The Honourable
Encyclopedia
The prefix The Honourable or The Honorable (abbreviated to "The Hon." or formerly "The Hon'ble") is a style
used before the names of certain classes of persons. It is considered an honorific
styling.
, all ministers in Commonwealth and state governments and the government of the Northern Territory
are entitled to be styled The Honourable. The Australian Capital Territory
does not have an Executive Council (the Commonwealth Minister for Territories exercises that role) and so its ministers are not entitled to the style. Except in New South Wales
, South Australia
and Tasmania
, the style is retained for life because it recognises that their appointment to the relevant executive council (when they first become a minister) is an appointment for life and the person technically remains "an executive councillor-on-call". In New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania the premier
can advise the Queen to grant former ministers the style for life. In the Northern Territory, the Chief Minister
can request the administrator to make a recommendation to the governor general who in turn makes a recommendation to the Queen of Australia. A minimum five years' service as a member of the executive council and or as a presiding officer is a prerequisite. All such awards are published in the Commonwealth Government Gazette. The presiding officers of the parliaments of the Commonwealth, the states and the Northern Territory are also styled The Honourable, but normally only during their tenure of office. Special permission is sometimes given for a former presiding officer to retain the style after leaving the office, as is the case in the Northern Territory.
The style "The Honourable" is not acquired through membership of either the House of Representatives or the Senate (see Parliament of Australia
). A member or senator may have the style if they have acquired it separately, e.g. by being a current or former minister. During proceedings within the chambers, forms such as "The honourable Member for ...", "The honourable the Leader of the Opposition", or "My honourable colleague" are used. This is a merely a parliamentary courtesy and does not imply any right to the style.
Traditionally, members of the legislative councils of the states were also styled The Honourable. This practice is still followed in New South Wales
, Western Australia
and South Australia
and Tasmania
. In Victoria
, the practice was abolished in 2003.
are entitled to be styled The Honourable for life.
In Barbados
, Members of Parliament of Barbados carry two main titles: Persons in the Barbados House of Assembly
are styled The Honourable, while members of the Senate of Barbados
are styled Senator.
Persons accorded with the Order of Barbados
are styled Sir (male), or Dame (female) as a Knight of St. Andrew; or The Honourable as Companion of Honour. Persons made a National Hero or heroine
of Barbados are style "The Right Excellent".
, much like the continental United States
, the term "Honorable" (in Spanish) is used, but not required by law, to address Puerto Rican governors as well as city mayors, members of state and municipal legislatures, judges ande property registrars.
, the following people are entitled to the style The Honourable for life:
In addition, some people are entitled to the style while in office only:
Derivatives include:
It is usual for speakers of the House of Commons to be made privy councillors, in which case they keep the style for life, and provincial premier
s and federal opposition leaders are sometimes also made privy councillors.
Members of the Canadian House of Commons
and of provincial legislatures refer to each other as "honourable members" (or ) but are not entitled to have The Honourable as a prefix in front of their name.
The Governor General of Canada
, the Prime Minister of Canada
, the Chief Justice of Canada
and certain other eminent persons are entitled to the style The Right Honourable
for life (or in French).
, the prefix 'Honorable' or 'Hon.' is used for members of both chambers of the Parliament of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
. Informally, senators are sometimes given the higher title of 'Venerable'.
, the prefix "The Honourable" is used for the following people:
, the style
The Honourable (often abbreviated to Hon.) is used to refer to a Minister
while holding office.
the members of both houses of parliament have right to the prefix Onorevole by law. But in fact it is only used for members of the Chamber of Deputies
, since a member of the Senate
is usually called Senatore (Senator).
or State Legislative Assemblyman will be entitled to be referred to as "Yang Berhormat", which is literally "The Honourable".
of the House of Representatives was entitled to be referred to as The Honourable until 2010, when it was announced that sitting and future Governors-General, Prime Ministers, Chief Justices, and Speakers of the House of Representatives would be entitled to be referred to as The Right Honourable
. The Governor-General was entitled to use the style "the Honourable" upon assuming the office and held it for life from 2006 until the changes in 2010.
