Royal and noble styles

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Styles represent the fashion by which monarchs and noblemen are properly

addressed. Throughout history, many different styles were used, with little
standardization. This page will detail the various styles used by royalty and
nobility in Europe, in the final form arrived at in the nineteenth century. [why?]

Contents

 1Imperial, royal, and princely styles

 2Royal and noble styles in France
 3Noble styles in the United Kingdom
 4Belgium
 5Burma
 6Noble styles in Germany
o 6.1Mediatized nobility
o 6.2Non-mediatized nobility
 7See also
 8References
o 8.1Citations
o 8.2General sources

Imperial, royal, and princely styles[edit]

Only those classified within the social class of royalty and upper nobility have
a style of "Highness" attached before their titles. Reigning bearers of forms of
Highness included grand princes, grand dukes, reigning princes, reigning
dukes, and princely counts, their families, and the agnatic (of the male
bloodline) descendants of emperors and kings. Royalty (usually emperors to
princely counts) are all considered sovereign princes (German: Fürsten).

 Emperors and empresses held the style of Imperial

Majesty (HIM).
 Members of imperial families generally hold the
style of Imperial Highness (HIH).
 In the Austrian Empire, the Emperor was also
the King of Hungary, and thus bore the style
of Imperial and Royal Majesty. Subsequently,
members of the imperial family, who were also
members of the royal family of Hungary, held the
style of Imperial and Royal Highness (HI&RH).
Abbreviation to Imperial Highness is common and
accepted.
 In the German Empire, the other "heir" to the Holy
Roman Empire, the emperor and empress were
also addressed as Imperial and Royal Majesty, as
they ruled over both the German Empire and
Kingdom of Prussia. Similarly, the crown prince of
the Empire and Prussia was styled Imperial and
Royal Highness. Other members of the House of
Prussia, having no constitutional place in the
Empire as such, were only entitled to the style of
Royal Highness.
 In Imperial Russia, children and male-line
grandchildren of the Emperor bore the style of
Imperial Highness. Male-line great-grandchildren
held the style of Highness; also, the eldest son of
any person who held the style of Highness also
held the style of Highness. All other male-line
descendants held the style of Serenity, often
translated as "Serene Highness". Some Russian
noble princes also hold the style of Serenity; all
others and Russian princely counts hold the style
of Illustriousness, often translated as "Illustrious
Highness".
 Kings and queens have the style of
His/Her Majesty.
 Members of royal families (princes and princesses)
generally have the style of Royal Highness,
although in some royal families (for
instance, Denmark and Norway), more junior
princes and princesses bear the style of Highness.
 Reigning grand dukes and grand duchesses hold
the style of Royal Highness.
 The styles of members of grand ducal families have
been inconsistent. In Luxembourg, more senior
members of the family have also been Royal
Highnesses, but only due to their status as Princes
of Bourbon-Parma (itself an inconsistency as
Parma was only ducal, but this family has male-line
descent from kings of Etruria, Spain and France).
In Baden and Hesse and by Rhine, junior members
held the style of Grand Ducal Highness. Members
of other grand ducal families (for
 instance, Oldenburg) generally held the style of
Highness.
 Reigning dukes and duchesses bore the style
of Highness, as did other members of ducal
families. Junior members of some ducal families
bore the style of Ducal Serene Highness, although
it fell out of fashion.
 The elector of Hesse-Kassel also bore the style of
Highness, as did other members of the Hesse-
Kassel family.
 Reigning princes bear the style of Serene
Highness (German: Durchlaucht, French: Son
Altesse Sérénissime), as do other members of
princely families. Mediatized dukes and princes
also bear the style of Serene Highness.
 Mediatized princely counts and countesses bear
the style of Illustrious
Highness (HIllH, German: Erlaucht).
In addition to their national royal styles, many monarchs had "treaty styles" to
distinguish one monarch from another in international settings. For example,
the sovereign of France as "Most Christian Majesty", of Spain as "Catholic
Majesty", of Hungary as "Apostolic Majesty", of the Holy Roman Empire of the
German Nation as "August Majesty", of the United Kingdom was customarily
referred to as "Britannic Majesty", etc. Monarchs also typically had a longer
style than other princely members within the same royal house. For example,
the monarch of the United Kingdom has a much longer style than that of other
members of the British royal family. The full style of Elizabeth II in the United
Kingdom was, "Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and
Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith".

Royal and noble styles in France[edit]

