This articleappears to contradict the articleRoyal and noble styles. Please discuss at thetalk page and do not remove this message until the contradictions are resolved.(June 2013)
Address terms are linguistic expressions used by a speaker to start conversation or call someone.George Yule defines address form as a word or phrase that is used for a person to whom speaker wants to talk.[1] Address forms or address terms are socially oriented and expose the social relationship of interlocutors. Maloth explains "When we address a person we should use suitable term depending on the appropriate situation where we are in".[2] Moreover social situations determine the use of a suitable address form for a person. Astyle of office, also calledmanner of reference, orform of address when someone is spoken to directly, is an official or legally recognized form of reference for a person or other entity (such as a government or company), and may often be used in conjunction with a personaltitle.[3][4] A style, bytradition orlaw, precedes a reference to a person who holds a post orpolitical office and is sometimes used to refer to the office itself. Anhonorific can also be awarded to an individual in a personal capacity. Such styles are particularly associated withmonarchies, where they may be used by a wife of an office holder or of a prince of the blood, for the duration of theirmarriage. They are also almost universally used forpresidents inrepublics and in many countries formembers oflegislative bodies, higher-rankingjudges, and senior constitutional office holders. Leadingreligiousfigures also have styles.
The second-person (singular and plural) possessive adjectiveyour is used as a form of address (that is, when speaking directly to the person[s] entitled to the style[s]); the third-person possessive adjectiveshis/her' (singular) andtheir (plural) are used as forms of reference (that is, when speaking about the person[s] entitled to the style[s]).
HisMost Reverend Excellency (abbreviationHis Most Rev. Ex., oral addressYour Excellency) –apostolic nuncios, because their rank is equal to that of anambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary, and they are simultaneously higherprelates.
His/HerExcellency (abbreviationHE, oral addressYour Excellency) – mostambassadors,high commissioners andpermanent representatives to international organizations. Occasionally a different form of address is used domestically with the international equivalent ofExcellency being used in all other cases.
The Honourable Mr./Ms. Justice X (abbreviationX J, referentialHis Lordship/Her Ladyship; oral addressMy Lord/Lady orYour Lordship/Your Ladyship) – Judges of theHigh Court of Justice of England and Wales.
My Lord/Your Lordship is used to address judiciary representatives inIndia.
The Honorable (abbreviationThe Hon., oral addressYour Honor) – Judges and justices in theUnited States.[5]
Oral addressYour Honour – All courts inAustralia.[6]
His/HerImperial Majesty (abbreviationHIM, oral addressYour Imperial Majesty) – Emperors and empresses. Formerly, for example, HIM the Shah of Iran. In modern times, theEmperor of Japan more often uses the simpler style of "Majesty".[8][9]
His/HerImperial and Royal Majesty (abbreviationHI&RM, oral addressYour Imperial and Royal Majesty) – Until 1918, the rulers of theAustro-Hungarian Empire, who were Emperors/Empresses of Austria while also Kings/Queens of Hungary and Bohemia, and the German emperors/empresses, who were simultaneouslyKings/Queens of Prussia.
His/HerApostolic Majesty (abbreviationHAM, oral addressYour Apostolic Majesty) – theKing of Hungary, 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/HerHighness (abbreviationHH, oral address,Your Highness) – some monarchs, i.e.,emirs, somesultans, theAga Khan; formerly reigning dukes, somemaharajas andrajas and the members of their dynasties; cadets of most former grand ducal houses; male-line grandchildren and remoter male-line descendants of some kingly dynasties (i.e., Denmark and formerly Brazil, Italy, Japan, UK, Yugoslavia); Belgium'sHouse of Ligne; members of France's formerForeign Princely class, members ofcadet branches of theHouse of Saud.
His/HerSerene Highness (abbreviationHSH, oral addressYour Serene Highness) – German:Seine/Ihre Durchlaucht; Italian:Sua Altezza Serenissima; Russian:Ваша светлость. Sovereigns of aprincipality (i.e., Liechtenstein, Monaco); members of formerly reigning princely families (Lippe, Schaumburg-Lippe, Waldeck and Pyrmont and Schwarzburg); members ofmediatized families headed by aFürst ("prince"); members of several formerly noble, princely families of Austria, Germany, Bohemia, Hungary and Poland;morganatic princes, descended from reigning dynasties; and a few formerly noble families granted the princely title in Imperial Russia (the style is more literally translated "His/Her Serenity").
Don (Spanish:[don],Italian:[dɔn], Portuguese:Dom[dõ]) from Latindominus (literally, "Lord"), is anhonorific title used in Spain, Portugal, Italy,Iberoamerica and the Philippines. The female equivalent isdoña (Spanish:[ˈdoɲa]),donna (Italian:[ˈdɔnna]), anddona (Portuguese:[ˈdonɐ]), abbreviated "Dª" or simply "D." In formal settings, it is a title reserved for royalty, select nobles, knights, dames, and church hierarchs. Informally, it is sometimes used as a mark of esteem for a person of personal, social or official distinction, such as a community leader of long standing, or a person of significant wealth. Like the BritishSir, It is used with, and not instead of, a person's name.
