Excellency is anhonorificstyle given to certain high-level officers of asovereign state, officials of aninternational organization, or members of anaristocracy. Once entitled to the title "Excellency", the holder usually retains the right to that courtesy throughout their lifetime,[1] although in some cases the title is attached to a particular office and is held only during tenure of that office.[2]
Generally people addressed asExcellency areheads of state,heads of government,governors,ambassadors,Roman Catholic bishops, high-ranking ecclesiastics, and others holding equivalent rank, such as heads of international organizations.[3] Members ofroyal families generally have distinct addresses such asMajesty,Highness, etc..
While not a title of office itself, the honorificExcellency precedes various titles held by the holder, both in speech and in writing. In reference to such an official, it takes the formHis orHer Excellency; in direct address,Your Excellency, or, less formally,Excellency.The abbreviationHE is often used instead ofHis/Her Excellency; alternatively it may stand forHis Eminence.
In mostrepublicannation states, thehead of state is formally referred to asHis orHer Excellency.[4]
If a republic has a separatehead of government, that official is almost always addressed asExcellency as well. If the nation is amonarchy, however, the customs may vary. For example, in the case of Australia, all ambassadors, high commissioners, state governors and the governor-general and their spouses are entitled to the use of Excellency.
Governors of colonies in theBritish Empire were entitled to be addressed asExcellency and this remains the position for the governors of what are now known asBritish Overseas Territories.[5]
In variousinternational organizations, notably the UN and its agencies,Excellency is used as a generic form of address for all republicanheads of state andheads of government. It is often granted to the organization's head as well, and to those chiefs of UN diplomatic missions, such asResident Coordinators (who are the designated representatives of the secretary-general), who are accredited at the head of state level (like an ambassador), or at the lower head of government level.
Judges of theInternational Court of Justice also enjoy the style ofExcellency.
In some monarchies thehusbands,wives, or children of aroyal prince or princess, who do not possess a princely title themselves, may be entitled to the style. For example, inSpain spouses or children of a borninfante orinfanta are addressed asExcellency, if not accorded a higher style.
Former members of a royal house or family, who have forfeited a royal title, may be awarded the style afterwards. Examples are former husbands or wives of a royal prince or princess, includingAlexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg, following her divorce fromPrince Joachim of Denmark. Likewise,Count Carl Johan Bernadotte of Wisborg, who lost his succession rights to theSwedish throne and discontinued use of his royal titles in 1946 when he married the commoner Elin Kerstin Margaretha Wijkmark, was accorded the style.
In someemirates, such asKuwait andQatar, the Emir, heir apparent and prime minister are calledHis Highness. Their children are styled withHis/Her Excellency unless they possess a higher honorific.
In Spain members of the high nobility, holding the dignity ofgrandee, are referred to asThe Most Excellent Lord/Lady.
In Denmark, somecounts (lensgrever), historically those related by blood or marriage to theDanish monarch, who have entered amorganatic marriage or otherwise left theRoyal Family have the right to be styled asYour Excellency, e.g., the Counts ofDanneskiold-Samsøe, some of thecounts of Rosenborg and theCountess of Frederiksborg (ad personam).
In the subnational monarchySultanate of Sulu, senior nobility and holders of royal offices that are granted the title ofDatu Sadja are referred to asHis/Her Excellency.[6]
Excellency can also attach to a prestigious quality, notably in an order of knighthood. For example, in theEmpire of Brazil, it was attached to the highest classes, each time calledGrand Cross, of all three imperial orders:Imperial Order of Pedro I,Imperial Order of the Southern Cross with the military honours of aLieutenant general andOrder of the Rose.