New Zealand office holders who are "Honourable" ex-officio are usually personally granted the style for life as a courtesy when they vacate the office.
, the style is usually used to give distinction to any elected official ranging from the smallest political unit, the barangay
, to the Congress of the Philippines
, which consists of a Senate
and House of Representatives
. In an example, a Kagawad (legislative council member) named Juan de la Cruz
will be referred to as The Honorable Juan de la Cruz. In written form, the style may be shortened to "Hon." (as in Hon. Juan de la Cruz). Moreover, the Vice President of the Philippines
and Judges from the Trial Courts are also addressed in this style.
Meanwhile, the President of the Philippines
is usually given the style His/Her Excellency
.
".
, the following people are entitled to the style The Honourable :
, all sons and daughters of viscount
s and baron
s (including baronies created as life peerages but not including the children of such as Lord Dyson) and the younger sons of earl
s are styled with this prefix. (The daughters and younger sons of duke
s and marquess
es and the daughters of earl
s have the higher style of Lord or Lady before their first names, and the eldest sons of dukes, marquesses and earls are known by one of their father or mother's subsidiary titles.) The style is only a courtesy
, however, and on legal documents they are described as, for instance, John Smith, Esq., commonly called The Honourable John Smith. As the wives of sons of peers share the styles of their husbands, the wives of the sons of viscounts and barons and the younger sons of earls are styled, for example, The Hon. Mrs John Smith.
Some persons are entitled to the prefix by virtue of their offices. Rules exist that allow certain individuals to keep the prefix The Honourable even after retirement.
Many corporate entities are also entitled to the style, for example:
is omitted. In speech, however, The Honourable John Smith is referred to simply as Mr John Smith.
In the British House of Commons
, as in other lower houses of Parliament
and other legislatures, members refer to each other as honourable members etc. out of courtesy, despite the fact that they are not entitled to the style in writing. When members are barristers they will instead be referred to as the learned member with serving members of the military of the rank of major and above (formerly less of a rarity than today) styled the gallant member.
Where a person is entitled to the prefix The Right Honourable
they will use this higher style instead of The Honourable.
, the prefix The Honorable has been used to formally address various officials at the federal and state levels, perhaps most notably judges. Modifiers such as The Right Honorable or The Most Honorable are not used.
Federal usage dictated by the chief of protocol
, an appointed official in the United States Department of State
, dictates that the following other officials receive the title:
Federal usage also notes that the style of Honorable is used for life. This would include persons convicted of crimes after leaving office, who resigned under a cloud or who were removed from office through impeachment
or recall
.
In the Commonwealth of Kentucky, commissioned Kentucky colonels
are considered members of the governor's staff and his honorary aides-de-camp, and as such are entitled to the style of Honorable as indicated on their commission certificates. The commission and letters patent
granted by the governor and secretary of state bestowing the title of Kentucky colonel refers to the honoree as "Honorable First Name Last Name." However, this style is rarely used with most Kentucky colonels preferring to be referred to and addressed as colonel
.
The style The Honorable is used on envelopes when referring to an individual in the third person. It generally is not used with an additional style or title, such as Dr.
or The Reverend
, though it can be used with post-nominal letters
(e.g., The Hon. John H. Sununu
, Ph.D.
).
A spouse of someone with the style of The Honorable receives no additional style, unless personally entitled to the style. Michele Ridge, wife of former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge
, does not receive the style, even though her husband has held various offices that would grant the style for life under all usages. Marjorie Rendell
, wife of former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell
, is a federal judge, appointed prior to her husband's election as governor, and is styled The Honorable in her own right.
The spoken form of address Your Honor
is used when addressing judges, justices and magistrates as well as some mayors. In third person, Your Honor becomes His/Her Honor.