In Portugal and Brazil,Dom (pronounced[ˈdõ]) is used for certainhierarchs of the Roman Catholic Church and forlaymen who belong to the royal and imperial families (for example, theHouse of Aviz in Portugal and theHouse of Braganza in Portugal and Brazil).[11] It was also accorded to members of families of the titledPortuguese nobility.[12] Unless ennoblingletters patent specifically authorised its use,Dom was not attributed to members of Portugal's untitled nobility. Since hereditary titles in Portugal descended according toprimogeniture, the right to the style ofDom was the only apparent distinction betweencadets of titled families and members of untitled noble families.[12]
Most High, Mighty, and Illustrious Prince – for royal dukes, oral address Your Royal Highness.
Son of Heaven – Used by Chinese and some Japanese emperors.
Amīr al-Mu'minīn (Arabic:أمير المؤمنين), usually translated Commander of the Faithful or Leader of the Faithful, is the Arabic style of someCaliphs and other independent sovereignMuslim rulers that claim legitimacy from a community of Muslims. It has been claimed as the title of rulers in Muslim countries and empires and is still used for some Muslim leaders. The use of the title does not necessarily signify a claim to caliphate as it is usually taken to be, but described a certain form of activist leadership which may have been attached to a caliph but also could signify a level of authority beneath that. The Ottoman sultans, in particular, made scant use of it. Moreover, the term was used by men who made no claim to be caliphs.[15] Used by the former leader ofISISAbu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the Ahmadiyya Muslim leaderMirza Masroor Ahmad,[16] theKing of Morocco, theSultan of Sokoto, and the supreme leaders of the AfghanTaliban.
Kabiyesi (variously translated as His or Her Royal Majesty, His or Her Royal Highness or His or Her Highness, lit.The One whose words are beyond question) – Used by theObas ofYorubaland, other aboriginalYoruba high chiefs of royal background, and their counterparts in the tribe's diaspora communities.
General tradition indicates that monarchs who have ceased to reign but not renounced their hereditary titles, retain the use of their style and title for the duration of their lifetimes, but both die with them. Hence, prior to his death, Greece's deposed king was still styledHis MajestyKing Constantine II, as apersonal title, not as occupant of 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 widely referred to asKing Umberto II and sometimes addressed asYour Majesty. In contrast,Simeon of Bulgaria who, subsequent to the loss of his throne in 1947, was elected to and held the premiership of his former realm as "Simeon Sakskoburggotski", and therefore is as often referred to by the latter name as by his former royal title and style.
While this rule is generally observed, and indeed some exiled monarchs are allowed diplomatic passports by their former realm, other republics officially object to the use of such titles which are, nonetheless, generally accorded by extant monarchical regimes. In 1981, the then Greek PresidentKonstantinos Karamanlis declined to attend the wedding ofCharles, 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. The current Hellenic Republic challenged King Constantine's right to use his title, and his passport was revoked in 1994, because he did not use a surname, as his passport at the time stated "Constantine, former King of the Hellenes". However, Constantine II later travelled in and out of Greece on aDanish diplomatic passport as a descendant ofChristian IX of Denmark, by the nameConstantino de Grecia (Spanish for "Constantine of Greece").
His/HerExcellency (abbreviationHE, oral addressYour Excellency) –Presidents of republics (historically, this was first used to refer to George Washington during his tenure as Commander-in-Chief of the Army during the American War of Independence; its use for presidents of republics was established as he was the first president of the first modern republic). In some countries also the prime minister, ministers, governors, ambassadors andhigh commissioners also use this style.
Thepresident of the United States is properly directly addressed as "Mr./Mrs./Ms./Miss./Sir/Madam President" and introduced as "The President of the United States"; however, His/Her/Your Excellency may properly be used in written communications and is sometimes used in official documents.
The custom inFrance is to call office holders acting within their official capacityM. (Monsieur) orMme (Madame) followed by the name of their offices.[17][18] Thus, the president of the republic is calledM. le président orM. le président de la République if male, andMme... if female. Styles such as "excellency" or similar are not used, except for talking about foreign dignitaries. Traditionally after "Madame", the name of the office is not put into the feminine form, but this is becoming less common (hence, "Madame le président" is being replaced by "Madame la présidente").
InItaly, members of the lower house (Chamber of Deputies) of theParliament of Italy are styledHonourable (Italian:Onorevole, abbreviationOn.). The correct form to address a member of the upper house (Senate) isSenator (Italian:Senatore, abbreviationSen.; even though, for gravitas, they may also be addressedHonourable Senator).
The incumbent president of Finland is addressedHerra/Rouva Tasavallan Presidentti (Mr./Ms. President of the Republic), while a former president is addressed as justHerra/Rouva Presidentti.
The style used for thepresident of Ireland is normally His Excellency/Her Excellency (Irish:A Shoilse/A Soilse); sometimes people may orally address the president as 'Your Excellency' (Irish:A Shoilse [ə ˈhəʎʃə]), or simply 'President' (Irish:A Uachtaráin [ə ˈuəxt̪ˠəɾˠaːnˠ] (vocative case)).
The Honourable – Presidents, prime ministers, ministers, governors, members of parliament, senate and congress in some countries. (Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sri Lanka.)
