and some people officially follow them.
Ayatullah (oral address Ayatullah;) - Shia religious degree who has accomplished a religious high course of lessons and is capable of individually issuing religious verdicts.
Cantor (oral address Cantor; some cantors use The Reverend as style, as above) - Jewish cantors
Reverend (oral address Mister or Brother), Southern Baptist pastors
Pastor (abbreviation "Ps.", oral address 'Pastor"), minister in most Pentecostal churches
Pandit (sometimes spelled Pundit), Hindu
priests
Officers of The Salvation Army
are addressed by their rank, e.g. "Captain" (Capt.), "Major" (Maj.), etc.
prime ministers are usually addressed just as Prime Minister, but the form of address Mr. Prime Minister is also often used in certain countries. "Mr. Prime Minister" remains a common form of address in international diplomacy, "Prime Minister" alone remains more common within domestic politics.
, The Princess Royal
, is styled Her Royal Highness (HRH), her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence
, bears no courtesy style merely by virtue of being her husband (although his mother-in-law The Queen has since knighted him). In contrast, when Sophie Rhys-Jones married Prince Edward
, she became HRH The Princess Edward, Countess of Wessex (&c.) and automatically acquired an HRH, by virtue of her marriage to a royal prince who was the son of the British monarch; as only those males in the Royal Line of Succession receive Royal titles and styles unless there is special dispensation from the Monarch for special courtesy titles i.e. that of Viscount Severn for HRH The Earl of Wessex's son, Prince James
; as the British Monarchy operates on the basis of a male primogeniture; i.e. one whereby males have preference over females in succeeding to the peerage or title. On this occasion, HRH Sophie, Countess of Wessex, shares all of the titles that her husband bears and the only difference being she exercises the female derivatives of these said titles. See article Sophie, Countess of Wessex#Titles, styles, honours and arms.
This gender differentiation continues into the next generation in traditional royal families. Thus, while the sons of The Prince of Wales
and the daughters of The Duke of York
have HRH styles, the children of The Princess Royal have no styles. (She requested that they, like her husband, not be given courtesy titles or peerages, though they could have: the key point is that they did not automatically receive any.)
Styles and titles can terminate when a marriage is dissolved. Diana, Princess of Wales
held the style Her Royal Highness or HRH during her marriage to HRH The Prince of Wales and the title Princess of Wales
. Her marital status was indicated by the title Princess of Wales. When the couple divorced she lost her style but not her title, which had existed only by virtue of her marriage to the Prince of Wales: she became instead Diana, Princess of Wales, although she was still entitled to the style of "Lady" as the daughter of an earl; but because the princely title of Princess outweighed that of Lady she was known by the former and not the latter. Irrespective of the marriage she was a former royal princess and still held the title of Princess of Wales until her death.
The title Princess of Wales
— not preceded by a definite article — indicated that she was a former Princess of Wales; when applied to the current Princess of Wales, the style includes a definite article (The Princess of Wales). If she had remarried then the style Princess of Wales would also have lapsed; similarly, because HRH The Prince of Wales
has remarried to Camilla Parker-Bowles she is officially HRH The Princess of Wales, but because of the widespread use of the title and recognition of it by the British people formerly used by Diana, Princess of Wales, she uses the lesser title derived from her husband's Duchy of Cornwall
and is known as HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, although she is legally also HRH The Princess of Wales.
Whilst there was the option of giving the HRH style to Diana, Princess of Wales, in her personal capacity (which could be justified, given that she was the mother of a future king), it was decided not to give her the style; also there may have been a special ruling from The Queen allowing for Diana, Princess of Wales to be known as The Dowager Princess of Wales if and when Charles, Prince of Wales remarried as he later did. As a result, from the moment of her divorce until her death in 1997, Diana ceased to hold any royal style, though out of courtesy or ignorance many people still applied the style 'HRH' to her. Similarly, when Sarah, Duchess of York
was divorced from her husband, HRH The Duke of York
, she too lost her HRH style but retained her ducal title of Duchess of York.
In 1936, Wallis Simpson was not given the royal HRH style by King George VI
when she married his older brother, the former King Edward VIII
, by then known as HRH The Duke of Windsor. There was no precedent for a divorcee marrying a member of the Royal Family let alone a former king and it was feared that, if the couple divorced (she had already divorced two husbands), she would lose the style but could conceivably still try to use it anyway, thus undermining its status as she would still be known as The Duchess of Windsor irrespective of her divorce from HRH Prince Edward, The Duke of Windsor.
2. Lady Elizabeth Smith .... dau of duke, marquess or earl
3. The Lady Smith ........ wife of Baron
4. Lady Smith...... wife of knight or Bart;. or unmarried widow of divorced wife of knight; or
.................... baronetess; or unmarried bart's widow who can also be either
4a Dowager Lady Smith or
4b Elizabeth Lady Smith
..................... unless he had a previous wife in which case the previous wife is 4b
..................... and the widow is 4a.
5 The Viscountess Smith............wife of viscount Smith
6 The Dowager Lady Smith .......... Viscount's widow.
, holders of offices with Irish
names are usually addressed in English by its nominative form (so, 'Taoiseach
' and 'Tánaiste
'), though the Irish vocative forms differ (a Thaoisigh and a Thánaiste). The President may be styled 'His/Her Excellency' and addressed 'Your Excellency' (Irish: A Shoilse), or simply 'President' (Irish: A Uachtaráin [ə uːəxt̪ˠəɾaːn̥]). The titles 'Minister' and 'Senator
' are used as forms of address; only the latter as a style. A TD (Teachta Dála)
is formally addressed and styled as 'Deputy', though often simply Mr, Mrs, etc. Similarly, county and city councillors
can be addressed as 'Councillor', abbreviated Cllr. which is used as a written style, but are just as frequently addressed as Mr, Mrs etc.
and above) are retained for life: A retired US Army general is addressed as "General (Name)" officially and socially for the rest of his or her life.
, who was Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary
(1916–1918), had the style 'His Imperial and Royal Highness'. He was last addressed as such by church figures during the funeral of his late mother, Empress-Queen Zita of Austria-Hungary
in 1989, although the use of these styles has been prohibited in Austria since 1920.
For the styles of address to government officials in Imperial Russia
, see Table of Ranks.
The names of some offices are also title
s, which are retained by the office holder for life. For example holders of titles of which there are many at the same time, such as ambassadors, senators, judges, and military officers who retire retain use of their hierarchical honorific for life. Holders of titles of which there is only one office holder at a time such as president, chief justice or speaker revert to their previous honorific when they leave office out of deference to the current office holder.
.
Many of these traditions have lapsed or been partially abandoned. At his inauguration as pope in 1978 (itself the abandonment of the traditional millennium-old papal coronation), Pope John Paul II
himself kissed cardinals on the cheeks, rather than follow the traditional method of homage of having his feet kissed. Curtsies have for many years been no longer obligatory when meeting members of the British Royal Family; indeed some royal highnesses positively hate being curtsied to. One described the experience of a row of curtsying women, bobbing up and down, as leaving them 'sea-sick'.
Similarly, styles, though still used, are used less often. The former President of Ireland
, Mary McAleese
, was usually referred to as President Mary McAleese, not President McAleese, as had been the form used for the first six presidents, from President Hyde to President Hillery. Tony Blair
asked initially to be called Tony. In a break with tradition, though as the second in line to the throne and a son of a royal prince, Prince William of Wales formally has a HRH style, he chose while at university not to use it. The United States has become one of the most informal countries in the world, with styles such as Excellency now largely abandoned or ignored, even by those who legally have them. First names, or even nickname
s, are often widely used among politicians in the US, even in formal situations (as an extreme example, President James Earl "Jimmy" Carter
chose to take the Oath of Office using his nickname). One notable exception involves judges: a judge of any court is almost invariably addressed as "Your Honor" while presiding over his or her court, and often at other times as well. This style has been removed in the Republic of Ireland
, where judges are addressed only as "Judge".