Style (manner of address)
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...
used before the names of certain classes of persons. It is considered 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...
styling.
International diplomacy
In international diplomatic relations, representatives of foreign states are often addressed as "The Honourable". Deputy Chiefs of Mission, Charges d'Affaires, Consuls-General and Consuls are always given the style. All heads of consular posts, regardless if they are honorary or career postholders, are accorded the title according the State Department of the United States. However, Ambassadors and High Commissioners are never given the style, with the title "Your Excellency" being used.Australia
In AustraliaAustralia
Australia , 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...
, all ministers in Commonwealth and state governments and the government of the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
are entitled to be styled The Honourable. The Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
does not have an Executive Council (the Commonwealth Minister for Territories exercises that role) and so its ministers are not entitled to the style. Except in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
and Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, the style is retained for life because it recognises that their appointment to the relevant executive council (when they first become a minister) is an appointment for life and the person technically remains "an executive councillor-on-call". In New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania the premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
can advise the Queen to grant former ministers the style for life. In the Northern Territory, the Chief Minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
can request the administrator to make a recommendation to the governor general who in turn makes a recommendation to the Queen of Australia. A minimum five years' service as a member of the executive council and or as a presiding officer is a prerequisite. All such awards are published in the Commonwealth Government Gazette. The presiding officers of the parliaments of the Commonwealth, the states and the Northern Territory are also styled The Honourable, but normally only during their tenure of office. Special permission is sometimes given for a former presiding officer to retain the style after leaving the office, as is the case in the Northern Territory.
The style "The Honourable" is not acquired through membership of either the House of Representatives or the Senate (see Parliament of Australia
Parliament of Australia
The Parliament of Australia, also known as the Commonwealth Parliament or Federal Parliament, is the legislative branch of the government of Australia. It is bicameral, largely modelled in the Westminster tradition, but with some influences from the United States Congress...
). A member or senator may have the style if they have acquired it separately, e.g. by being a current or former minister. During proceedings within the chambers, forms such as "The honourable Member for ...", "The honourable the Leader of the Opposition", or "My honourable colleague" are used. This is a merely a parliamentary courtesy and does not imply any right to the style.
Traditionally, members of the legislative councils of the states were also styled The Honourable. This practice is still followed in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
and South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
and Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
. In Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, the practice was abolished in 2003.
CARICOM
Members of the Order of the Caribbean CommunityOrder of the Caribbean Community
The Order of the Caribbean Community is an award given toThe award was initiated at the Eighth Conference of Heads of State and Governments of CARICOM in 1987 and began bestowal in 1992. Decisions as to award are taken by the Advisory Committee for the Order of the Caribbean CommunityThe Insignia...
are entitled to be styled The Honourable for life.
Barbados
In Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
, Members of Parliament of Barbados carry two main titles: Persons in the Barbados House of Assembly
Barbados House of Assembly
The House of Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Barbados. It has 30 Members of Parliament , MPs are directly elected in single member constituencies using the simple-majority system for a term of five years....
are styled The Honourable, while members of the Senate of Barbados
Senate of Barbados
The Senate is the name given to the Upper House of the bicameral legislature the Parliament of Barbados. The Senate is accorded legitimacy by Chapter V of the Constitution of Barbados. It is the smaller of both chambers and also includes HM Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Barbados...
are styled Senator.
Persons accorded with the Order of Barbados
Order of Barbados
The Order of Barbados is part of the National honours system awarded by the government of Barbados, and presented by the Viceroy, which is the Governor-General of Barbados. It comprises four classes, two of which are awarded in two grades. It was instituted under Royal letters patent of Queen...
are styled Sir (male), or Dame (female) as a Knight of St. Andrew; or The Honourable as Companion of Honour. Persons made a National Hero or heroine
Barbadian national heroes
Barbadian National Heroes are the designees of the Order of National Heroes Act, as passed by the Parliament of Barbados in 1998. The act formally recognized the stature of ten major figures in the history of Barbados....
of Barbados are style "The Right Excellent".