Doctor – In the United Kingdom, university degrees required for initial medical and dental professional registration are allbachelor's degrees (commonlyMBBS, but also MB, BDS, MB BS BAO, BMed, etc.). This system is followed in other countries (oftenCommonwealth countries) that adhere to the United Kingdom's higher education tradition. Such graduates are addressed as "doctor" by courtesy and convention.
Mr, Miss, Ms, or Mrs – Surgeons in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and otherCommonwealth or former Commonwealth nations revert to the titleMr,Miss,Ms orMrs after obtaining the postgraduate qualificationMRCS.[19] Other specialist doctors ("physicians" in the sense of specialists in different areas of internal medicine, as used generally outside North America), on the other hand, retain the titleDr after obtaining other postgraduate qualifications, such asMRCP. Medical practitioners who are both "physicians and surgeons" are called eitherDr orMr,Ms, etc. and the style used at any specific time may be varied according to the context.[20][21]
Captain – a person who commands and is responsible for the lives of crew and passengers on a naval or civil vessel or aircraft. In the US military,captain is used regardless of the actual rank of the person being addressed. For example, on a US naval vessel commanded by someone holding a rank oflieutenant commander or lower is addressed as "Captain", in reference to his position in command of the ship, not his military rank. This would apply even to anenlisted man in charge of a small boat.
His Highness theAga Khan (abbreviationHH the Aga Khan.), oral addressYour Highness and thenSir – The Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslims.
His Eminence (abbreviation "H.Em.") – TheSultan of Sokoto, spiritual leader ofNigeria's Muslims, as well as those of his fellowFula high chiefs that choose not to style themselves as HRHs.
His Eminence (abbreviation "H.Em.") – The Grand Master of theMurjite Order.
His ExcellencyorThe Most Reverend (abbreviationThe Most Rev.), oral addressYour Excellency –Roman Catholicarchbishops andbishops in the United States and Canada (the oral address is not recognized by Canadian civil authorities, who prescribeArchbishop/Bishop instead[22]); or,
Kabiyesi (variously translated as His or Her Royal Majesty, His or Her Royal Highness or His or Her Highness, lit.The One whose words are beyond question) – TheObas ofYorubaland, other aboriginalYoruba high chiefs of royal background, and their counterparts in the tribe's diaspora communities.
His Lordshipor The Right Reverend (abbreviationThe Rt. Rev.), oral addressMy Lord –Anglican andRoman Catholicbishops in Commonwealth countries other than Canada.
The Most Reverend (abbreviationThe Most Rev.), oral addressMy Lord –Church of Ireland (Anglican)Bishop of Meath and Kildare (due to being, historically, the most senior bishop in Ireland)
The Most Reverend (abbreviationThe Most Rev.), oral addressPresiding Bishop – the Presiding Bishop of theMethodist Church Ghana
The Right Reverend and Right HonourableMonsignor (abbreviationThe Rt. Rev. and Rt.mHon. Mgr.), oral addressMonsignor, or according to personal preference – Prelate of Honour who is also aprivy counsellor (The Right Reverend and Right Honourable MonsignorGraham Leonard KCVO).
The Right Reverend and Right Honourable (abbreviationThe Rt. Rev. and Rt. Hon.), oral addressBishop orMy Lord (old-fashioned) –Church of England (Anglican)bishops who are members of thePrivy Council, usually theBishop of London.
The Right Reverend (abbreviationThe Rt. Rev.), oral addressBishop orMy Lord (old-fashioned) – otherChurch of Englandbishops
Bishop, oral addressBishop – an areabishop in theUnited Methodist Church. The Right Reverend has never been pervasive in the United Methodist Church.
His Divine Worship, or (His) Divine Worship: In thePersonal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, one of thePersonal Ordinariates for former Anglicans, the Bishop (abbreviationDW:TB), oral addressYour Divine Worship, afterwardsMy Lord,My Lord Bishop, orBishop. If the ordinary is merely a priest and not a bishop, then he is styled His Divine Worship, or (His) Divine Worship: The Ordinary (abbreviationDW:TO), also His Divine Worship: the Reverend Monsignor, as applicable. The first oral address remainsYour Divine Worship, but afterwards reverts simply toFather orMonsignor.