However, styles are still widely used in formal documents and correspondence between heads of state, such as in a Letter of Credence
accrediting an ambassador from one head of state to another.
s, rather than true styles.
Title
A title is a prefix or suffix added to someone's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may even be inserted between a first and last name...
. A style, by tradition
Tradition
A tradition is a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes , but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings...
or law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
, precedes a reference to a person who holds a post or political office, and is sometimes used to refer to the office itself. An honorific
Honorific
An honorific is a word or expression with connotations conveying esteem or respect when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term is used not quite correctly to refer to an honorary title...
can also be awarded to an individual in a personal capacity. Such styles are particularly associated with monarchies
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
, where they may be used by a wife of an office holder or of a prince of the blood, for the duration of their marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
. They are also almost universally used for president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
s in republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
s and in many countries for members
Legislator
A legislator is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are usually politicians and are often elected by the people...
of legislative bodies
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
, higher-ranking judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
s and senior constitutional office holders. Leading religious
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
figures
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
also have styles.
Academia
Traditional forms of address at GermanGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
-speaking universities:
- His/Her Magnificence - rector (president) of a university
- His/Her Notability (Seine Spektabilität; Professors have the privilege to use the Latin Spectabilis) - dean of a faculty
Traditional forms of address at Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
-speaking universities:
- His/Her Great Honour (Edelgrootachtbare heer/vrouwe) - rector magnificus (president) of a university
- Highly Learned Sir/Madam (Hooggeleerde heer/vrouwe) - professor or dean of a faculty
- Well (Noble) Very Learned Sir/Madam (Weledelzeergeleerde heer/vrouwe) - a doctor
- Well (Noble) Learned Sir/Madam (De weledelgeleerde heer/vrouwe) - a doctorandusDoctorandusDoctorandus is a Dutch academic title according to the pre-bachelor-master system. The title is acquired by passing the doctoraalexamen, traditionally a matriculation exam for admission to study at doctoral level....
- Well (Noble) Strictly Sir/Madam (De weledelgestrenge heer/vrouwe) - a master in laws (meester in de rechten) or a university engineer (ingenieur)
Traditional forms of address at Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
-speaking universities:
- Magnificent Rector (magnifico rettore) - rector (president,chancellor) of a university
- Very bright professor (chiarissimo professore) - a professor
Diplomats
- His Most Reverend Excellency (abbreviation Most Rev. Ex., oral address Your Excellency) - The Apostolic NuncioNuncioNuncio is an ecclesiastical diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin word, Nuntius, meaning "envoy." This article addresses this title as well as derived similar titles, all within the structure of the Roman Catholic Church...
, because his rank is equal to an extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassadorAmbassadorAn ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
and he is simultaneously a higher prelate in a British form of address. - His/Her Excellency (abbreviation HE, oral address Your Excellency) — most Ambassadors, High Commissioners and Permanent Representatives to International Organizations; sometimes also the Presidents of the Republics, Governors of provinces and the Prime Minister.
- The Honorable (oral address Mr./Madam Ambassador) — U.S. Ambassadors by Americans. Typically U.S. Ambassadors are addressed as "His/Her Excellency" by non-US citizens outside the United States.
Judiciaries
- The Honorable (abbreviation The Hon. (Full Name), oral address Your Honor) — Judges and Justices in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
- His/Her Honour Judge X, (abbreviation HHJ X, oral address Your Honour); Circuit judges in England and Wales.
- The Honourable Mr./Mrs. Justice X (abbreviation X J, referential His Lordship/Her Ladyship; oral address My Lord/Lady or Your Lordship/Your Ladyship); Judges of the High Court of JusticeHigh Court of JusticeThe High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
, - The Right Honourable Lord/Lady Justice X (abbreviated to X LJ): Judge of the Court of Appeal of England and WalesCourt of Appeal of England and WalesThe Court of Appeal of England and Wales is the second most senior court in the English legal system, with only the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom above it...
- Lord/Lady X, referred to as "His Lordship/Her Ladyship;" addressed orally as "My Lord/My Lady" in the High Court of JusticiaryHigh Court of JusticiaryThe High Court of Justiciary is the supreme criminal court of Scotland.The High Court is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal. As a court of first instance, the High Court sits mainly in Parliament House, or in the former Sheriff Court building, in Edinburgh, but also sits from time...
, Court of SessionCourt of SessionThe Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland, and constitutes part of the College of Justice. It sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh and is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal....
, in Scotland. - Oral address Your Excellency - Judges of the International Court of JusticeInternational Court of JusticeThe International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands...
- Oral address Your Worship - Justices of the Peace (Magistrates) in the United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, usually by solicitors. - Oral address Your Worship - (All Courts) in AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(obsolete) - Oral address Your Honour - (All Courts) in AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
Monarchies
- His/Her Imperial MajestyImperial Majesty (style)Imperial Majesty is a style used by Emperors and Empresses. The style is used to distinguish the status of an emperor/empress from that of a king/queen, who are simply styled Majesty or Royal Majesty...
, (abbreviation HIM, oral address Your Imperial Majesty) — Emperors and Empresses. For example, HIM The Emperor of Japan. - His/Her Imperial and Royal MajestyImperial and Royal MajestyImperial and Royal Majesty was the style used by King-Emperors and their consorts as heads of imperial dynasties that were simultaneously royal. The style was used by the Emperor of Austria, who was also the King of Hungary and Bohemia and also by the German Emperor, who was also the King of Prussia...
(abbreviation HI&RM, oral address Your Imperial and Royal Majesty) — Emperors and Empresses who were simultaneously Kings and Queens, such as the German Emperor and Emperor of Austria. - His/Her Apostolic MajestyApostolic MajestyHis Apostolic Majesty was a style used by the Kings of Hungary, in the sense of being latter-day apostles of Christianity.-First creation:The origin of this title dates from about A.D...
(abbreviation HAM, oral address Your Apostolic Majesty) — the King of HungaryKing of HungaryThe King of Hungary was the head of state of the Kingdom of Hungary from 1000 to 1918.The style of title "Apostolic King" was confirmed by Pope Clement XIII in 1758 and used afterwards by all the Kings of Hungary, so after this date the kings are referred to as "Apostolic King of...
, usually styled Imperial Majesty or Imperial and Royal Majesty as Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary, also sometimes Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty. - His/Her Catholic Majesty (abbreviation HCM, oral address Your Catholic Majesty) — the King of Spain (not usual).
- His/Her Most Faithful MajestyFaithful MajestyThe sobriquet Most Faithful King was a title awarded by the Pope as spiritual head of the Catholic Church to a monarch. In practice only one monarchy, Portugal, has ever received it....
(abbreviation HFM, oral address Your Most Faithful Majesty) — the King of Portugal. - 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...
(abbreviation HM, oral address Your Majesty) — KingMonarchA monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
s, QueenMonarchA monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
s and Sultans. For example, the British and Commonwealth realms' Head of State, HM Queen Elizabeth II or HM Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands. - His/Her Imperial HighnessImperial HighnessHis/Her Imperial Highness is a style used by members of an imperial family to denote imperial - as opposed to royal - status to show that the holder in question is descended from an Emperor rather than a King .Today the style has mainly fallen from use with the exception of the Imperial Family of...
(abbreviation HIH, oral address Your Imperial Highness) — other members of an Imperial House. - His/Her Imperial and Royal HighnessImperial and Royal HighnessImperial and Royal Highness is a style possessed by someone who either through birth or marriage holds two individual styles, Imperial Highness and Royal Highness....
(abbreviation HI&RH, oral address Your Imperial and Royal Highness) — ArchdukeArchdukeThe title of Archduke denotes a noble rank above Duke and below King, used only by princes of the Houses of Habsburg and Habsburg-Lorraine....
s of the House of Habsburg, the German Crown Prince, German Crown Princess and members of the Brazilian Imperial Family; also women with one style by birth and the other by marriage. - His/Her Royal HighnessRoyal HighnessRoyal Highness is a style ; plural Royal Highnesses...