Puerto Rico
In Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, much like the continental United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the term "Honorable" (in Spanish) is used, but not required by law, to address Puerto Rican governors as well as city mayors, members of state and municipal legislatures, judges ande property registrars.
Canada
In CanadaCanada
Canada 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...
, the following people are entitled to the style The Honourable for life:
- Members of the Canadian SenateCanadian SenateThe Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
- 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,...
(mostly members or former members of the federal CabinetCabinet of CanadaThe Cabinet of Canada is a body of ministers of the Crown that, along with the Canadian monarch, and within the tenets of the Westminster system, forms the government of Canada...
) - Provincial 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...
In addition, some people are entitled to the style while in office only:
- The Speaker of the Canadian 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...
; - Judges;
- Premiers and government leaders in provinces and territories;
- Members of provincial 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...
while holding office; - Speakers of provincial legislatureLegislatureA 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...
s while holding office; and, - Territorial commissioners.
Derivatives include:
- The Honourable Mr/Madam Justice — justices of superior courts.
- The Honourable Judge — judges of provincial courts and formerly judges of district or county courts.
It is usual for speakers of the House of Commons to be made privy councillors, in which case they keep the style for life, and provincial premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
s and federal opposition leaders are sometimes also made privy councillors.
Members of the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
and of provincial legislatures refer to each other as "honourable members" (or ) but are not entitled to have The Honourable as a prefix in front of their name.
The Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
, the Prime Minister of Canada
Prime Minister of Canada
The 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...
, the Chief Justice of Canada
Chief Justice of Canada
The 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 other eminent persons are entitled to the style The Right Honourable
The Right Honourable
The 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...
for life (or in French).
The Congo
In the Democratic Republic of the CongoDemocratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
, the prefix 'Honorable' or 'Hon.' is used for members of both chambers of the Parliament of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Parliament of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Parliament of the Democratic Republic of the Congo consists of two chambers:*The Senate *The National Assembly -External links:*...
. Informally, senators are sometimes given the higher title of 'Venerable'.
Hong Kong
In Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, the prefix "The Honourable" is used for the following people:
- Members of the Legislative CouncilLegislative Council of Hong KongThe Legislative Council is the unicameral legislature of Hong Kong.-History:The Legislative Council of Hong Kong was set up in 1843 as a colonial legislature under British rule...
and the President of the Legislative Council of Hong KongPresident of the Legislative Council of Hong KongThe President of the Legislative Council is the speaker of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. In the absence of the President, the chairman of the House Committee serves as deputy to the President....
. - Members of the Executive CouncilExecutive Council of Hong KongThe Executive Council of Hong Kong is a core policy-making organ in the executive branch of the government of Hong Kong.. The Chief Executive of Hong Kong serves as its President.The Executive Council normally meets once a week...
. - The Chief ExecutiveChief Executive of Hong KongThe Chief Executive of Hong Kong is the President of the Executive Council of Hong Kong and head of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The position was created to replace the Governor of Hong Kong, who was the head of the Hong Kong government during British rule...
. - Chief Secretary, Financial Secretary, Secretary of Justice, and Secretaries of Bureaux.
- Judges of the Court of Final Appeal.
- Judges of the High Court.
- Bearers of the title Grand Bauhinia MedalHong Kong honours systemThe existing Hong Kong honours system was created after transfer of government of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China as a special administrative region in 1997...
, the highest medal in Hong Kong's honours system. - Deceased Heros of the title Hong Kong Disciplined ServicesHong Kong Disciplined ServicesThe Hong Kong Disciplined Services are made up of six official uniformed forces subjected to disciplined regulations under the law. The Independent Commission Against Corruption is considered as the de facto seventh force....
.