The Very Reverend (abbreviationThe Very Rev.), oral addressFather –Catholicvicars general, judicial vicars,judges, rectors of seminaries,vicars forane, episcopal vicars, general superiors of religious orders of priests, provincial superiors, priors of monasteries or friaries
The Very Reverend (abbreviationThe Very Rev.), oral addressMr./Madam Dean orMr./Madam Provost, as appropriate, orVery Reverend Sir/Madam –Anglicandeans andprovosts ofcathedrals, the deans ofWestminster Abbey andSt George's Chapel, Windsor, and, for historical reasons, a fewparish priests, such as theDean of Bocking. Sometimes an Anglican cathedral dean has previously been abishop, in which case he or she is styled as a bishop, but on formal occasions may be addressedMr./Madam Dean. Canadian deans are orally addressed asDean only.[22]
The Very Reverend (abbreviationThe Very Rev.), oral addressVery Reverend Sir/Madam orMr./Madam Dean –Deans of some Anglicanseminaries, especiallythose in the United States
The Very Reverend (abbreviationThe Very Rev.), oral addressOsofo Panin – Superintendent minister in theMethodist Church Ghana
The Very Reverend (abbreviationThe Very Rev.), oral addressReverend – formermoderators of theUnited Church of Canada and of the Presbyterian Church in Canada; the Canadian government prescribes the oral addressMr./Mrs./Ms. (surname)[22]
The Reverend Monsignor (abbreviationThe Rev. Msgr.), oral addressMonsignor –Catholic Church protonotaries apostolic, honorary prelates, chaplains of his holiness
The Venerable, oral addressVenerable Sir/Madam orMr./Madam Archdeacon –Anglican archdeacons; in Canada, they are orally addressed asArchdeacon only[22]
Venerable (abbreviation "Ven."), oral address "Venerable" or "Venerable <name or title>" – fully ordainedBuddhist monks andnuns, the title ofVenerable Master orMost Venerable is sometimes appended for senior monks and nuns or monks/nuns acting in their capacity as an abbot/abbess of a monastery
The Reverend and Right Honourable (abbreviationThe Revd. and Rt. Hon.) –Protestant ordained ministers who are members of thePrivy Council (e.g. the lateIan Paisley)
The Reverend the Honourable (abbreviationThe 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 an ordinary/diocesan bishop.
The Reverend (abbreviationThe Rev. orThe Rev'd) – Protestant and Anglican ordained ministers (common variants includePastor,Parson,Vicar, or simplyReverend (Rev.), as used in American English; see:The Reverend); some Jewish cantors also use this style, almost all Buddhist ministers in Japan use this style
The Reverend Doctor (abbreviationThe Rev. Dr.), oral addressFather orDoctor –Priests and other ordained clergy with adoctorate
The Reverend Father (abbreviationThe Rev. Fr.), oral addressFather –Catholic (and manyAnglican)priests
The Reverend Mother (abbreviationThe Rev. Mo.), oral addressMother –Abbesses (also, some femaleAnglicanpriests {abbreviated Mthr.})
The Reverend Deacon (abbreviationRev. Deacon), oral addressDeaconCatholic permanent Deacons.
The Reverend Mister (abbreviationThe Rev. Mr.), oral addressDeacon –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 toAnglican deacons as inThe Rev. Fr./Mthr., above; since women can be deacons, these may beThe Revd Ms.)
Mother, oral addressMother – heads of some femaleCatholic religious convents and other communities who are not abbesses
Mister (abbreviationMr.), oral address oftenMister –Catholic seminarians and scholastics (members preparing for priesthood) ofsome religious orders (notably,Jesuits).
Father (pater)
Brother (abbreviationBro.), oral addressBrother –Catholic members of religious orders under vows (both monastic and non-monastic) who are not priests.
Sister (abbreviationSr.), oral addressSister –Catholic members of religious orders under vows (both monastic and non-monastic) who are not abbesses.
Elder: used generally for male missionaries ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and for members of the adult leadership known as the general authorities. Although most all male adults of the LDS church are elders, the title is reserved for the prior mentioned groups.[25]
Grand Rabbi, oral addressRabbi –Hasidicrabbis, who are scions of a Hasidic Dynasty.
Dom has historically been used on occasions in French, as an honorific for Benedictine monks, such as the famousDom Pérignon.
Rabbi, oral addressRabbi (or, if holder of the appropriate degree,Doctor both in oral and written communication) – rabbis
Grand Ayatullah, oral addressAyatullah orAyatullah al-Uzma –ShiaAyatullahs, who have accomplished the highest religious jurisprudent knowledge degree called asmarja' and some people officially follow them.
Ayatullah, oral addressAyatullah –Shia religious degree who has accomplished a religious high course of lessons and is capable of individually issuing religious verdicts.
Amīr al-Mu'minīn (Arabic:أمير المؤمنين), usually translated Commander of the Faithful or Leader of the Faithful, is the Arabic style of someCaliphs and other independent sovereignMuslim rulers that claim legitimacy from a community of Muslims. It has been claimed as the title of rulers in Muslim countries and empires and is still used for some Muslim leaders. The use of the title does not necessarily signify a claim to caliphate as it is usually taken to be, but described a certain form of activist leadership which may have been attached to a caliph but also could signify a level of authority beneath that. The Ottoman sultans, in particular, made scant use of it. Moreover, the term was used by men who made no claim to be caliphs.[15] Currently used by the Caliph ofISISAbu Bakr al-Baghdadi, The Ahmadiyya Muslim Caliph,Mirza Masroor Ahmad,[16] theKing of Morocco, TheSultan of Sokoto, The supreme leaders of the AfghanTaliban.
Cantor, oral addressCantor (some cantors useThe Reverend as style, as above) – Jewishcantors
His/Her ExcellencyThe Honourable –Governor-General and his or her spouse,[27][28] and The Honourable or His/Her Excellency for the rest of state governors (but not their spouse)
The Honourable – all current and former members of the Federal Executive Council and all current members of stateexecutive councils 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 addressYour Honour) – magistrates and judges in appellate, district and county courts.
The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor – Lord mayors of Australian cities
His/Her Worship – Administrators of territories (obsolete), magistrates (obsolete) and mayors.
Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia (Kebawah DYMM), equivalent to His orHer Majesty (HM) – forSultan and his first royal consort. The style is added more depends on the situation:
Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Sultan, for Sultan before coronation.
Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan, for Sultan after coronation.
Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Isteri for the queen consort before coronation
Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Raja Isteri for the queen consort after coronation
Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Raja — for the second wife of the Sultan during coronation
Kebawah Duli, for a Sultan that has not gone through puberty.
Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Isteri, for the second wife of the Sultan after coronation
Duli Yang Teramat Mulia (DYTM), equivalent to His orHer Royal Highness (HRH) – for the Crown Prince and his consort and for the abdicated Sultan and his consort.
Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan — for Sultan that abdicated from the throne
Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Suri Seri Begawan Raja — for the Sultan's consort when the Sultan abdicated from the throne
Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota — for the Crown Prince
Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri — for the Crown Prince's consort
Yang Teramat Mulia (YTM), to His orHer Royal Highness (HRH) – for the children of the Sultan that were born by their royal mother (both parents of the royal mother are royalties and not a commoner)
Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Duli Pengiran Muda — for the Sultan's son that has full royal blood
Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Puteri— for the Sultan's daughter by a royal mother (non-commoner)
Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Babu Raja — for the Queen Consort's mother
Yang Amat Mulia (YAM), for the consort of a royal prince and their children, and for the Sultan's children by their commoner mother
Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Isteri — for the consort of the Sultan's son (full royal blood)
Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Muda — for the son (full royal blood) of the Sultan's son (full royal blood)
Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak — for the children of the Sultan that were born by a commoner mother; daughter (full royal blood) of the Sultan's son (full royal blood); children (full royal blood) of the Sultan's daughter (full royal blood); children (full royal blood) of the Sultan's children (half royal blood)
Yang Mulia (YM)
Yang Mulia Pengiran Anak — for the children that both parents hold the titlePengiran Anak
Yang Mulia Pengiran — for the children of a Pengiran Anak and his wife that is not also a Pengiran Anak; non-royal Pengiran (a commoner Pengiran)
In office only –Speaker of the House of Commons,ministers of the Crown (however federal ministers invariably enter the Privy Council upon their initial appointment, thus assuming the honorific for life), judges of provincial courts,territorial commissioners, and members of other provincial and territorial executive councils
Note: Members of Parliament are often referred to in the House of Commons as "the honourable member for (riding)" but do not use the stylehonourable with their name.
The Honourable Mr./Madam Justice – Chief justices of province and justices of superior courts
His/Her Worship – Justices of the peace, magistrates and municipal leadersin office
Seigneur or Dame - Registered owners of an ancient Norman fief or seigneurie in Guernsey who have registered their Fief with the Crown and Royal Courts. Under the Feudal Dues law of 1980, the government of Guernsey sanctions the use of the style and distinction of Seigneur or Dame.[29]
The Right Honourable – the current and formerprime ministers, the current and formerspeakers of the House of Representatives, the current and former chief justices, the current and former governors-general, and those who were appointed to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom.
The Honourable – the currentministers; former ministers commended by the prime minister; and the current and former judges of the Supreme, High and Appeal courts
The Most Honourable – InJamaica,governors-general, as well as their spouses, are entitled to be styled "The Most Honourable" upon receipt of the JamaicanOrder of the Nation.[31]Prime ministers and their spouses are also styled this way upon receipt of the Order of the Nation, which is only given to Jamaican governors-general and prime ministers.[31]
His Excellency/Her Excellency is used before the name of President of India as well as before of governors of the states. However, it is not mandatory for an Indian citizen to use this style to address the president or the governors after a notification from the President House. But it is mandatory for foreigners to address the president and governors.[32]
Your Honour/My Lord – It is used before the names of judges but now it is also not mandatory. TheSupreme Court in a hearing said that people need to respect the judges and "Sir" is sufficient for it.[citation needed]
With a long history of rulers, there are many styles which vary from territory to territory and languages for royal families in India, commonlyMaharaja (for king),Maharani (queen) whereas for their successors Raja, Rani (Maha meaning "Great" removed). Rajkumar (for prince) and Rajkumari (for princess).
Generally the vast majority of the members of these royal families use the titles Prince and Princess, while the higher ranked amongst them also use eitherHighness orRoyal Highness to describe secondary appellations in their native languages that they hold in their realms, appellations that are intended to highlight their relative proximity to their thrones, either literally in the sense of the extantkingships of the continent or symbolically in the sense of its variedchiefships of the name, and which therefore serve a function similar to the said styles of Highness and Royal Highness.
For example, theYoruba people ofWest Africa usually make use of the wordKabiyesi when speaking either to or about theirsovereigns and other royals. As such, it is variously translated as Majesty, Royal Highness or Highness depending on the actual rank of the person in question, though a literal translation of the word would read more like this:He (or She) whose words are beyond questioning, Great Lawgiver of the Nation.
Within theZulu Kingdom ofSouthern Africa, meanwhile, the monarch and other senior royals are often addressed asuNdabezitha meaningHe (or She) Who Concerns the Enemy, but rendered in English as Majesty in address or reference to the king and his consorts, or Royal Highness in the case of other senior members of the royal family.
