Forms of Address in the United Kingdom

Forms of address used in the United Kingdom are given below.

Contents

Notes

The forms given under "Salutation in Letter" is for use in social correspondence only. In formal letters, "Sir" or "Madam" would be used instead.

Several terms have been abbreviated in the table below. The forms used in the table are given first, followed by alternative acceptable abbreviations in parantheses.

  • Her Majesty: HM
  • His Royal Highness: HRH
  • Her Royal Highness: HRH
  • Most Honourable: Most Hon. (Most Honble)
  • Right Honourable: Rt Hon. (Rt Honble)
  • Honourable: Hon. (Honble)
  • Most Reverend: Most Rev. (Most Revd)
  • Right Reverend: Rt Rev. (Rt Revd)
  • Very Reverend: Very Rev. (Very Revd)
  • Reverend: Rev. (Revd)
  • Venerable: Ven. (Venble)
PositionOn EnvelopesSalutation in LetterOral Address

Royalty

QueenHM The QueenYour MajestyYour Majesty, and thenceforward as "Ma'am"
Prince of WalesHRH The Prince of WalesYour Royal HighnessYour Royal Highness, and thenceforward as "Sir"
Wife of the Prince of WalesHRH The Princess of WalesYour Royal HighnessYour Royal Highness, and thenceforward as "Ma'am"
Princess RoyalHRH The Princess RoyalYour Royal HighnessYour Royal Highness, and thenceforward as "Ma'am"
Royal PeerHRH The Duke of LondonYour Royal HighnessYour Royal Highness, and thenceforward as "Sir"
Royal PeeressHRH The Duchess of LondonYour Royal HighnessYour Royal Highness, and thenceforward as "Ma'am"
Sovereign's son
(unless a peer)
HRH The Prince JohnYour Royal HighnessYour Royal Highness, and thenceforward as "Sir"
Sovereign's son's wife
(unless a peeress)
HRH The Princess JohnYour Royal HighnessYour Royal Highness, and thenceforward as "Ma'am"
Sovereign's daughter
(unless a peeress)
HRH The Princess MaryYour Royal HighnessYour Royal Highness, and thenceforward as "Ma'am"
Sovereign's son's son
(unless a peer)
HRH Prince JohnYour Royal HighnessYour Royal Highness, and thenceforward as "Sir"
Sovereign's son's son's wife
(unless a peeress)
HRH Princess JohnYour Royal HighnessYour Royal Highness, and thenceforward as "Ma'am"
Sovereign's son's daughter
(unless a peeress)
HRH Princess MaryYour Royal HighnessYour Royal Highness
Sovereign's son's son's son
(unless a peer)
The Lord John WindsorDear Lord JohnLord John
Sovereign's son's son's son's wife
(unless a peeress)
The Lady John WindsorDear Lady JohnLady John
Sovereign's son's son's daughter
(unless a peeress)
The Lady Mary WindsorDear Lady MaryLady Mary