(abbreviation HRH, oral address Your Royal Highness) — other members of a Royal HouseMonarchA monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
not including the Head of the House normally the Monarch themselves, reigning Grand Duke, members of some grand Ducal Houses, some Princes consortPrince consortA prince consort is the husband of a queen regnant who is not himself a king in his own right.Current examples include the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , and Prince Henrik of Denmark .In recognition of his status, a prince consort may be given a formal...
. For example, sons and daughters of a British Sovereign e.g. HRH The Prince of WalesCharles, Prince of WalesPrince 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...
, HRH The Princess RoyalAnne, Princess RoyalPrincess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
, HRH The Duke of YorkPrince Andrew, Duke of YorkPrince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
and HRH The Earl of WessexPrince Edward, Earl of WessexPrince Edward, Earl of Wessex KG GCVO is the third son and fourth child of Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh...
. And the current Prince Consort in all but name, HRH Prince Philip, The Duke of EdinburghPrince Philip, Duke of EdinburghPrince 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....
; consort to HM The Queen. - His/Her Grand Ducal HighnessGrand Ducal HighnessHis/Her Grand Ducal Highness is a style of address used before the princely titles of the non-reigning members of some German ruling families headed by a Grand Duke. No currently reigning family employs the style, although it was used most recently by the younger sisters of the late Grand Duchess...
(abbreviation HGDH, oral address Your Grand Ducal Highness) — junior members of some grand Ducal Houses. - His/Her HighnessHighnessHighness, often used with a possessive adjective , is an attribute referring to the rank of the dynasty in an address...
(abbreviation HH, oral address, Your Highness) — reigning Dukes and members of reigning Ducal Houses, members of some grand Ducal Houses, junior members of some Royal Houses, Emirs and Sheikhs, also Princes/Princesses of nobility in several European countries, not belonging to a Royal House. For example, HH The Emir of Kuwait. - His/Her Ducal Serene HighnessDucal Serene HighnessHis/Her Ducal Serene Highness is a style used by members of certain ducal families, such as those of Nassau, Braganza and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha ....
(abbreviation HDSH, oral address, Your Ducal Serene Highness — members of some Ducal houses. For example, the House of Saxe-Coburg and GothaHouse of Saxe-Coburg and GothaThe House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha is a German dynasty, the senior line of the Saxon House of Wettin that ruled the Ernestine duchies, including the duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha....
. - His/Her Serene HighnessSerene HighnessHis/Her Serene Highness is a style used today by the reigning families of Liechtenstein and Monaco. It also preceded the princely titles of members of some German ruling and mediatised dynasties as well as some non-ruling but princely German noble families until 1918...
(abbreviation HSH, oral address Your Serene Highness) — sovereign or mediatized FürstFürstFürst is a German title of nobility, usually translated into English as Prince.The term refers to the head of a principality and is distinguished from the son of a monarch, who is referred to as Prinz...
("Prince") and his family - this is a mistranslation from German Durchlaucht, the correct form should be His/Her Serenity. For example, Grace Kelly on her marriage to the Sovereign Prince of Monaco became HSH The Princess Grace of MonacoGrace KellyGrace Patricia Kelly was an American actress who, in April 1956, married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, to become Princess consort of Monaco, styled as Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco, and commonly referred to as Princess Grace.After embarking on an acting career in 1950, at the age of...
or The Princess of Monaco. Some princely families in Imperial Russia also enjoyed this style. - His/Her Illustrious HighnessIllustrious HighnessHis/Her Illustrious Highness is the English-language form for a style used by various members of the European aristocracy....
(abbreviation HIllH, oral address Your Illustrious Highness) — sovereign or mediatized CountCountA count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
and his family, also a Count of Imperial Russia - this is a mistranslation too, from German Erlaucht; it should be correctly His/Her Illustriousness. - His/Her Highborn - counts, barons in several European countries, and also marquesses and viscounts in the Netherlands
- His/Her Grace - peers of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. And Dukes/Duchesses of the United Kingdom.
- His/Her High Well-born - knights and untitled noble persons in several European countries, and also barons in the Netherlands
- His/Her ExcellencyExcellencyExcellency is an honorific style given to certain members of an organization or state.Usually, people styled "Excellency" are heads of state, heads of government, governors, ambassadors, certain ecclesiastics, royalty, aristocracy, and military, and others holding equivalent rank .It is...
(abbreviation HE, oral address Your Excellency) — Governors-GeneralGovernor-GeneralA Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
and British Colonial Governors, state officials and generals of Imperial Russia. - His/Her High Excellency - top state officials and generals in Imperial Russia.
The English style Serene Highness and even more Illustrious Highness goes back to an incorrect translation. These styles originally did not exist in English-speaking countries.
His/Her Serene Highness = German: Seine/Ihre Durchlaucht; Italian: Sua Altezza Serenissima; Russian Ваша светлость
His/Her Illustrious Highness = German: Seine/Ihre Erlaucht; Italian: Sua Altezza Illustrissima; Spanish: Su Ilustrísima; Russian Ваше сиятельство
Styles and titles of deposed monarchs
General tradition indicates that where a monarch has been deposed but has not abdicated, they retain the use of their style and title for the duration of their lifetime, but both die with them. Hence Greece's deposed king is still technically His Majesty King Constantine II of the Hellenes
Constantine II of Greece
|align=right|Constantine II was King of Greece from 1964 until the abolition of the monarchy in 1973, the sixth and last monarch of the Greek Royal Family....
, as a personal title, not a constitutional office, since the abolition of the monarchy by the Hellenic Republic in 1974. Similarly, until his death, the last King of Italy, Umberto II
Umberto II of Italy
Umberto II, occasionally anglicized as Humbert II was the last King of Italy for slightly over a month, from 9 May 1946 to 12 June 1946. He was nicknamed the King of May -Biography:...
, was technically entitled to be called His Majesty the King of Italy or Your Majesty. In contrast, the ex-King Michael I of Romania
Michael I of Romania
Michael was the last King of Romania. He reigned from 20 July 1927 to 8 June 1930, and again from 6 September 1940 until 30 December 1947 when he was forced, by the Communist Party of Romania , to abdicate to the Soviet armies of occupation...
, who abdicated his throne in 1947, technically lost the use of his title, though out of politeness, he may still be called His Majesty King Michael or Your Majesty.
While this rule is generally observed, and indeed some exiled monarchs are allowed diplomatic passports by their former state, other states take offence at the use of such titles. The current Hellenic Republic has long challenged King Constantine's right to use his title; in 1981, the then Greek President Konstantinos Karamanlis declined to attend the wedding of the Prince of Wales when it was revealed that Greece's deposed monarch, a cousin of the Prince, had been referred to as 'King' in his invitation. However, King Constantine now travels in and out of Greece without any problems, on a Danish royal passport (as "King Constantine of Greece"), and has done so several times in the past few years. Because of the Schengen Agreement
Schengen Agreement
The Schengen Agreement is a treaty signed on 14 June 1985 near the town of Schengen in Luxembourg, between five of the ten member states of the European Economic Community. It was supplemented by the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement 5 years later...
, the Greek government cannot refuse him entry.
Republics
- His/Her ExcellencyExcellencyExcellency is an honorific style given to certain members of an organization or state.Usually, people styled "Excellency" are heads of state, heads of government, governors, ambassadors, certain ecclesiastics, royalty, aristocracy, and military, and others holding equivalent rank .It is...