 Before the French Revolution, and from 1814 to
1830 (apart from a brief period in 1815), the King of
France used the formal style of Most High, Most
Potent and Most Excellent Prince (French: Très
Haut, Très Puissant et Très Excellent Prince)
or Most Christian Majesty (French: Majesté Très
Chrétienne). For general usage, however, until the
final end of the Bourbon monarchy in 1830, kings
and queens of France were
styled Majesty (French: Majesté)
 Children and male-line grandchildren of the King
used the style of Most High, Most Potent and
Excellent Prince or Princess (French: Très Haut,
Très Puissant et Excellent Prince) or Royal
Highness (French: Altesse Royale)
 and Lord (French: Monseigneur) followed by their
main title.
o Louis, Grand Dauphin was referred to by the
title Monseigneur only, while retaining the style
of Royal Highness
o The eldest unmarried daughter of the King was
referred to by the title Madame only, while
retaining the style of Royal Highness
o Younger unmarried daughters of the King were
referred to by the title Madame followed by their
first name, while retaining the style of Royal
Highness
o The oldest brother of the King was referred to
by the title Monsieur only, while retaining the
style of Royal Highness
 His eldest unmarried daughter was referred
to by the title Mademoiselle only, while
retaining the style of Royal Highness.
 Younger unmarried daughters of Monsieur
were referred to by the
title Mademoiselle followed by their main
title, while retaining the style of Royal
Highness
o Younger brothers of the King used only the style
of Monseigneur, followed by their main title.
 Princes of the Blood used the style of Most High,
Most Potent and Excellent
Prince or Princess (French: Très Haut, Très
Puissant et Excellent Prince) or Serene
Highness (French: Altesse Sérénissime)
and Monseigneur or Mademoiselle followed by
their main title.
o Until 1707, the First Prince of the Blood (head of
the House of Condé) was referred to by the
title Monsieur le Prince only, while retaining
the style of Serene Highness
o After 1707, the head of the House of Condé was
referred to by the title Monsieur le Duc only,
while retaining the style of Serene Highness
 Foreign and legitimized princes used the title
of High and Potent Prince (French: Haut et
Puissant Prince) and claimed the right to use the
style of Highness (French: Altesse)
and Monseigneur followed by their main title.
 Dukes and Peers used the style of Most High and
Most Potent Lord (French: Très-Haut et Très-
Puissant Seigneur), but in the 18th century, that
style was used by lesser-ranked nobles
  Other titled nobility used the style of Most High
and Potent Lord (French: Très-Haut et Puissant
Seigneur) or High and Potent Lord (French: Haut
et Puissant Seigneur)

Noble styles in the United Kingdom[edit]

Main article: Forms of address in the United Kingdom

 Dukes and duchesses in the peerages

of England, Scotland, Great Britain, Ireland, and
the United Kingdom (who are not royalty of
highness) bear the style of Grace (e.g. "His Grace",
"Her Grace", or "Your Grace").[1][2] They also hold the
style of Most High, Potent, and Noble Prince,[3]
[4]
 but even in the most formal situations, this is
usually shortened to The Most Noble, which is still
considered to be very formal.
 Marquesses and marchionesses bear the styles
of The Most Honourable and Lordship (e.g. "His
Lordship", "Her Ladyship", "Your Lordship", or
"Your Ladyship").[1][5] They also hold the style
of Most Noble, Most Honourable, and Potent
Prince,[6] but even in the most formal situations, this
style is rarely used.
 Earls, countesses, viscounts,
viscountesses, barons, baronesses, Scottish Lords
of Parliament, and Scottish Ladies of Parliament
bear the styles of The Right
Honourable and Lordship.[7][1]
 Scottish Barons and Baronesses bear the style
of The Much Honoured.

Belgium[edit]
 Archdukes are always styled Your Royal and
Imperial Highness.
 Princes of noble blood, Your Serene Highness, and
addressed monseigneur.
 Dukes are addressed as Monseigneur. [8]

Burma[edit]
 Royal descendants of King Thibaw are always
styled Your Royal and Grand Highness
 Princes and Princessess of noble blood, Your
Serene Highness, and addressed Hteik Tin
(Burmese: ထိပ်တင်).
Noble styles in Germany[edit]
Mediatized nobility[edit]
 Mediatized dukes (German: Reichsherzöge)
and princes (German: Reichsfürsten) in Germany
bore the style of Serene
Highness (German: Durchlaucht) or, in the case of
dukes, Ducal Serene Highness. With regard to
dukes, this fell out of use in the 19th century, at
least for the reigning members (who are styled as
Highness).
 Mediatized counts (German: Reichsgrafen) in
Germany bore the style of Illustrious
Highness (German: Erlaucht).
Non-mediatized nobility[edit]
 Non-mediatized noble dukes (German: Herzöge)
and princes (German: Fürsten) used to bear the
title of Ducal/Princely
Grace (German: herzogliche/fürstliche Gnaden).
They were rare, though, and at the beginning of the
20th century, they were altogether granted the style
of Serene Highness by Emperor Franz Joseph I.
 Non-mediatized counts (German: Grafen) in
Germany bore the style of High-
born (German: Hochgeboren).
 Other German nobles below the rank of count bore
the style of High Well-
born (German: Hochwohlgeboren). Another style
was Well-born (German: Wohlgeboren), which
ranked below High Well-born but was not used for
proper nobility and therefore fell out of use.

See also[edit]
 Ecclesiastical address
 Prince of the Church
 Forms of address in the United Kingdom
 Peerages in the United Kingdom
 Royal and noble ranks
 Thai royal ranks and titles
 False titles of nobility

References[edit]
Citations[edit]
 1. ^ Jump up to:a b c Samuel Maunder (1840), The Treasury of
Knowledge and Library Reference, Longman, Orme, Brown,
Green, & Longmans, p. 1.
2. ^ Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage,
Baronetage and Knightage, Burke's Peerage Limited, 1885,
p. 81.
3. ^ The Wiltshire Archæological and Natural History Magazine,
H. Bull, 1854, p. 325.
4. ^ The Christian Guardian, 1827, p. 259.
5. ^ John Bernard Burke (1852), A Genealogical and Heraldic
Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British
Empire, Colburn, p. 13.
6. ^ George Crabb (1823), "Marquis", Universal Technological
Dictionary, Baldwin, Cradock & Joy, p. 10.
7. ^ Royal Album: Court Directory and General Guide,
Spottiswoode & Company, 1867, p. 3.
8. ^ Discours adressé à Monseigneur le Duc d'Ursel par les
Officiers de la ...

General sources[edit]
 heraldica.org
 Genealogists Discover Royal Roots for All
show
 v

 t

 e
Imperial, royal, and noble styles

show
 v

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 e
Personal names and anthroponymy
Categories: 
 Royal styles
 Styles (forms of address)
 Nobility
 Noble titles
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