Knights of the Collar and Knights Grand Cross of the Spanish Orders of Chivalry, such as theOrder of Charles III,Order of Isabella the Catholic,Order of Civil Merit,Order of Alfonso X the Wise,Royal Order of Sports Merit,Civil Order of Health, as well as recipients of the Grand Cross ofMilitary,Naval, andAeronautical Merit are addressed as such. Furthermore, Knights Grand Cross of theOrder of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem,Order of Saint Gregory the Great, and theOrder of St. Sylvester of theHoly See, and Grand Cross of The Lion, Crested Crane, Crown, and The Drum of Rwanda, and Knights of theOrder of the Golden Fleece, and Knights Grand Cross of several other orders of high prestige, are often addressed asExcellency.[7]
By a decree of the Sacred Congregation of Ceremonial of 31 December 1930[8] theHoly See granted bishops of theCatholic Church the title ofMost Reverend Excellency orExcellentia Reverendissima inLatin. In the years following theFirst World War, the ambassadorial title ofExcellency, previously given tonuncios, had already begun to be used by other Catholic bishops. The adjectiveMost Reverend was intended to distinguish the religious title from that ofExcellency given to civil officials.
The instructionUt sive sollicite of the Holy See'sSecretariat of State, dated 28 March 1969, made the addition ofMost Reverend optional,[9] sanctioning what had always been the practice, except possibly for the beginnings of letters and the like.
According to the letter of the decree of 31 December 1930, titularpatriarchs too were to be addressed with the title of(Most Reverend) Excellency, but in practice the Holy See continued to address them with the title ofBeatitude, which was formally sanctioned for them with the motu proprioCleri sanctitati of 2 June 1957.
Cardinals, even those who were bishops, continued to use the title ofEminence.
Eastern Orthodoxtitular metropolitans are addressed with the style ofExcellency.
In some English-speaking countries, the honorific ofExcellency does not apply to bishops other than the nuncio. In English law,Anglican archbishops are granted the title ofHis/Her Grace, similar to a duke, and bishops are granted the title ofLord. The same titles are extended by courtesy to their Catholic counterparts, and continue in use in most countries that are or have been members of the Commonwealth,[citation needed] with the exception of the former British East African countries ofKenya,Uganda ofTanzania.
In Afghanistan the titleJalalat Mahab is used forSardars, or Princes of the formerMuhammadzai Dynasty, who are descendants of the Afghan KingSultan Mohammed Khan Telai. Although Jalalat Mahab is derived from the Arabic termJalalat literally meaningHis Majesty, it is regarded as equal toHis Excellency orHis Royal Highness internationally.
The descendants ofKing Nadir Shah held the titleAlaa Hazrat in which contextHazrat is Turkish and meansMajesty orHighness and thus literally translated meansHigher Majesty orHigher Highness and is internationally also equal toHis Royal Highness. The King himself held the titleAlaa Hazrat Humayoon which literally translated meansHis Most Noble Majesty, and can be equalized withHis Majesty internationally.President Daoud Khan, the Cousin of the last Afghan KingZahir Shah, who acted as prime minister under his cousin held the addressJalalat Mahab Aali Qadr Sardari Alaa during his term asPrime Minister.
Thepresident, thechairman of the Parliament and theprime minister are referred to asHis/Her Excellency.
Thepresident, theprime minister, thechairman of the Parliament, as well as ministers and ambassadors ofArmenia are addressed asExcellency, which inArmenian isՁերդ գերազանցութիւն, RomanizedDzerd gerazancutiwn. The members of the traditionalArmenian nobility are also addressed asExcellency, which inArmenian it isՁերդ պայծառութիւն Romanized asDzerd paytzarrowtiwn, literallyYour Brightness.
InBangladesh thepresident,prime minister,chief adviser,[10] thespeaker of the Parliament and international diplomats are styled withHis/Her Excellency.
Thepresident, is styled withHis/Her Excellency formally while their informal title is "Mr./Madam President".
Members of theCouncil of Ministers of Belgium, consisting of theprime minister,deputy prime minister(s), otherministers, andSecretaries of state, and also honoraryministers of state, are entitled to the style ofHis/Her Excellency.
The style is also used for thegovernors of Belgium, which are governors of the tenprovinces of Belgium,governor of Brussels, governor of thenational bank of Belgium and both foreign ambassadors in Belgium and Belgian ambassadors to other countries.
