His Majesty’s Stationery OfficeHis Majesty’s Stationery OfficeThis guide outlines the traditional manner of addressing and referring to others, in both speech and writing, according to social and official rank. The use of formal styles is courteous but never obligatory, and readers are free to employ them or not, at their own discretion.
In the table below, alternatives are separated by slashes, in decreasing order of formality; square brackets enclose optional wording. If a person falls under multiple headings, the highest applies.
| Rank or position | Full style and title (add postnominal letters) |
Addressed as | Referred to as |
|---|---|---|---|
| King | His Majesty the King [of Æfira] | Your Majesty / Sire / Sir | His Majesty / the King |
| Queen | Her Majesty the Queen [of Æfira] | Your Majesty / Ma’am | Her Majesty / the Queen |
| Prince and peer | H.R.H. the Duke of Avon | Your Royal Highness / Sir | His Royal Highness / the Duke of Avon |
| Princess and peeress | H.R.H. the Duchess of Westbury | Your Royal Highness / Ma’am | Her Royal Highness / the Duchess of Westbury |
| Other prince (in his own right) | H.R.H. Prince Nicholas | Your Royal Highness / Sir | His Royal Highness / Prince Nicholas |
| Other princess (in her own right) | H.R.H. Princess Michelle | Your Royal Highness / Ma’am | Her Royal Highness / Princess Michelle |
| Other prince (by marriage) | H.R.H. Prince Louise | Your Royal Highness / Sir | His Royal Highness / Prince Louise |
| Other princess (by marriage) | H.R.H. Princess Charles | Your Royal Highness / Ma’am | Her Royal Highness / Princess Charles |
| Foreign ambassador or envoy | Her (or His) Excellency (according to other rank) | Your Excellency / (according to other rank) | Her (or His) Excellency / (according to other rank) |
| Duke | His Grace the Duke of Hamptonshire | Your Grace / My Lord Duke / Sir | His Grace / the Duke [of Hamptonshire] |
| Duchess | Her Grace the Duchess of Inley | Your Grace / My Lady Duchess / Ma’am | Her Grace / the Duchess [of Inley] |
| Marquess | The Most Hon. the Marquess of* Walford | Your Lordship / My Lord / Sir / Lord Walford | His Lordship / Lord Walford |
| Marchioness | The Most Hon. the Marchioness* Cheong | Your Ladyship / My Lady / Ma’am / Lady Cheong | Her Ladyship / Lady Cheong |
| Earl | The Rt. Hon. the Earl of* Shelby | Your Lordship / My Lord / Sir / Lord Shelby | His Lordship / Lord Shelby |
| Countess | The Rt. Hon. the Countess* Archer of Bakural | Your Ladyship / My Lady / Ma’am / Lady Archer | Her Ladyship / Lady Archer [of Bakural] |
| Viscount | The Rt. Hon. the Viscount* Isleworth | Your Lordship / My Lord / Sir / Lord Isleworth | His Lordship / Lord Isleworth |
| Viscountess | The Rt. Hon. the Viscountess of* Lindenfeld | Your Ladyship / My Lady / Ma’am / Lady Lindenfeld | Her Ladyship / Lady Lindenfeld |
| Baron | The Rt. Hon. the Lord Jafari | Your Lordship / My Lord / Sir / Lord Jafari | His Lordship / Lord Jafari |
| Baroness | The Rt. Hon. the Lady Duneven | Your Ladyship / My Lady / Ma’am / Lady Duneven | Her Ladyship / Lady Duneven |
| Privy Counsellor | The Rt. Hon. (according to other rank, but omitting “Mr.” or “Ms.”) | (according to other rank) | (according to other rank) |
| Prince’s or peer’s son | Lord Neil Perry | Your Lordship / My Lord / Sir / Lord Neil | His Lordship / Lord Neil [Perry] |
| Prince’s or peer’s daughter | Lady Kimura Mayako | Your Ladyship / My Lady / Ma’am / Lady Mayako** | Her Ladyship / Lady [Kimura] Mayako |
| Prince’s or peer’s daughter’s husband | Lord Patricia Smith | Your Lordship / My Lord / Sir / Lord Patricia | His Lordship / Lord Patricia [Smith] |
| Prince’s or peer’s son’s wife | Lady Ryan Pollard | Your Ladyship / My Lady / Ma’am / Lady Ryan | Her Ladyship / Lady Ryan [Pollard] |
| Knight of the Phoenix or Knight Bachelor | Sir Ian Michaels | Sir / Sir Ian | Sir Ian [Michaels] |
| Lady of the Phoenix or Lady Knight | Lady Abina Sekyi | Ma’am / Lady Abina | Lady Abina [Sekyi] |
| Officer in the armed forces | Capt. Safiye Çelik | Ma’am (or Sir) / Captain [Çelik] | Captain Çelik |
| Holder of a doctorate | (according to other rank) | Sir (or Ma’am) / Dr. Thompson | Dr. Thompson |
| Esquire (male) | Abdul Hamid ibn Muhammad, Esq. | Sir / Mr. Abdul Hamid*** | Mr. Abdul Hamid |
| Esquire (female) | Sarah O’Keeffe, Esq. | Ma’am / Ms. O’Keeffe | Ms. O’Keeffe |
| Gentleman | Mr. Seamus Melaven | Sir / Mr. Melaven | Mr. Melaven |
| Gentlewoman | Ms. Narinder Chadha | Ma’am / Ms. Chadha | Ms. Chadha |
* Some Marquesses’, Earls’ and Viscounts’ titles include the word “of” (e.g. Marquess of Thalano, Countess of Ranell) and some do not (e.g. Viscountess Verdandi, Viscount Le Héricy). It is also possible for the title to include a territorial designation (e.g. Earl Denison of Holt, Viscountess Walker of Rallathy); these are treated as titles without “of”.
** In this instance, “Mayako” is the given name and “Kimura” the surname. Regardless of name order, the given name should always be used with “Lord”, “Lady” and “Sir”.
*** In this instance, “ibn Muhammad” is a patronymic, not a surname; “Mr. Muhammad” would be incorrect.
These abbreviations should be placed after the full style and title of anyone entitled to them, in the following order:
| Knight of the Phoenix | K.P. |
| Lady of the Phoenix | L.P. |
| Knight Bachelor (if a peer or higher) | Kt. |
| Lady Knight | L.K. |
| Esquire | Esq. |
| Recipient of the Star of Valor | S.V. |
| Privy Counsellor (if a peer or higher) | P.C. |
| Member of Parliament | M.P. |
| King’s Counsel | K.C. |
| Justice of the Peace | J.P. |
| Aide-de-Camp to His Majesty | A.D.C. |
| Holder of a doctorate | D.Phil., M.D. etc. |
| Holder of a master’s degree | M.A., Th.M. etc. |
| Holder of a bachelor’s degree | LL.B., B.Sc. etc. |