(abbreviation HE, oral address Your Excellency) —PresidentPresidentA president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
s of Republics - The President of the United StatesPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
is directly addressed as 'Mr. President' (presumably 'Madame President' if female) and introduced as 'The President of the United States'. - The custom in FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and the Czech RepublicCzech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
is to call office holders acting within their official capacity "M" (Monsieur) or "Mme" (Madame) followed by the name of their offices. Thus, the President of the said Republics are called "M le President" or "M le President de la République" if a male, "Madame..." if a female; this may occasionally lead to situations when there are presidents of various bodies. Styles such as "excellency" or similar are not used, except for talking about foreign dignitaries. In some countries, "Citizen" may be used instead of Mister or Miss. - In ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, members of the parliamentParliament of ItalyThe Parliament of Italy is the national parliament of Italy. It is a bicameral legislature with 945 elected members . The Chamber of Deputies, with 630 members is the lower house. The Senate of the Republic is the upper house and has 315 members .Since 2005, a party list electoral law is being...
are usually styled honourable. The style was originally introduced in the Kingdom of ItalyKingdom of Italy (1861–1946)The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
because being a member of the parliament was an honorary post, i.e. with no indemnityIndemnityAn indemnity is a sum paid by A to B by way of compensation for a particular loss suffered by B. The indemnitor may or may not be responsible for the loss suffered by the indemnitee...
. This style is still commonly used today, even though they are now paid.
Medicine
- Doctor - doctors, general practitioners
- Mister/Miss - surgeons (UK) after completion of MRCSMembership of the Royal College of SurgeonsMRCS is a professional qualification for surgeons in the UK and IrelandIt means Member of the Royal College of Surgeons. In the United Kingdom, doctors who gain this qualification traditionally no longer use the title 'Dr' but start to use the title 'Mr', 'Mrs', 'Miss' or 'Ms'.There are 4 surgical...
Nautical and aeronautical
- Captain - a person who commands and is responsible for the lives of crew and passengers on a naval vessel or aircraft
Religious
While it is customary in Commonwealth countries to include the definite article in the title (The Reverend) and abbreviation (The Rev.), it is customary to omit the article in the United States and elsewhere (Reverend, Rev.).- His HolinessHis HolinessHis Holiness is the official style or manner of address in reference to the leaders of certain religious groups. In Christianity, specifically the Orthodox Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church, Armenian Orthodox Church, Syriac Orthodox Church, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and the Roman Catholic...
(abbreviation HH), oral address
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
or Our Most Holy Lord
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
("Sanctissimus Dominus Noster") — the Roman Catholic Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
, and the Coptic Orthodox Pope.
Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia
Catholicos–Patriarch has been the title of the heads of the Georgian Orthodox Church since 1010. The first Catholicos–Patriarch of All Georgia was Melkisedek I...
, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church, and some other patriarchs of Christian Church
Christian Church
The Christian Church is the assembly or association of followers of Jesus Christ. The Greek term ἐκκλησία that in its appearances in the New Testament is usually translated as "church" basically means "assembly"...
.
Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word далай meaning "Ocean" and the Tibetan word bla-ma meaning "teacher"...
and holders of certain other Tibetan Buddhist lineages.
Aga Khan
Aga Khan is the hereditary title of the Imam of the largest branch of the Ismā'īlī followers of the Shī‘a faith. They affirm the Imamat of the descendants of Ismail ibn Jafar, eldest son of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, while the larger Twelver branch of Shi`ism follows Ismail's younger brother Musa...
(abbreviation HH the Aga Khan.), oral address Your Highness and then Sir — The Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslims.
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
, Oriental Orthodox
Oriental Orthodoxy
Oriental Orthodoxy is the faith of those Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only three ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the First Council of Constantinople and the First Council of Ephesus. They rejected the dogmatic definitions of the Council of Chalcedon...
and Roman Catholic patriarch
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
s, Macedonian Orthodox Church
Macedonian Orthodox Church
The Macedonian Orthodox Church – Ohrid Archbishopric or just Macedonian Orthodox Church is the body of Christians who are united under the Archbishop of Ohrid and Macedonia, exercising jurisdiction over Macedonian Orthodox Christians in the Republic of Macedonia and in exarchates in the Macedonian...
and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church , Ukrainska Hreko-Katolytska Tserkva), is the largest Eastern Rite Catholic sui juris particular church in full communion with the Holy See, and is directly subject to the Pope...
Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halych. If they have been elevated to the cardinalate by the Pope, they use the traditional "His Eminence" like other cardinals (more properly and formally, "His Beatitude and Eminence").
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
and archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
s who are not the First Hierarch of an autocephalous church; Roman Catholic cardinals
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
and certain high lama
Lama
Lama is a title for a Tibetan teacher of the Dharma. The name is similar to the Sanskrit term guru .Historically, the term was used for venerated spiritual masters or heads of monasteries...
s in Tibetan Buddhism.
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
s and Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s in the U.S.A.; or,
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
s in Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
countries; and Roman Catholic bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s in Commonwealth countries.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
(Anglican) archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
s who are Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
lors, usually the Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
s of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
and York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
s, primates, metropolitans and presiding bishops. Also moderators.
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
(Anglican) Bishop of Meath and Kildare (due to being, historically, the most senior bishop in Ireland)
Methodist Church Ghana
The Methodist Church Ghana is one of the largest and oldest Protestant denominations in Ghana. It traces its roots back to the landing of Rev. Joseph Dunwell on 1 January 1835 in Cape Coast, Ghana. Rev...
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
(The Right Reverend and Right Honourable Monsignor Graham Leonard
Graham Leonard
Graham Douglas Leonard KCVO was a British priest. His principal ministry was as a bishop of the Church of England but, after his retirement as the Bishop of London, he became a Roman Catholic, becoming the most senior Anglican cleric to do so since the English Reformation...
KCVO).
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
(Anglican) bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s who are members of the Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
, usually the Bishop of London
Bishop of London
The Bishop of London is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 458 km² of 17 boroughs of Greater London north of the River Thames and a small part of the County of Surrey...
.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s Episcopal Church (United States)
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
Moderator of the United Church of Canada
The Moderator of the United Church of Canada is the presiding leader of the United Church of Canada, Canada's largest Protestant denomination. The church is highly decentralized and non-dogmatic and the moderator has only limited power...
of the United Church of Canada
United Church of Canada
The United Church of Canada is a Protestant Christian denomination in Canada. It is the largest Protestant church and, after the Roman Catholic Church, the second-largest Christian church in Canada...
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
archimandrite
Archimandrite
The title Archimandrite , primarily used in the Eastern Orthodox and the Eastern Catholic churches, originally referred to a superior abbot whom a bishop appointed to supervise...
s.
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
s.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Methodist Church Ghana
Methodist Church Ghana
The Methodist Church Ghana is one of the largest and oldest Protestant denominations in Ghana. It traces its roots back to the landing of Rev. Joseph Dunwell on 1 January 1835 in Cape Coast, Ghana. Rev...
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
in The United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
. The Right Reverend has never been pervasive in The United Methodist Church.
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
vicars general, judicial vicars, judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
s, rectors of seminaries, vicars forane, episcopal vicars, general superiors of religious orders of priests, provincial superiors, priors of monasteries or friaries
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
archpriest
Archpriest
An archpriest is a priest with supervisory duties over a number of parishes. The term is most often used in Eastern Orthodoxy and Eastern Catholic Churches, although it may be used in the Latin rite of the Roman Catholic Church instead of dean or vicar forane.In the 16th and 17th centuries, during...
s
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
s, the Deans of Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
and St George's Chapel, Windsor
St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle
St George's Chapel is the place of worship at Windsor Castle in England, United Kingdom. It is both a royal peculiar and the chapel of the Order of the Garter...
, and, for historical reasons, a few parish priests
Incumbent (ecclesiastical)
In Anglican canon law, the incumbent of a benefice, usually the parish priest, holds the temporalities or assets and income.Depending on the terms of governance of each parish an incumbent might be either:...
, such as the Dean of Bocking
Braintree, Essex
Braintree is a town of about 42,000 people and the principal settlement of the Braintree district of Essex in the East of England. It is northeast of Chelmsford and west of Colchester on the River Blackwater, A120 road and a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line.Braintree has grown contiguous...