Isle of Man
In the Isle of ManIsle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
, the style
Style (manner of address)
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...
The Honourable (often abbreviated to Hon.) is used to refer to a Minister
Council of Ministers of the Isle of Man
The Council of Ministers ) is the principal executive organ of the Isle of Man Government. Its role is similar to, though not identical with, that of the Cabinet in the United Kingdom...
while holding office.
Italy
In ItalyItaly
Italy , 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...
the members of both houses of parliament have right to the prefix Onorevole by law. But in fact it is only used for members of the Chamber of Deputies
Italian Chamber of Deputies
The Italian Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Parliament of Italy. It has 630 seats, a plurality of which is controlled presently by liberal-conservative party People of Freedom. Twelve deputies represent Italian citizens outside of Italy. Deputies meet in the Palazzo Montecitorio. A...
, since a member of the Senate
Italian Senate
The Senate of the Republic is the upper house of the Italian Parliament. It was established in its current form on 8 May 1948, but previously existed during the Kingdom of Italy as Senato del Regno , itself a continuation of the Senato Subalpino of Sardinia-Piedmont established on 8 May 1848...
is usually called Senatore (Senator).
Malaysia
In Malaysia, an elected Member of ParliamentMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
or State Legislative Assemblyman will be entitled to be referred to as "Yang Berhormat", which is literally "The Honourable".
New Zealand
In addition to the standard Commonwealth usage, the SpeakerSpeaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives
In 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...
of the House of Representatives was entitled to be referred to as The Honourable until 2010, when it was announced that sitting and future Governors-General, Prime Ministers, Chief Justices, and Speakers of the House of Representatives would be entitled to be referred to as The Right Honourable
The Right Honourable
The Right Honourable is an honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain people in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Anglophone Caribbean and other Commonwealth Realms, and occasionally elsewhere...
. The Governor-General was entitled to use the style "the Honourable" upon assuming the office and held it for life from 2006 until the changes in 2010.
New Zealand office holders who are "Honourable" ex-officio are usually personally granted the style for life as a courtesy when they vacate the office.
Philippines
In the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, the style is usually used to give distinction to any elected official ranging from the smallest political unit, the barangay
Barangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
, to the Congress of the Philippines
Congress of the Philippines
The Congress of the Philippines is the national legislature of the Republic of the Philippines. It is a bicameral body consisting of the Senate , and the House of Representatives although commonly in the Philippines the term congress refers to the latter.The Senate is composed of 24 senators half...
, which consists of a Senate
Senate of the Philippines
The Senate of the Philippines is the upper chamber of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, the Congress of the Philippines...
and House of Representatives
House of Representatives of the Philippines
The House of Representatives of the Philippines is the lower chamber of the...
. In an example, a Kagawad (legislative council member) named Juan de la Cruz
Juan de la Cruz
Juan dela Cruz is the national personification used in the Philippines to represent the "Filipino". The name, Spanish for "John of the Cross", is roughly the equivalent of the American Uncle Sam and John Doe. Juan dela Cruz is usually depicted wearing the native Salakot hat, Barong Tagalog, long...
will be referred to as The Honorable Juan de la Cruz. In written form, the style may be shortened to "Hon." (as in Hon. Juan de la Cruz). Moreover, the Vice President of the Philippines
Vice President of the Philippines
-Description:The Vice-President is the first in the Philippine line of succession, assuming the Presidency upon the death, resignation, or removal by impeachment and subsequent conviction of the incumbent. The position was abolished by Martial Law in 1972, and was not included in the original text...
and Judges from the Trial Courts are also addressed in this style.
Meanwhile, the President of the Philippines
President of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
is usually given the style His/Her Excellency
Excellency
Excellency 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...
.
Private organisations
Private organisations or religious movements sometimes style a leader or founder as The Honourable; e.g. "The Honourable Elijah MuhammadElijah Muhammad
Elijah Muhammad was an African American religious leader, and led the Nation of Islam from 1934 until his death in 1975...