Moreover, within theCatholic Church in Belgium, the (arch-)bishops and(pro-)nuntia are referred to asHis Excellency Monsignor orZijne Excellentie Monseigneur in Dutch,Son Excellence Monseigneur in French andSeine Exzellenz Monsignore in German .
In 1991, theBrazilianPresidential Office issued a composition manual to establish the appropriate usage of thePortuguese language for all government agencies. The manual states that the title ofExcelência (Excellency) is the proper form used to address the president andvice president, allmembers of parliament andjudges, among other officials.[11]
In theKingdom of Cambodia, deputy prime ministers, senior ministers, members of theCouncil of Ministers, secretary of state, and members ofParliament are referred to as "His/Her Excellency" (Khmer:ឯកឧត្ដម,Êk Ŏtdâm/លោកជំទាវ,Loŭk Chumtéav).
Within the Commonwealth of Nations, the following officials usually use the styleHis or Her Excellency:
While reference may be made to theKing's Most Excellent Majesty, the styleExcellency is not used with reference to theKing.
Thepresident of Chile and thepresident of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile are referred to by the style "His/Her Excellency".
Thepresident of Finland andprime minister of Finland are both referred to by the style "His/Her Excellency" in international diplomacy.
Thepresident of Germany andchancellor of Germany are both referred to by the style "Excellency" in international diplomacy, albeit not domestically.
Thepresident of India andgovernors of Indian states are addressed as Rāshtrapati Mahoday (राष्ट्रपति महोदय/ महोदया, Honourable President) and Rājyapāl Mahoday or Rājyapāl Mahodaya (if lady) (राज्यपाल महोदय/Honourable Governor) respectively.
His/Her Excellency, a custom dating from the ancient times wherein the Samrāt and Sāmrājñi (सम्राट, साम्राज्ञी/Emperor, Empress), Generals, Kings, Ambassadors were addressed. A classic example is addressing Devvrat (Bhishma) as महामहिम भीष्म (His/Your Excellency Bhishma) in Mahabharat.
However the Constitution makers[clarification needed] approved will discontinue "ancient era" styles of Mahāmahim. The same release states that inEnglish (which is the other language in which subsidiary official communications are released in the CentralGovernment of India in its capacity of Sahāyak Rājabhāśhā: Subsidiary Officiating language) the style Honourable shall replace the erstwhile His/Her/Your Excellency. The newer style will beHonourable.
The corresponding changes in releases from the President's Secretariat shall be from Mahāmahim to Rāshtrapatiji.[13] The release also talks about the styles of other dignitaries, likegovernors. "Hon'ble" will be used before the titles "president" and "governor", while the traditional honorificsShri orSmt. (Shrimati) should precede the name.
However, "Excellency" will continue to be used, only for interaction of leaders with foreign dignitaries and foreign dignitaries with Indian leaders as is customary international practice.
Thepresident of Ireland is addressed asYour Excellency or in the Irish language,a Shoilse (literally, "brightness (VOC)".[14] Alternatively, one may address the president simply asPresident or in the Irish languagea Uachtaráin.
Thepresident of Italy and theprime minister of Italy (officially called President of the Council of Ministers) are referred to as "His/Her Excellency" in international diplomacy. Furthermore, the terms "president" and "premier" are used as well. This latter is an informal and common address for the prime minister of Italy. For both institutional charges, the term "president" is usually exploited in formal and informal situations.
Like many countries that once formed part of the Ottoman Empire,His/Her Excellency is used as the style for those with the title ofBey orPasha. In Arabic the latter titles are often included between the first and last names of the holder, while in English the titles are not usually included and the style ofHis/Her Excellency is used on its own. Those styled this way include government ministers, senior military officers, and the husbands and children of Princesses.
Thepresident of Kenya is referred to as "His/Her Excellency".
The governors of the counties and diplomats are also referred to as "His/Her Excellency".