. Sometimes an Anglican Cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
Dean has previously been a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
, in which case he is styled as a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
, except that on formal occasions he may be addressed, Mr Dean.
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
Methodist Church Ghana
The Methodist Church Ghana is one of the largest and oldest Protestant denominations in Ghana. It traces its roots back to the landing of Rev. Joseph Dunwell on 1 January 1835 in Cape Coast, Ghana. Rev...
Moderator of the United Church of Canada
The Moderator of the United Church of Canada is the presiding leader of the United Church of Canada, Canada's largest Protestant denomination. The church is highly decentralized and non-dogmatic and the moderator has only limited power...
of the United Church of Canada
United Church of Canada
The United Church of Canada is a Protestant Christian denomination in Canada. It is the largest Protestant church and, after the Roman Catholic Church, the second-largest Christian church in Canada...
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
(Dr Ian Paisley
Ian Paisley
Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
)
The Reverend
The 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...
) ); some Jewish cantors also use this style
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
and Anglican Canons
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
s and other ordained clergy with a Doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
(and many Anglican) priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
s
Abbess
An abbess is the female superior, or mother superior, of a community of nuns, often an abbey....
es (also, some female Anglican priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
s)
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
permanent Deacons.
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
transitional deacons, i.e. those preparing for priesthood. Transitional Deacons belonging to religious orders (monastic and non-monastic) are titled Reverend Brother, (similar situations and modifications apply to Anglican deacons as in The Rev. Fr., above)
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
religious convents and other communities who are not abbesses
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Sulpician priests
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
seminarians and scholastics (members preparing for priesthood) of some religious orders (notably, Jesuits)
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
members of religious orders under vows (both monastic and non-monastic) who are not priests
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
members of religious orders under vows (both monastic and non-monastic) who are not abbesses
Hasidic Judaism
Hasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
s, who are scions of a Hasidic Dynasty
Hazzan
A hazzan or chazzan is a Jewish cantor, a musician trained in the vocal arts who helps lead the congregation in songful prayer.There are many rules relating to how a cantor should lead services, but the idea of a cantor as a paid professional does not exist in classical rabbinic sources...
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
priests
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
are addressed by their rank, e.g. "Captain" (Capt.), "Major" (Maj.), etc.
Commonwealth countries
CommonwealthCommonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
prime ministers are usually addressed just as Prime Minister, but the form of address Mr. Prime Minister is also often used in certain countries. "Mr. Prime Minister" remains a common form of address in international diplomacy, "Prime Minister" alone remains more common within domestic politics.
Legislative bodies
- The Right Honourable Member for... — British and some Commonwealth countries' MPs who are Privy CounsellorsPrivy Council of the United KingdomHer Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
, some Commonwealth realmCommonwealth RealmA Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...
prime ministers - The Honourable Member for... —
- In the United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
: Members of Parliament who are not Privy CounsellorsPrivy Council of the United KingdomHer Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
when being referred to in the chamber of the House of Commons. Outside the House of Commons Members who are not entitled to another style or title are styled as, for example, John Smith, Esq., MP. or Mr John Smith, MP. - In AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
: Members of the Federal Executive CouncilFederal Executive CouncilThe Federal Executive Council is the formal body holding executive authority under the Constitution of Australia. It is equivalent to the other Executive Councils in other Commonwealth Realms such as the Executive Council of New Zealand and is equivalent to the Privy councils in Canada and the... - In CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
: Members of the Parliament of CanadaParliament of CanadaThe Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
who are not ministers or secretaries.
- In the United Kingdom
- Senator... — in some Commonwealth countries whose upper House is called the Senate.
Local government
- The Right Honourable — Lord MayorLord MayorThe Lord Mayor is the title of the Mayor of a major city, with special recognition.-Commonwealth of Nations:* In Australia it is a political position. Australian cities with Lord Mayors: Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Parramatta, Perth, Sydney, and Wollongong...
s of LondonCity of LondonThe City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, CardiffCardiffCardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, BelfastBelfastBelfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, YorkYorkYork is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
and BristolBristolBristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
(England and WalesEngland and WalesEngland and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
and Northern IrelandNorthern IrelandNorthern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
in the United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
); Lord ProvostLord ProvostA Lord Provost is the figurative and ceremonial head of one of the principal cities of Scotland. Four cities, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, have the right to appoint a Lord Provost instead of a provost...
s of EdinburghEdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
(ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in the United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
); and (rarely used nowadays) Lord Mayors of all state and territorial capital cities of AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... - The Right Worshipful — all other Lord MayorLord MayorThe Lord Mayor is the title of the Mayor of a major city, with special recognition.-Commonwealth of Nations:* In Australia it is a political position. Australian cities with Lord Mayors: Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Parramatta, Perth, Sydney, and Wollongong...
s and MayorMayorIn many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
s of citiesCity status in the United KingdomCity status in the United Kingdom is granted by the British monarch to a select group of communities. The holding of city status gives a settlement no special rights other than that of calling itself a "city". Nonetheless, this appellation carries its own prestige and, consequently, competitions...
and the original Cinque PortsCinque PortsThe Confederation of Cinque Ports is a historic series of coastal towns in Kent and Sussex. It was originally formed for military and trade purposes, but is now entirely ceremonial. It lies at the eastern end of the English Channel, where the crossing to the continent is narrowest...
(United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
), and (rarely used nowadays) Lord Mayors of certain large cities of AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... - The Worshipful — all other Mayors or other municipal governors
- His/Her Worship (oral address Your Worship) — municipal leaders in Commonwealth realmCommonwealth RealmA Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...
s.
Australia
- His/Her Majesty - The King or Queen of Australia
- His/Her Excellency - Governor-GeneralGovernor-General of AustraliaThe Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
and his or her spouse, and all state Governors (but not their wives/husbands) - The Honourable - Justices of the High Court of AustraliaHigh Court of AustraliaThe High Court of Australia is the supreme court in the Australian court hierarchy and the final court of appeal in Australia. It has both original and appellate jurisdiction, has the power of judicial review over laws passed by the Parliament of Australia and the parliaments of the States, and...
, the Federal Court of AustraliaFederal Court of AustraliaThe Federal Court of Australia is an Australian superior court of record which has jurisdiction to deal with most civil disputes governed by federal law , along with some summary criminal matters. Cases are heard at first instance by single Judges...
, the Family Court of AustraliaFamily Court of AustraliaThe Family Court of Australia is a superior Australian federal court of record which deals with family law matters. Together with the Federal Magistrates Court, it covers family law matters in all states and territories of Australia except Western Australia...
and state Supreme Courts - The Honourable - all current and former members of the Federal Executive Council and all current members of State Executive CouncilsExecutive Council (Commonwealth countries)An Executive Council in Commonwealth constitutional practice based on the Westminster system is a constitutional organ which exercises executive power and advises the governor or governor-general. Executive Councils often make decisions via Orders in Council.Executive Councillors are informally...
and certain former members of State Executive Councils and long-serving members of State Legislative Councils (upper houses of State parliaments) that have been given the right to keep the title by permission of the Governor of that state. - His/Her Honour (oral address Your Honour) — judges (in state District/County courts) and magistrates.
Canada
- His/Her Majesty — King/Queen of Canada
- His/Her Excellency — Governor GeneralGovernor General of CanadaThe Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
, Vice-regal consortViceregal consort of CanadaThe viceregal consort of Canada is the spouse of the serving governor general of Canada, assisting the viceroy with ceremonial and charitable work, accompanying him or her to official state occasions, and occasionally undertaking philanthropic work of their own...
, ambassadorAmbassadorAn ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
s, and high commissionerHigh Commissioner (Commonwealth)In the Commonwealth of Nations, a High Commissioner is the senior diplomat in charge of the diplomatic mission of one Commonwealth government to another.-History:...
s in office - 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...