InIreland, holders of offices withIrish names are usually addressed in English by itsnominative form (so, 'Taoiseach' and 'Tánaiste'), though theIrish vocative forms differ (a Thaoisigh anda Thánaiste).The President may be styled 'His/Her Excellency' (Irish:A Shoilse,IPA:[əˈhəil̠ʲʃə] /A Soilse[əˈsˠəl̠ʲʃə]) and addressed 'Your Excellency' (Irish:A Shoilse), or simply 'President' (Irish:A Uachtaráin[əˈuəxt̪ˠəɾˠaːnʲ]). The titles 'Minister' and 'Senator' are used as forms of address; only the latter as a style. ATD (Teachta Dála) is formally addressed and styled as 'Deputy', though often simplyMr.,Mrs., etc. Similarly,county and city councillors can be addressed as 'Councillor', abbreviatedCllr. which is used as a written style, but are just as frequently addressed asMr.,Mrs., etc.
Yang Amat Mulia (YAM), equivalent toHis orHer Highness, is for royal family members and the Che’ Puan Mahkota, the wife of Tunku Mahkota ofJohor and to the Che’ Puan Muda, the wife of Raja Muda of Johor.
Yang Mulia (YM), equivalent toHis orHer Highness, is for extended royal family members.
persons with the title of "Tan Sri" and "Datuk", or equivalent, and their spouses
spouses of high commissioners and ambassadors
spouses ofYang Berhormat, Yang Amat Arif, Yang Arif, Yang Dihormati, Yang Berbahagia, Yang Amat Setia, Sahibus Samahah, Sahibul Fadhilah andSahibus Saadah
commoner spouses of extended royals family
Yang Amat Berusaha (YABrs.) is for higher public officers without any title inKelantan.
Yang Berusaha (YBrs.) is for—
high public officers without any title and their spouses
spouses ofYang Amat Berusaha andYang Setia
Yang Amat Setia (YAS) is for high military officers without any title.
Yang Setia (YS) is for senior military officers without any title.
His Imperial Majesty – TheSultan of Morocco (before 1957, now obsolete).
His/Her Royal Highness – Prince and princess of Morocco (used for children, grandchildren and siblings of the king as well as for the Princess Consort).
His/Her Highness – Prince and princess of Morocco (used for cousins, uncles and aunts of the king).
His/Her Excellency – Thepresident of the Philippines.[33] The title inFilipino isAng Mahal na Pangulo (The Well-Esteemed President). The honorific for the President of the Philippines was adopted from the title of thegovernor-general of the Philippines during Spanish and American colonial periods. The president may be addressed as "Your Excellency" or more informally as
"Mr. President" or "Madam(e) President".
The Honorable – Thevice president of the Philippines, members of theCongress of the Philippines, justices of theSupreme Court of the Philippines, governors and vice governors of provinces, mayors and vice mayors of cities or municipalities, and other elected or appointed officials in the government. The title is also conferred to elected and appointed officials of student or other people's organizations that have great participation in creating, implementing, and interpreting policies of the organization. The title in Filipino isAng Kagalanggalang (The Honorable). In Senate and congressional inquiries, impeachment procedures, and electoral canvasses, senators, representatives, and officials of theCommission on Elections when they convene as provincial and national boards of canvassers, are mostly addressed asYour Honor, because it was unfortunately rendered from "the Spanish term for addressing parliamentarians, and a mistake made" when Congress's predecessor, thePhilippine Legislature, abruptly changed to the use of English from "mainly Spanish in its deliberations."[34]
His/Her Majesty – themonarch 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 Excellency (su excelencia) – spouses and children of the Infantes,Grandees of Spain, ministers, either from the central government ("ministros") or from autonomous government ("consejeros"), Knights and Dames of the Collar, Knights and Dames Grand Cross, as well as regional presidents. Mayors and town councils[citation needed].
His/Her Illustriousness (su ilustrísima) – marquesses, counts, viscounts, Knights and Dames Commander by Number, junior ministers either from the central government ("secretarios de estado") or from autonomous government ("vice-consejeros"), justices ("magistrados"), certain prosecutors, members of the royal academies and the holders of certain Spanish decorations.
His/Her Most Excellent and Magnificent Lord – Rector of a university.
His Lordship/Her Ladyship (su señoría) – barons, members of the Royal Orders (Commander, Officer, Cross), seigneurs, members of parliament, judges, court clerks.
Lord (Don orDoña) - hidalgos and Spanish citizens who are members of the Royal Orders.[35]
His/Her Royal Highness – Prince and princess of Thailand (used for children and grandchildren of the king)from "Chao-Fa"(เจ้าฟ้า) (the most senior rank of prince/princess) to "Phra Chao Worawongse Ther Phra Ong Chao"(พระเจ้าวรวงศ์เธอ พระองค์เจ้า)(a mid-level, lesser class of prince and princess thanChao Fa). This style is also used for princess consort (now obsolete).
His/Her Highness – Prince and princess of Thailand of the rank "Phra Worawong TherPhra Ong Chao"(พระวรวงศ์เธอ พระองค์เจ้า) which are born in the title asMom Chao to whom the king later granted this higher title, either as recognition of merit, or as a special favour.