Thegovernors (Yang di-Pertua Negeri) ofMelaka,Penang,Sabah, andSarawak are referred to as "His Excellency" (Tuan Yang Terutama). High commissioners and ambassadors are also referred to as "His/Her Excellency" (Tuan/Puan Yang Terutama).
Thepresident of Myanmar,first lady,state counsellor, vice-presidents of Myanmar,speaker of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw,speaker of the House of Nationalities,speaker of the House of Representatives of Myanmar, governor of theCentral Bank of Myanmar, members of theCabinet of Myanmar,chief ministers of states and regions of Myanmar, mayors andambassadors are referred to as "His/Her Excellency" while justices of theSupreme Court of Myanmar are referred to as "The Honourable".
Members of thecabinet of the Netherlands (prime minister,deputy prime minister(s), otherministers, andstate secretaries), but also honoraryministers of state, are entitled to the style of "His/Her Excellency".[15]
The style is also used for the executive officers of the Dutch royal court (great officers of the Royal House,hofmarschall,equerries), governors of theconstituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Aruba,Curaçao, andSint Maarten), ambassadors (both foreign ambassadors in the Netherlands and Dutch ambassadors to other countries), judges of theInternational Court of Justice, andflag- andgeneral officers of three-star rank and above (generals,lieutenant-generals,lieutenant-admirals, andvice-admirals).
Moreover, within theCatholic Church in the Netherlands, the (arch-)bishops and(pro-)nuntia are referred to as "His Most Reverend Excellency" (i.e. in Dutch asZijne Hoogwaardige Excellentie).
Thepresident of Nigeria andvice-president of Nigeria share the style "His/Her Excellency" with the various governors and their deputies of the country's regional states as well as their wives.
Theprime minister of Pakistan and thepresident of Pakistan, are both referred to as "His/Her Excellency".
Thepresident of Peru is referred to as "His/Her Excellency" (InSpanish:Su Excelencia) if in diplomatic context.
Thepresident (Filipino:pangulo;Spanish and colloquially:presidente) is addressed inEnglish as "Your Excellency" and "Sir" or "Ma'am" thereafter, and is referred to "His/Her Excellency". The president can also less formally be addressed as "Mister/Madam President". In Filipino, the president may be referred to with the more formal title of "Ang Mahál na Pangulo", with "mahál" connoting greatness and high social importance.[nb 1]
Populist presidentRodrigo Duterte has expressed dislike for the traditional title. After assuming office in June 2016, he ordered that the title, along with all honorifics, be dropped from official communications, events, and materials but instead, he be addressed only as "Mayor" since people are already used to calling him as such due to Duterte being the longest-servingmayor of Davao City and that his cabinet officials only be addressed as "Secretary". Other government officials followed suit by abandoning use of "The Honorable".[16] However, despite the prior unofficial abandonment, the president continues to be addressed as "Excellency" in formal correspondences and petitions, either verbally or written.
All other local and national government officials are styled "The Honorable"; both titles, however, may be glossed in Filipino asAng Kagalang-galang.
InPortugal, the proper style of thepresident is "His/Her Excellency" (Portuguese: Sua Excelência).
Thepresident of Somalia is referred to as "His/Her Excellency" or "Jaale". Jaale was also a title used by armed forces staff officers of all branches, especially in the Aden Adde-Shermarke Era, and the Barre Era but has now is rare and has become a title for civil servants and senior government secretaries.
Thepresident of South Africa (and historically thestate president of the South African Republic), is (and was) referred to as "His/Her Excellency" if in a formal context.
Thepresident of South Korea is referred to as "His/Her Excellency" (Korean:각하,romanized: gagha) if in a formal context both inside and outside ofSouth Korea.
Spain uses the title "The Most Excellent" extensively as a formal address to high officers of the state. The following officials receive the treatment:
The style "His Excellency", which has a higher connotation than "The Most Excellent", is instead reserved for the children of an Infante or Infanta, who have the rank (but not the title) of Grandees.[24]
The president ofSri Lanka was referred to asHis/Her Excellency. This was until 2022, when President Ranil Wickremesinghe banned the use. However, it is still used diplomatically.