— former and current Governors General, Prime MinistersPrime Minister of CanadaThe Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
, Chief Justices of CanadaChief Justice of CanadaThe Chief Justice of Canada, like the eight puisne Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada, is appointed by the Governor-in-Council . All nine are chosen from either sitting judges or barristers who have at least ten years' standing at the bar of a province or territory...
and certain eminent Canadians for life - His/Her Honour — Lieutenant-GovernorsLieutenant Governor (Canada)In Canada, a lieutenant governor is the viceregal representative in a provincial jurisdiction of the Canadian monarch and head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, who resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the United Kingdom...
and Viceregal consorts in office - The Honourable
- For life — Members of the Queen's Privy Council for CanadaQueen's Privy Council for CanadaThe Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
, Senators and Lieutenant-Governors - In office only — Speaker of the SenateSpeaker of the Canadian SenateThe Speaker of the Senate of Canada is the presiding officer of the Senate of Canada. The speaker represents the Senate at official functions, rules on questions of parliamentary procedure and parliamentary privilege, and oversee debates and voting in the red chamber. This position is often...
, Speaker of the House of CommonsSpeaker of the Canadian House of CommonsThe Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada is the presiding officer of the lower house of the Parliament of Canada and is elected at the beginning of each new parliament by fellow Members of Parliament...
, Ministers of the CrownMinister of the CrownMinister of the Crown is the formal constitutional term used in the Commonwealth realms to describe a minister to the reigning sovereign. The term indicates that the minister serves at His/Her Majesty's pleasure, and advises the monarch, or viceroy, on how to exercise the Crown prerogatives...
(however Canadian ministers invariably enter the Privy Council upon their initial appointment, thus assuming the honorific for life), judges of provincial courts, premiers of provinces and territoriesPremier (Canada)In Canada, a premier is the head of government of a province or territory. There are currently ten provincial premiers and three territorial premiers in Canada....
, territorial commissioners, and provincial and territorial cabinet ministers- Note: Members of Parliament are often referred to as "the honourable member for (ridingElectoral district (Canada)An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
)" and do not use the style "honourable" with their name.
- Note: Members of Parliament are often referred to as "the honourable member for (riding
- For life — Members of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
- The Honourable Mr/Madam Justice — Chief justices of province and justices of superior courts
- His/Her Worship (oral address Your Worship) — Justices of the peace, magistrates and municipal leaders in office
New Zealand
- Partial source: http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/overview/hon.htmlhttp://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/overview/rthon.html
- His/Her Majesty — King/ Queen of New Zealand
- His/Her Excellency — the current Governor-General (and the Governor-General's spouse).
- The Right Honourable — the current and former Prime Ministers, the current and future former Speakers of the Parliament of New ZealandSpeaker of the New Zealand House of RepresentativesIn New Zealand the Speaker of the House of Representatives is the individual who chairs the country's legislative body, the New Zealand House of Representatives...
, the current and former Chief Justices and the current and future former Governor Generals. - The Honourable — Ministers of the Crown
- His/Her Honour — judges of district courts
- His/Her Worship — mayors of territorial authorities and Justices of the Peace.
United Kingdom
- The Most Noble or His Grace (oral address Your Grace) — DukeDukeA duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
s. Occasionally the Archbishop of CanterburyArchbishop of CanterburyThe Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, the Archbishop of YorkArchbishop of YorkThe Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
and other Archbishops are also styled His Grace. - The Most Honourable (abbreviation The Most Hon.) — MarquessMarquessA 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...
es - The Right Honourable (abbreviation The Rt Hon.) — EarlEarlAn 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...
, ViscountViscountA viscount or viscountess is a member of the European nobility whose comital title ranks usually, as in the British peerage, above a baron, below an earl or a count .-Etymology:...
s, BaronBaronBaron 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"...
s/Lords of Parliament and members of the Privy CouncilPrivy Council of the United KingdomHer Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
/CabinetCabinet of the United KingdomThe Cabinet of the United Kingdom is the collective decision-making body of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, composed of the Prime Minister and some 22 Cabinet Ministers, the most senior of the government ministers.... - The Right Honourable and Learned — as the previous explanation, but if the holder is also a barristerBarristerA barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
- The Right Honourable and Gallant — as the previous explanation, but if the holder is also a serving military officer
- The Honourable (abbreviation The Hon.) — younger sons of Earls, all children of Viscounts and Barons/Lords of Parliament
- The Much Honoured (abbreviation The Much Hon.) — Scottish LairdLairdA 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:...
s and feudal Barons
Royal styles
Styles can be acquired through marriage, though traditionally this applies more to wives of office-holders than to husbands. Thus, in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, The Princess Royal
Anne, Princess Royal
Princess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
, is styled Her Royal Highness (HRH), her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence
Timothy Laurence
Vice Admiral Sir Timothy James Hamilton Laurence, KCVO, CB, ADC is a senior British naval officer and the second husband of HRH The Princess Royal, the only daughter of HM The Queen...
, bears no courtesy style merely by virtue of being her husband (although his mother-in-law The Queen has since knighted him). In contrast, when Sophie Rhys-Jones married 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...
, she became HRH The Princess Edward, Countess of Wessex (&c.) and automatically acquired an HRH, by virtue of her marriage to a royal prince who was the son of the British monarch; as only those males in the Royal Line of Succession receive Royal titles and styles unless there is special dispensation from the Monarch for special courtesy titles i.e. that of Viscount Severn for HRH The Earl of Wessex's son, Prince James
James, Viscount Severn
James, Viscount Severn is the second child and only son of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and the youngest grandchild of Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh...
; as the British Monarchy operates on the basis of a male primogeniture; i.e. one whereby males have preference over females in succeeding to the peerage or title. On this occasion, HRH Sophie, Countess of Wessex, shares all of the titles that her husband bears and the only difference being she exercises the female derivatives of these said titles. See article Sophie, Countess of Wessex#Titles, styles, honours and arms.
This gender differentiation continues into the next generation in traditional royal families. Thus, while the sons of 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...
and the daughters of The Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
have HRH styles, the children of The Princess Royal have no styles. (She requested that they, like her husband, not be given courtesy titles or peerages, though they could have: the key point is that they did not automatically receive any.)
Styles and titles can terminate when a marriage is dissolved. Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
held the style Her Royal Highness or HRH during her marriage to HRH The Prince of Wales and the title Princess of Wales
Princess of Wales
Princess of Wales is a British courtesy title held by the wife of The Prince of Wales since the first "English" Prince of Wales in 1283.Although there have been considerably more than ten male heirs to the throne, there have been only ten Princesses of Wales. The majority of Princes of Wales...
. Her marital status was indicated by the title Princess of Wales. When the couple divorced she lost her style but not her title, which had existed only by virtue of her marriage to the Prince of Wales: she became instead Diana, Princess of Wales, although she was still entitled to the style of "Lady" as the daughter of an earl; but because the princely title of Princess outweighed that of Lady she was known by the former and not the latter. Irrespective of the marriage she was a former royal princess and still held the title of Princess of Wales until her death.
The title Princess of Wales
Princess of Wales
Princess of Wales is a British courtesy title held by the wife of The Prince of Wales since the first "English" Prince of Wales in 1283.Although there have been considerably more than ten male heirs to the throne, there have been only ten Princesses of Wales. The majority of Princes of Wales...
— not preceded by a definite article — indicated that she was a former Princess of Wales; when applied to the current Princess of Wales, the style includes a definite article (The Princess of Wales). If she had remarried then the style Princess of Wales would also have lapsed; similarly, because 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...
has remarried to Camilla Parker-Bowles she is officially HRH The Princess of Wales, but because of the widespread use of the title and recognition of it by the British people formerly used by Diana, Princess of Wales, she uses the lesser title derived from her husband's Duchy of Cornwall
Duchy of Cornwall
The Duchy of Cornwall is one of two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Lancaster. The eldest son of the reigning British monarch inherits the duchy and title of Duke of Cornwall at the time of his birth, or of his parent's succession to the throne. If the monarch has no son, the...
and is known as HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, although she is legally also HRH The Princess of Wales.