His/Her Serene Highness – Prince and princess of titleMom Chao (m)/Mom Chao Ying (f) (หม่อมเจ้า/หม่อมเจ้าหญิง, abbreviated in Thai as ม.จ. or in English as M.C.) is the most junior class still considered royalty. This is normally when surnames first appear among royal lineages. They are either: Children of a maleChao Fa and acommoner.Children of a malePhra Ong Chao. Informally, they are styled "Than Chai" (m)... /"Than Ying" (f)...(ท่านชาย.../ท่านหญิง...).
The Honourable –Mom Rajawongse (หม่อมราชวงศ์, RTGS: Mom Ratchawong; abbreviated in Thai as ม.ร.ว. or in English as M.R. and also translated into English asThe Honourable) is the title assumed by children of male Mom Chao. The title is pronounced "Mom Rachawong". Informally, they may be styled as "Khun Chai" (m).../ "Khunying" (f)...(คุณชาย.../คุณหญิง...).
The Most Honourable – marquesses, The Lords of His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council.
His Worship is an honorific prefix formayors,justices of the peace andmagistrates in present or formerCommonwealth realms. In spoken address, these officials are addressed as Your Worship or referred to as His Worship. In Australia all states now useYour Honour as the form of address for magistrates (the same as has always been used for judges in higher courts).
Styles can be acquired through marriage, although traditionally this applies more to wives of office-holders than to husbands. Thus, in theUnited Kingdom,Anne, Princess Royal, is styled Her Royal Highness (HRH), her husband, SirTimothy Laurence, bears no courtesy style by virtue of being her husband (although his mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II, has since knighted him), nor do her children bear any title or style, by right or tradition, despite being in the line of succession to the Crown, until 2015 subject to theRoyal Marriages Act 1772. In contrast, whenSophie Rhys-Jones marriedPrince Edward, she became HRH the Countess of Wessex (&c.) and their children are entitled (although they do not use them) to the princely prefix and the style of HRH, and do bearcourtesy titles derived from their father.
Styles and titles can change when a marriage is dissolved. The LadyDiana Frances Spencer held the style Her Royal Highness during her marriage to HRH The Prince of Wales and the titlePrincess of Wales. When the couple divorced she lost her style: she became insteadDiana, Princess of Wales. (although she fit the criteria which customarily accords the prefix of "Lady" to the daughter of an earl, and she had been known as such prior to marriage, she did not revert to that title following divorce).
When applied to the currentPrincess of Wales, inclusion of a definite article ("The Princess of Wales"), is, like HRH, part of the style which accompanies the title. WhenKing Charles III (Then; HRH the Prince of Wales) was remarried toCamilla Parker-Bowles in compliance with the Royal Marriages Act, she lawfully became HRH The Princess of Wales but, as was the announced intention prior to the couple's wedding, she continues to use the lesser title derived from her husband'sDuchy of Cornwall and was known as HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, until the accession of her husband as King, because of the strong association to the late Diana, Princess of Wales.
From the divorce until her death in 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales ceased to hold any royal style, although the monarch declared that she remained a Princess of the United Kingdom and in occasions when members of the Royal Family appeared in public, she continued to be accorded the same royal precedence.
WhenSarah Ferguson was divorced from her husband, HRHPrince Andrew, Duke of York, she too lost her HRH style, the rank as a British Princess and was re-styled as "Sarah, Duchess of York".
In 1936,Wallis Simpson was denied the HRH style byGeorge VI when she married his older brother, the formerEdward VIII, who became HRH the Duke of Windsor following his abdication and receipt of a peerage.
The names of most current and former elected federal and state officials and judges in the United States are styled "The Honorable" in writing, (e.g., "The Honorable Clint Scherf, Mayor of the City of Grants Pass"). Many are addressed by their title in conversation as "Mister" or "Madam" ("Mr. President", "Madam Mayor") or simply by their name with their appropriate title e.g., "Senator Jones" or "Commissioner Smith".[36][37]
Continued use of a title after leaving office depends on the office: those 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.[citation needed] However, titles for offices of which there are many concurrent office holders (e.g., ambassador, senator, judge, professor or military ranks, especiallycolonel and above) are retained for life: A retired U.S. Army general is addressed as "General (Name)" officially and socially for the rest of their life. Military retirees are entitled to receive pay and are still counted as members of the United States Armed Forces. Accordingly, all retired military ranks are retained for life pursuant to Title 10 of the United States Code. In the case of the President, while the title is officially dropped after leaving office[citation needed] – e.g., Dwight Eisenhower reverted to his prior style "General Eisenhower" in retirement – it is still widely used as an informal practice; e.g., Jimmy Carter was often called President Carter during his lifetime. The Vice President is typically referred to as "former Vice President", such as "former Vice President Mike Pence." Similarly, governors are typically addressed in later life as "Governor (Name)", particularly if running for further political office.Mitt Romney, for example, was frequently referred to as "Governor Romney" during his2012 presidential campaign and was addressed as such formally in the debates,[38][39] having beenGovernor of Massachusetts until 2007.[36][37]
The names of judges are styled "The Honorable" in writing, and orally in court as "Your Honor", or by name after "Judge".Chief justices of supreme courts are addressed orally as "Mr. or Madam Chief Justice" or "Chief Justice"; associate justices by name with "Justice" (or, simply "Justice").
The names of mayors are styled "The Honorable" 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 alsomagistrates of the court system.