".
Sri Lanka
In Sri LankaSri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, the following people are entitled to the style The Honourable :
- Speaker & Members of the Parliament of Sri LankaParliament of Sri LankaThe Parliament of Sri Lanka is the 225-member unicameral legislature of Sri Lanka. The members of Parliament are elected by proportional representation for six-year terms, with universal suffrage. Parliament reserves the power to make all laws...
. - Supreme & appeal court judges.
Entitlement
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...
, all sons and daughters of viscount
Viscount
A 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 and baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
s (including baronies created as life peerages but not including the children of such as Lord Dyson) and the younger sons of earl
Earl
An earl is a member of the nobility. The title is Anglo-Saxon, akin to the Scandinavian form jarl, and meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. In Scandinavia, it became obsolete in the Middle Ages and was replaced with duke...
s are styled with this prefix. (The daughters and younger sons of duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
s and marquess
Marquess
A marquess or marquis is a nobleman of hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The term is also used to translate equivalent oriental styles, as in imperial China, Japan, and Vietnam...
es and the daughters of earl
Earl
An earl is a member of the nobility. The title is Anglo-Saxon, akin to the Scandinavian form jarl, and meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. In Scandinavia, it became obsolete in the Middle Ages and was replaced with duke...
s have the higher style of Lord or Lady before their first names, and the eldest sons of dukes, marquesses and earls are known by one of their father or mother's subsidiary titles.) The style is only a courtesy
Courtesy title
A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer. These styles are used 'by courtesy' in the sense that the relatives do not themselves hold substantive titles...
, however, and on legal documents they are described as, for instance, John Smith, Esq., commonly called The Honourable John Smith. As the wives of sons of peers share the styles of their husbands, the wives of the sons of viscounts and barons and the younger sons of earls are styled, for example, The Hon. Mrs John Smith.
Some persons are entitled to the prefix by virtue of their offices. Rules exist that allow certain individuals to keep the prefix The Honourable even after retirement.
- Judges of the High Court and other superior courts in the Commonwealth (if the judge is a knightKnightA knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
, the style Sir John Smith is used socially instead of The Honourable Mr Justice Smith.); - Members of Commonwealth 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 the Canadian Privy CouncilQueen'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,...
(and by extension, cabinetsCabinet (government)A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
); - Members of Commonwealth legislative councilsLegislative CouncilA Legislative Council is the name given to the legislatures, or one of the chambers of the legislature of many nations and colonies.A Member of the Legislative Council is commonly referred to as an MLC.- Unicameral legislatures :...
(or senateSenateA senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature or parliament. There have been many such bodies in history, since senate means the assembly of the eldest and wiser members of the society and ruling class...
s) where the legislature is bicameral; and - Certain representatives of the SovereignMonarchA 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...
, e.g. Lieutenant-Governors of CanadianCanadaCanada 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...
provinces.
Many corporate entities are also entitled to the style, for example:
- The Honourable East India Company;
- The Honourable Artillery CompanyHonourable Artillery CompanyThe Honourable Artillery Company was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII. Today it is a Registered Charity whose purpose is to attend to the “better defence of the realm"...
; - The Honourable Society of the Inner TempleInner TempleThe Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
etc.
Usage
The style The Honourable is always written on envelopes (where it is usually abbreviated to The Hon) and formally elsewhere, in which case the style Mr or EsquireEsquire
Esquire is a term of West European origin . Depending on the country, the term has different meanings...
is omitted. In speech, however, The Honourable John Smith is referred to simply as Mr John Smith.
In the British House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
, as in other lower houses of Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
and other legislatures, members refer to each other as honourable members etc. out of courtesy, despite the fact that they are not entitled to the style in writing. When members are barristers they will instead be referred to as the learned member with serving members of the military of the rank of major and above (formerly less of a rarity than today) styled the gallant member.