Whilst there was the option of giving the HRH style to Diana, Princess of Wales, in her personal capacity (which could be justified, given that she was the mother of a future king), it was decided not to give her the style; also there may have been a special ruling from The Queen allowing for Diana, Princess of Wales to be known as The Dowager Princess of Wales if and when Charles, Prince of Wales remarried as he later did. As a result, from the moment of her divorce until her death in 1997, Diana ceased to hold any royal style, though out of courtesy or ignorance many people still applied the style 'HRH' to her. Similarly, when Sarah, Duchess of York
Sarah, Duchess of York
Sarah, Duchess of York is a British charity patron, spokesperson, writer, film producer, television personality and former member of the British Royal Family. She is the former wife of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, whom she married from 1986 to 1996...
was divorced from her husband, HRH The Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
, she too lost her HRH style but retained her ducal title of Duchess of York.
In 1936, Wallis Simpson was not given the royal HRH style by King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
when she married his older brother, the former King Edward VIII
Edward VIII of the United Kingdom
Edward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India, from 20 January to 11 December 1936.Before his accession to the throne, Edward was Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay...
, by then known as HRH The Duke of Windsor. There was no precedent for a divorcee marrying a member of the Royal Family let alone a former king and it was feared that, if the couple divorced (she had already divorced two husbands), she would lose the style but could conceivably still try to use it anyway, thus undermining its status as she would still be known as The Duchess of Windsor irrespective of her divorce from HRH Prince Edward, The Duke of Windsor.
Non-royal styles
1. Lady Edward Smith ...... wife of ygr son of duke or Marquess2. Lady Elizabeth Smith .... dau of duke, marquess or earl
3. The Lady Smith ........ wife of Baron
4. Lady Smith...... wife of knight or Bart;. or unmarried widow of divorced wife of knight; or
.................... baronetess; or unmarried bart's widow who can also be either
4a Dowager Lady Smith or
4b Elizabeth Lady Smith
..................... unless he had a previous wife in which case the previous wife is 4b
..................... and the widow is 4a.
5 The Viscountess Smith............wife of viscount Smith
6 The Dowager Lady Smith .......... Viscount's widow.
Ireland
In the Republic of IrelandRepublic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, holders of offices with Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
names are usually addressed in English by its nominative form (so, 'Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
' and 'Tánaiste
Tánaiste
The Tánaiste is the deputy prime minister of Ireland. The current Tánaiste is Eamon Gilmore, TD who was appointed on 9 March 2011.- Origins and etymology :...
'), though the Irish vocative forms differ (a Thaoisigh and a Thánaiste). The President may be styled 'His/Her Excellency' and addressed 'Your Excellency' (Irish: A Shoilse), or simply 'President' (Irish: A Uachtaráin [ə uːəxt̪ˠəɾaːn̥]). The titles 'Minister' and 'Senator
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
' are used as forms of address; only the latter as a style. A TD (Teachta Dála)
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
is formally addressed and styled as 'Deputy', though often simply Mr, Mrs, etc. Similarly, county and city councillors
Local government in the Republic of Ireland
Local government functions in the Republic of Ireland are mostly exercised by thirty-four local authorities, termed county or city councils, which cover the entire territory of the state. The area under the jurisdiction of each of these authorities corresponds to the area of each of the 34 LAU I...
can be addressed as 'Councillor', abbreviated Cllr. which is used as a written style, but are just as frequently addressed as Mr, Mrs etc.
Philippines
- His/Her Excellency- The President of the Philippines. The official title of the president is "President of the Philippines". The title in Filipino is "Pangulo ng Pilipinas". The honorific for the President of the Philippines is "Your Excellency" or "His/Her Excellency", adopted from the title of the Governor-General of the Philippines during Spanish and American occupation. The honorific of the current Philippine President is "His Excellency, Benigno Aquino IIIBenigno Aquino IIIBenigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III , also known as Noynoy Aquino or PNoy, is a Filipino politician who has been the 15th and current President of the Philippines since June 2010....
". - His/Her Excellency- Governors of Philippine Provinces. The full title of a Philippine Governor is "His/Her Excellency, The Honourable Governor of the Province of X".
- His/Her Honour- Vice Governors of Provinces. The full title of a Philippine Vice Governor is "His/Her Honour, The Honourable Vice Governor of the Province of X".
- Sir/Madame- The Presidential or Gubernatorial Consort has no constitutional title, but it is common custom to address the Consort with these titles. The titles "Don" and "Doña" are used occasionally.
- Illustrious Knight, Sir/Lady- Titles for members of the Order of the Knights of Rizal, the Philippines' only order of knighthood created by law.
Spain
- His/Her Majesty- the monarch of Spain, when referred to as monarch. When referred to as Head of State, he is usually styled His Excellency the Head of State.
- His/Her Highness– the Prince of Asturias and the Infantes (non-heir apparent royal princes).
- His Lordship/Her Ladyship (su señoría)– members of parliament, judges.
- His/Her Excellency (su excelencia)– ministers, either from the central government ("ministros") or from autonomous government ("consejeros"), as well as regional presidents. Mayors and town councils.
- His/Her Illustriousness (su ilustrísima)– junior ministers either from the central government ("secretarios de estado") or from autonomous government ("vice-consejeros").
- His/Her Most Excellent and Magnificent Lord- Rector of an university.
United States
Current and former elected federal and state officials and judges in the U.S. are styled "The Honorable [full name]." in writing, (e.g., "The Honorable Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of the City of New York"). Many are addressed in conversation as "Mister [title]" or "Madam [title]" ("Mr. President," "Madam Mayor") or simply by (title)+(name) along the lines of a British peer ("Senator Jones", "Commissioner Smith"). Continued use of a title depends on the office: Offices of which there is only one at a time (e.g., President, Speaker, Governor, or Mayor) are only officially used by the current office holder. For example, The 34th President of the United States, Dwight Eisenhower reverted to his prior rank "General Eisenhower" in retirement. Titles for offices of which there are many concurrent office holders (e.g., Ambassador, Senator, Judge, Professor or military ranks, especially ColonelColonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
and above) are retained for life: A retired US Army general is addressed as "General (Name)" officially and socially for the rest of his or her life.
- Judges are styled "The Honorable [full name]" in writing, Judges are addressed orally in court as "Your Honor", or as "Judge Smith." Chief justices of Supreme CourtsChief Justice of the United StatesThe Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the United States federal court system and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Chief Justice is one of nine Supreme Court justices; the other eight are the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States...
are addressed orally as or "Mr. or Madame Chief Justice" or "Chief Justice"; Associate justices as "Justice Jones," or "Justice." - Mayors are styled "The Honorable [full name]" in writing, In municipalities (e.g., New York City and Chicago), mayors are addressed in conversation as "Your Honor" -- this may be a vestige of the fact that the mayors (and some others) were also magistrateMagistrateA magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
s of the court system. - His/Her Excellency (oral address Excellency, Your Excellency) was once customarily used of governors of states, though this has given way to "The Honorable", the form used to address all elected official in the United States. "His/Her Excellency" has continued in Commonwealth of MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, Commonwealth of VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and of the states of South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, and New HampshireNew HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. - Members of the House of Representatives are similarly styled in writing as "The Honorable [full name]." Orally they are traditionally addressed as "Mr./Ms. [name]," but as a practice are sometimes addressed as "Representative [name]" or "Congressman [name]" when it is necessary or desirable to specify the member’s status. Follow the preference of the individual official. When writing their own names, especially on stationery and franksFrankingFranking are any and all devices or markings such as postage stamps , printed or stamped impressions, codings, labels, manuscript writings , and/or any other authorized form of markings affixed or applied to mails to qualify them to be postally serviced.-Franking types and...