TheSwedish language titles and forms of address areHans/Hennes Excellens (His/Her Excellency) andErs Excellens (Your Excellency).
During most of the 20th century inSweden, only three officials (other than foreign ambassadorsaccredited in Sweden and Swedish ambassadors at their posts) were granted to the style ofExcellency: theprime minister, theminister for foreign affairs and themarshal of the realm (the highest rankingcourtier). They were collectively referred to as "the three excellencies" (Swedish:de tre excellenserna).[25][26] In the 1970s it fell out of custom in Sweden to address the prime minister and the minister of foreign affairs as such, although they continue to be addressed as such inUnited Nations protocol and in other diplomatic writing.[27] Since then only the Marshal of the Realm uses the style regularly.
Prior to the 19th century, aLord of the Realm (Swedish:En af Rikets Herrar) and a member of theCouncil of the Realm were also entitled to the style of Excellency.
Theprime Minister of Thailand, deputy prime ministers, other cabinet members, governors and ambassadors are referred to as "His/Her Excellency".[28]
In the English language, thepresident and thevice-president,cabinet ministers,ambassadors, and some other high-ranking bureaucrats are addressed asExcellency.
In the Turkish language, honorific titles are no longer used since the 1923 modernisation of the language; underAtatürk's Reforms. Instead ofExcellency, dignitaries are addressed using the Turkish word forHonorable (Turkish: Sayın) followed by their office.[29] For example, an ambassador of Turkey would be addressed simply asHonorable Ambassador (Turkish: Sayın Büyükelçi). It is important to emphasise that this distinction only applies when speaking in the Turkish language, not in English. Additionally, in very rareceremonial circumstances, the wordExcellency is used in Turkish. An example would be the formalaccreditation of a Turkish ambassador, wherein the letter of confidence authored by theTurkish president would address the ambassador asExcellency (Turkish: Ekselansları).
In theUnited States, the formExcellency was commonly used forGeorge Washington during his service as commander-in-chief of theContinental Army and later whenpresident of the United States, but it began to fall out of use with his successorJohn Adams, and today is sometimes replaced in direct address with the simpleMr. President ortheHonorable.
Nevertheless, in the protocol of many foreign countries andUnited Nations, the president and thesecretary of state are usually referred to asExcellency. Diplomatic correspondence to PresidentAbraham Lincoln during theAmerican Civil War, as during theTrent Affair, for instance, frequently addressed him asYour Excellency.
The formExcellency was used for thegovernors of most of the originalThirteen Colonies, and the practice formally continued afterindependence. For example, the term was formerly used inGeorgia on thestate governor's letterhead, the text ofexecutive orders, any document that required the governor's signature, and informal settings. However, in most states the practice fell out of use (or was never introduced) and the titleHonorable is now used instead.[30]
Though the U.S. president and U.S. ambassadors are traditionally accorded the style elsewhere, the U.S. government does not usually useExcellency for its own chiefs of missions, preferringHonorable instead.
Por su parte, el Decreto de las Cortes de Cádiz de 8 de junio de 1812 establece que los Secretarios de Estado y del Despacho, que lo fueren en propiedad, y mientras permanecieren en el empleo, tendrán el mismo tratamiento que los consejeros de Estado. Mediante Real Decreto de 19 de noviembre de 1823, se creó el Consejo de Ministros, formado por los Secretarios de Estado y del Despacho."Para evitar la variedad con que se ha procedido por diversas personas y secretarías en quanto (sic) a tratamientos, después de vista y examinada la materia en mi Suprema Junta de Estado, he venido en declarar que el tratamiento deexcelencia se dé enteramente poniendo encima de los escritosexcelentísimo señor a los grandes y consejeros de Estado, o que tienen honores de tales, como hasta aquí se ha hecho [...]"
| Catholic Church | Style |
|---|---|
| Pope | His Holiness |
| Cardinal | His Eminence |
| Bishop | His Excellency |