Where a person is entitled to the prefix The Right Honourable
The Right Honourable
The 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...
they will use this higher style instead of The Honourable.
United States
In the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the prefix The Honorable has been used to formally address various officials at the federal and state levels, perhaps most notably judges. Modifiers such as The Right Honorable or The Most Honorable are not used.
Federal usage dictated by the chief of protocol
Chief of Protocol of the United States
The Chief of Protocol is an officer of the United States Department of State responsible for advising the President of the United States, the vice president, and the secretary of state on matters of national and international diplomatic protocol...
, an appointed official in the United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
, dictates that the following other officials receive the title:
- The presidentPresident 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....
and vice presidentVice President of the United StatesThe Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
, current and former members of Congress, as well as presidents-, vice presidents- and members of Congress-elect (or designates in cases of senators appointed but not yet seated). - All federalUnited States federal courtsThe United States federal courts make up the judiciary branch of federal government of the United States organized under the United States Constitution and laws of the federal government.-Categories:...
and state judgeJudgeA 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, justices of the peaceJustice of the PeaceA justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
and 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, whether appointed or elected. - Appointed heads of the federal executive departmentsUnited States Federal Executive DepartmentsThe United States federal executive departments are among the oldest primary units of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States—the Departments of State, War, and the Treasury all being established within a few weeks of each other in 1789.Federal executive...
(United States CabinetUnited States CabinetThe Cabinet of the United States is composed of the most senior appointed officers of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States, which are generally the heads of the federal executive departments...
members) and Cabinet-level office-holders as well as appointed heads of the independent agenciesIndependent agencies of the United States governmentIndependent agencies of the United States federal government are those agencies that exist outside of the federal executive departments...
. - Assistants to the presidentExecutive Office of the President of the United StatesThe Executive Office of the President consists of the immediate staff of the President of the United States, as well as multiple levels of support staff reporting to the President. The EOP is headed by the White House Chief of Staff, currently William M. Daley...
above the rank of special assistant, including, for example, the Deputy Homeland Security Advisor. - Special or personal EnvoyEnvoy (title)In diplomacy, an Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary is, under the terms of the Congress of Vienna of 1815, a diplomat of the second class, ranking between an Ambassador and a Minister Resident....
s. - Most appointees confirmed by the SenateAdvice and consentAdvice and consent is an English phrase frequently used in enacting formulae of bills and in other legal or constitutional contexts, describing a situation in which the executive branch of a government enacts something previously approved of by the legislative branch.-General:The expression is...
, such as ambassadors of the United States, who are referred to as His/Her Excellency when travelling abroad. Notable exceptions to this rule include United States AttorneyUnited States AttorneyUnited States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
s, U.S. Marshals and commissioned military officers who do not receive this title, although they are confirmed by the Senate. - Officers of the House of Representatives and of the Senate such as the chief administrative officer of the House of RepresentativesChief Administrative Officer of the United States House of RepresentativesThe Chief Administrative Officer of the United States House of Representatives is the chief administrative officer of the United States House of Representatives, charged with carrying out administrative functions for the House, including human resources, information resources, payroll, finance,...
and secretary of the SenateSecretary of the United States SenateThe Secretary of the Senate is an elected officer of the United States Senate. The Secretary supervises an extensive array of offices and services to expedite the day-to-day operations of that body...
. - GovernorsGovernor (United States)In the United States, the title governor refers to the chief executive of each state or insular territory, not directly subordinate to the federal authorities, but the political and ceremonial head of the state.-Role and powers:...
, lieutenant governorsLieutenant governor (United States)In the United States, 43 of the 50 states have a separate, full-time office of lieutenant governor. In most cases, the lieutenant governor is the highest officer of state after the governor, standing in for that officer when he or she is absent from the state or temporarily incapacitated...