, Representatives have upon occasion followed their names with "M.C." (Member of Congress).. Senators similarly are addressed in writing as "The Honorable [full name]" and orally as "Senator Smith." Where Representatives may have used "M.C.", Senators have used "U.S.S." (United States Senator).. However neither form is currently used by members in Washington, DC. On the actual floor of the houses during debate, members commonly refer to one another as the gentleman/gentlewoman "from such-and-such a state" - "As my friend, the distinguished gentleman from Ohio, just said..." or "I yield three minutes to the gentleman from New York, Mr. Smith". In debate, senators sometimes refer to colleagues as the junior or senior senator from a state, as in "I disagree with my dear friend, the junior senator from Ohio...". Senators also commonly use "my friend from X" and "the distinguished senator from X". - While the term "EsquireEsquireEsquire is a term of West European origin . Depending on the country, the term has different meanings...
," abbreviated "Esq." after the name (John Jones, Esq.) has no legal meaning in the U.S. and may be used by anyone (or at least, customarily, by any male), it is correctly used when addressing lawyers in correspondence as an indication of their profession. At least one American jurisdiction, the District of Columbia, limits the use of "Esquire" (and similar terms) to licensed attorneys. Although some authorities previously urged that use of "Esq." should be restricted to male lawyers, today the term is used for both male and female attorneys. The academic post-nominal J.D. (Juris DoctorJuris DoctorJuris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
) is generally used only by graduates of law schools who are not members of the bar of any state or who are working outside the legal profession. - In academic fields, it is customary in the U.S. to refer to those holding any level of professorship (professor, assistant professor, associate professor, etc.) as "Professor Jones" orally or in writing. In writing, "professor" is often abbreviated as "Prof.", as in "Prof. Jones". Those holding academic doctorates in academia and research are frequently referred to as "Dr. Jones" when they hold a Doctorate.
- Military personnel of any functionality (doctors, lawyers, engineers, cooks, fighter pilots, motor pool drivers. commanding officers, security guards .... officers and enlisted .... leaders and followers) are always addressed by rank + name; with the exception of chaplainChaplainTraditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
s, who are addressed as "Chaplain" and are addressed in writing with their rank in parentheses, e.g.: "Chaplain (Major) Jones". An exception to this is in the Navy, where in writing the rank is either not used, or is used before the person's name with the corps designator "CHC" indicating the officer is a chaplain put behind their name. e.g.: "LT George Burdell, CHC, USN." In the United States Navy there is an internal practice aboard ships that junior officers who are not in command may be addressed by their rank or as "Mister/Miss X" as in "Lieutenant Junior Grade Smith" or "Miss Smith". Junior officers are understood to be those of Lieutenant CommanderLieutenant CommanderLieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
and below. Senior officers (CommanderCommanderCommander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
and above) are addressed by their rank as in "Commander Smith" or "Admiral Smith".
Former styles
All former monarchies had styles, some, as in the Bourbon monarchy of France, extremely complicated depending on the status of the office or office-holder. Otto von HabsburgOtto von Habsburg
Otto von Habsburg , also known by his royal name as Archduke Otto of Austria, was the last Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary from 1916 until the dissolution of the empire in 1918, a realm which comprised modern-day Austria, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia,...
, who was Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
(1916–1918), had the style 'His Imperial and Royal Highness'. He was last addressed as such by church figures during the funeral of his late mother, Empress-Queen Zita of Austria-Hungary
Zita of Bourbon-Parma
Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parma was the wife of Emperor Charles of Austria...
in 1989, although the use of these styles has been prohibited in Austria since 1920.
For the styles of address to government officials in Imperial Russia
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
, see Table of Ranks.
The names of some offices are also title
Title
A title is a prefix or suffix added to someone's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may even be inserted between a first and last name...
s, which are retained by the office holder for life. For example holders of titles of which there are many at the same time, such as ambassadors, senators, judges, and military officers who retire retain use of their hierarchical honorific for life. Holders of titles of which there is only one office holder at a time such as president, chief justice or speaker revert to their previous honorific when they leave office out of deference to the current office holder.
Other parallel symbols
Styles were often among the range of symbols that surrounded figures of high office. Everything from the manner of address to the behaviour of a person on meeting that personage was surrounded by traditional symbols. Monarchs were to be bowed to by men and curtsied to by women. Senior clergy, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church, were to have their rings (the symbol of their authority) kissed by lay persons while they were on bended knee, while cardinals in an act of homage at the papal coronation were meant to kiss the feet of the Supreme Pontiff, the PopePope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
.
Many of these traditions have lapsed or been partially abandoned. At his inauguration as pope in 1978 (itself the abandonment of the traditional millennium-old papal coronation), Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
himself kissed cardinals on the cheeks, rather than follow the traditional method of homage of having his feet kissed. Curtsies have for many years been no longer obligatory when meeting members of the British Royal Family; indeed some royal highnesses positively hate being curtsied to. One described the experience of a row of curtsying women, bobbing up and down, as leaving them 'sea-sick'.
Similarly, styles, though still used, are used less often. The former President of Ireland
President of Ireland
The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
, Mary McAleese
Mary McAleese
Mary Patricia McAleese served as the eighth President of Ireland from 1997 to 2011. She was the second female president and was first elected in 1997 succeeding Mary Robinson, making McAleese the world's first woman to succeed another as president. She was re-elected unopposed for a second term in...
, was usually referred to as President Mary McAleese, not President McAleese, as had been the form used for the first six presidents, from President Hyde to President Hillery. Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
asked initially to be called Tony. In a break with tradition, though as the second in line to the throne and a son of a royal prince, Prince William of Wales formally has a HRH style, he chose while at university not to use it. The United States has become one of the most informal countries in the world, with styles such as Excellency now largely abandoned or ignored, even by those who legally have them. First names, or even nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s, are often widely used among politicians in the US, even in formal situations (as an extreme example, President James Earl "Jimmy" Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
chose to take the Oath of Office using his nickname). One notable exception involves judges: a judge of any court is almost invariably addressed as "Your Honor" while presiding over his or her court, and often at other times as well. This style has been removed in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, where judges are addressed only as "Judge".
However, styles are still widely used in formal documents and correspondence between heads of state, such as in a Letter of Credence
Letter of Credence
A letter of credence is a formal letter usually sent by one head of state to another that formally grants diplomatic accreditation to a named individual to be their ambassador in the country of the head of state receiving the letter...
accrediting an ambassador from one head of state to another.
Self-styled
The term self-styled roughly means awarding a style to oneself, often without adequate justification or authority. However, often people style themselves with titleTitle
A title is a prefix or suffix added to someone's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may even be inserted between a first and last name...
s, rather than true styles.
See also
- Suffix (name)Suffix (name)A name suffix, in the Western English-language naming tradition, follows a person's full name and provides additional information about the person. Post-nominal letters indicate that the individual holds a position, educational degree, accreditation, office, or honor.- Academic :Academic suffixes...
- T–V distinction
- Use of courtesy titles and honorifics in professional writingUse of courtesy titles and honorifics in professional writingThe use of honorifics and styles differs greatly among publications in both journalism and academia. The differences are based on tradition, practical concerns , and cultural norms...
- Styles in the United Kingdom
External links
- Table of titles to be used in Canada, Department of Canadian HeritageDepartment of Canadian HeritageThe Department of Canadian Heritage, or simply Canadian Heritage |department]] of the Government of Canada with responsibility for policies and programs regarding the arts, culture, media, communications networks, official languages , status of women, sports , and multiculturalism...
- Styles of Address, Department of Canadian Heritage
- Forms of Address for use orally and in correspondence, Ministry of JusticeMinistry of Justice (United Kingdom)The Ministry of Justice is a ministerial department of the UK Government headed by the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor, who is responsible for improvements to the justice system so that it better serves the public...
- Forms of Address from Infoplease
- Basic forms from The Protocol School of Washington