His or 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 officials in the United States. "Excellency" has continued in theCommonwealths ofMassachusetts andVirginia and the states ofSouth Carolina,Georgia,New Hampshire, andConnecticut.
The names ofUnited States representatives are similarly styled in writing as "The Honorable". Orally they are traditionally addressed by name as "Mr." or "Ms.", but as a practice are sometimes addressed as "Representative" or "Congressman" or "Congresswoman" when it is necessary or desirable to specify the member's status. It is advisable to follow the preference of the individual official. Following precedence in Westminster style of parliament, when writing their own names, especially on stationery andfranks, representatives have upon occasion followed their names with "M.C." (Member of Congress).[40] The names of senators similarly are addressed in writing as "The Honorable" and orally as "Senator". Where representatives may have used "M.C.", senators have used "U.S.S." (United States Senator).[41] 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 or gentlewoman from their appropriate state (e.g., "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, (e.g., "I disagree with my dear friend, the junior senator from Ohio..."). Senators also commonly use this form of address.
While the term "Esquire", 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.[42] 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-nominalJ.D. (Juris Doctor) may be used 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, adjunct professor, etc.) as "Professor" – as in "Professor Jones" – orally or in writing. In writing, "professor" is often abbreviated as "Prof.", as in "Prof. Jones". Those holding academic doctorates are frequently referred to as "Dr. Jones."
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 ofchaplains, 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". This practice is also followed within the United States Coast Guard, both aboard ship and ashore. Junior officers in both services are understood to be those oflieutenant commander and below. Senior officers (commander and above) are addressed by their rank as in "Commander Smith" or "Admiral Smith". While officially this manner of address is supposed to be from a senior rank to a junior rank, i.e. captain to lieutenant, in practice it is not unknown for enlisted personnel to refer to junior officers as Mister as well. While commonly referred to by their rank, i.e. Seaman/Airman/Fireman/Petty Officer X or (Senior/Master) Chief X, on formal occasions, e.g. weddings, an enlisted man's full title is sometimes used, starting with their rating, then their rank, and their name, e.g. Electronics Technician Second Class X or Chief Gunner's Mate Y. When written, e.g. in formal invitations, the enlisted man's name is written as "Serviceman's name, USN/USMC/USA/USAF/USCG", without one's rank preceding their name, unlike commissioned officers.
Any officer in command of a ship is referred to as Captain for the period of their command or in reference to the ship, regardless of what rank they normally hold.[36][37]
Retired military personnel may continue to be addressed by their rank at the time of their retirement. Those who held 'brevet' ranks higher than their permanent rank (permanent Army officers who held temporary rank in volunteer regiments during the American Civil War) also held this honor; though all such individuals have now perished, this usage is often seen in historical or fictional sources placed in the 1865–1900 period.[36][37]
All former monarchies had styles, some, such asthose of the Bourbon monarchy of France, extremely complicated depending on the status of the office or office-holder.Otto von Habsburg, who was Crown Prince ofAustria-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-QueenZita of Austria-Hungary in 1989, although the use of these styles has been prohibited in Austria since 1920.[45]
The names of some offices are alsotitles, 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.
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, thePope.
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.
Similarly, styles, though still used, are used less often. The formerPresident of Ireland,Mary McAleese, was usually referred to asPresident Mary McAleese, notPresident McAleese, as had been the form used for the first six presidents, from President Hyde to President Hillery.Tony Blair asked initially to be calledTony. First names, or evennicknames, are often widely used among politicians in the US, even in formal situations (as an extreme example, PresidentJames 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 theRepublic 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 aletter of credence accrediting an ambassador from one head of state to another.
The termself-styled, orsoi-disant, roughly means awarding astyle to oneself, often without adequate justification or authority, but the expression often refers to descriptions ortitles (such as "aunt", "expert", "Doctor", or "King"), rather than truestyles in the sense of this article.
1 Though the Republic of Ireland does not possess a Privy Council, the style is still used. TheLord Mayor of Dublin is still styled the Right Honourable, as previous lord mayors of Dublin wereex-officio members of the formerIrish Privy Council until its abolition in 1922.
^"Definition of style".Oxford Dictionaries Online. Oxford University Press. 2010. Archived fromthe original on September 9, 2012. Retrieved4 January 2011.
^A.F. Pollard (5 January 2007).HENRY VIII. Chehab Pubber. p. 244. GGKEY:HQGF65AUEWU.
^Angus Stevenson, ed. (2007).Shorter Oxford English Dictionary. Vol. 1,A–M (Sixth ed.). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. p. 737.ISBN978-0-19-920687-2.
^abTourtchine, Jean-Fred (September 1987). "Le Royaume de Portugal - Empire du Brésil".Cercle d'Études des Dynasties Royales Européennes.III: 103.ISSN0764-4426.
^abPennell, Richard (11 March 2016). "What is the significance of the title 'Amīr al-mu'minīn?'".The Journal of North African Studies.21 (4):623–644.doi:10.1080/13629387.2016.1157482.S2CID148543546.
^abValentine, Simon Ross (2008).Islam and the Ahmadiyya Jama'at: History, Belief, Practice. London: Hurst & Company. p. 208.ISBN9781850659167.
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