, statewide elected officeholders such as an attorney general, and members of a governor's cabinet unless individual states have their customs. In some states, an incumbent governor is also referred to as His/Her Excellency. - Members of legislatures.
- Some local officials, such as mayorsMayorIn many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and school board members.
Federal usage also notes that the style of Honorable is used for life. This would include persons convicted of crimes after leaving office, who resigned under a cloud or who were removed from office through impeachment
Impeachment
Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....
or recall
Recall election
A recall election is a procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote before his or her term has ended...
.
In the Commonwealth of Kentucky, commissioned Kentucky colonels
Kentucky colonel
Kentucky colonel is the highest title of honor bestowed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Commissions for Kentucky colonels are given by the Governor and the Secretary of State to individuals in recognition of noteworthy accomplishments and outstanding service to a community, state or the nation...
are considered members of the governor's staff and his honorary aides-de-camp, and as such are entitled to the style of Honorable as indicated on their commission certificates. The commission and letters patent
Letters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
granted by the governor and secretary of state bestowing the title of Kentucky colonel refers to the honoree as "Honorable First Name Last Name." However, this style is rarely used with most Kentucky colonels preferring to be referred to and addressed as colonel
Colonel
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...
.
The style The Honorable is used on envelopes when referring to an individual in the third person. It generally is not used with an additional style or title, such as Dr.
Doctor (title)
Doctor, as a title, originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb docēre . It has been used as an honored academic title for over a millennium in Europe, where it dates back to the rise of the university. This use spread...
or The Reverend
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...
, though it can be used with post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles or designatory letters, are letters placed after the name of a person to indicate that the individual holds a position, educational degree, accreditation, office, or honour. An individual may use several different sets of...
(e.g., The Hon. John H. Sununu
John H. Sununu
John Henry Sununu is a former Governor of New Hampshire and former White House Chief of Staff under President George H. W. Bush. He is the father of John E. Sununu, a former senator from New Hampshire, and formerly a U.S. Representative...
, Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
).
A spouse of someone with the style of The Honorable receives no additional style, unless personally entitled to the style. Michele Ridge, wife of former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge
Tom Ridge
Thomas Joseph "Tom" Ridge is an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives , the 43rd Governor of Pennsylvania , Assistant to the President for Homeland Security , and the first United States Secretary of Homeland Security...
, does not receive the style, even though her husband has held various offices that would grant the style for life under all usages. Marjorie Rendell
Marjorie Rendell
Marjorie Osterlund Rendell is a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and a former First Lady of Pennsylvania. In 2003, she was named to the PoliticsPA list of "Pennsylvania's Most Politically Powerful Women".- Personal background :Rendell was born in...
, wife of former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell
Ed Rendell
Edward Gene "Ed" Rendell is an American politician who served as the 45th Governor of Pennsylvania. Rendell, a member of the Democratic Party, was elected Governor of Pennsylvania in 2002, and his term of office began January 21, 2003...
, is a federal judge, appointed prior to her husband's election as governor, and is styled The Honorable in her own right.
The spoken form of address Your Honor
His Honour
His Honour or Her Honour is an honorific prefix which is traditionally applied to certain classes of people, in particular justices and judges and mayors...
is used when addressing judges, justices and magistrates as well as some mayors. In third person, Your Honor becomes His/Her Honor.
See also
- The Most HonourableThe Most HonourableThe prefix The Most Honourable is a title of quality attached to the names of marquesses in the United Kingdom. Dukes are The Most Noble or His Grace and peers under the rank of marquess are The Right Honourable. Scottish Feudal Barons and Lairds are The Much Honoured.Certain corporate entities...
- His HonourHis HonourHis Honour or Her Honour is an honorific prefix which is traditionally applied to certain classes of people, in particular justices and judges and mayors...
- Your worship
- 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...
- Honorary degreeHonorary degreeAn honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
(also uses the abbreviation "Hon" in front of that of the degree, e.g. HonDLitt)