Nobility

Peers and Peeresses
DukeHis Grace The Duke of LondonDear Duke of LondonYour Grace or
Duke
DuchessHer Grace The Duchess of LondonDear Duchess of LondonYour Grace or
Duchess
MarquessThe Most Hon. The Marquess of LondonDear Lord LondonMy Lord or
Lord London
MarchionessThe Most Hon. The Marchioness of LondonDear Lady LondonMy Lady or
Lady London
EarlThe Rt Hon. The Earl of LondonDear Lord LondonMy Lord or
Lord London
CountessThe Rt Hon. The Countess of LondonDear Lady LondonMy Lady or
Lady London
ViscountThe Rt Hon. The Viscount LondonDear Lord LondonMy Lord or
Lord London
ViscountessThe Rt Hon. The Viscountess LondonDear Lady LondonMy Lady or
Lady London
Baron
Lord of Parliament
The Rt Hon. The Lord LondonDear Lord LondonMy Lord or
Lord London
Baroness (in her own right)The Rt Hon. The Baroness London or
The Rt Hon. The Lady London
Dear Baroness London or
Dear Lady London
My Lady or
Baroness London or
Lady London
Baroness (in her husband's right)
Lady of Parliament (in her or her husband's right)
The Rt Hon. The Lady LondonDear Lady LondonMy Lady or
Lady London
Eldest sons of Dukes, Marquesses and Earls
(Eldest sons of Dukes, Marquesses and Earls use their fathers' highest secondary titles as courtesy titles. Eldest daughters do not have courtesy titles; all courtesy peeresses are wives of courtesy peers.)
Courtesy MarquessMarquess of LondonDear Lord LondonMy Lord or
Lord London
Courtesy MarchionessMarchioness of LondonDear Lady LondonMy Lady or
Lady London
Courtesy EarlEarl of LondonDear Lord LondonMy Lord or
Lord London
Courtesy CountessCountess of LondonDear Lady LondonMy Lady or
Lady London
Courtesy ViscountViscount LondonDear Lord LondonMy Lord or
Lord London
Courtesy ViscountessViscountess LondonDear Lady LondonMy Lady or
Lady London
Courtesy Baron
Courtesy Lord of Parliament
Lord LondonDear Lord LondonMy Lord or
Lord London
Courtesy Baroness
Courtesy Lady of Parliament
Lady LondonDear Lady LondonMy Lady or
Lady London
Heirs-apparent and heirs-presumptive of Scottish Peers
(Heirs-apparent and heirs-presumptive of Scottish Peers use the titles "Master" and "Mistress"; these are substantive, not courtesy titles. If, however, the individual is the eldest son of a Duke, Marquess or Earl, then he uses the appropriate courtesy title, as noted above.)
Scottish Peer's heir-apparent or heir-presumptiveThe Master of EdinburghDear Mr SmithMr Smith
Scottish Peer's heiress-apparent or heiress-presumptiveThe Mistress of EdinburghDear Miss SmithMiss Smith
Sons of peers
Duke's younger son
Marquess's younger son
The Lord John SmithDear Lord JohnLord John
Duke's younger son's wife
Marquess's younger son's wife
The Lady John SmithDear Lady JohnLady John
Earl's younger son
Viscount's son
Baron's son
Lord of Parliament's son
The Hon. John SmithDear Mr SmithMr Smith
Earl's younger son's wife
Viscount's son's wife
Baron's son's wife
Lord of Parliament's son's wife
The Hon. Mrs John SmithDear Mrs SmithMrs Smith
Daughters of Peers
(If a Peer's daughter marries another Peer or courtesy Peer, she takes her husband's rank. If she marries anyone else, she keeps her rank and title, using her husband's surname instead of her maiden name.)
Duke's daughter
Marquess's daughter
Earl's daughter
(unmarried or married to a commoner)
The Lady Mary SmithDear Lady MaryLady Mary
Viscount's daughter
Baron's daughter
Lord of Parliament's daughter
(unmarried)
The Hon. Mary SmithDear Miss SmithMiss Smith
Viscount's daughter
Baron's daughter
Lord of Parliament's daughter
(married to a commoner)
The Hon. Mrs SmithDear Mrs SmithMrs Smith

Gentry

Baronets
BaronetSir John Smith, BtDear Sir John SmithSir John
Baronetess in her own rightDame Mary Smith, BtssDear Dame Mary SmithDame Mary
Baronet's wifeLady SmithDear Lady SmithLady Smith
Knights
Knight (of any Order)Sir John SmithDear Sir John SmithSir John
Lady (of the Order of the Garter or the Thistle)Lady Mary SmithDear Lady Mary SmithLady Mary
Dame (of an Order other than the Garter or the Thistle)Dame Mary SmithDear Dame Mary SmithDame Mary
Knight's wifeLady SmithDear Lady SmithLady Smith
Scottish Feudal Barons, Lairds and Chiefs
Feudal BaronJohn Smith of Edinburgh or
The Baron of Edinburgh
Dear EdinburghEdinburgh
LairdJohn Smith of Edinburgh or
The Laird of Edinburgh
Dear EdinburghEdinburgh
ChiefJohn Smith of Edinburgh or
The Smith of Edinburgh
Dear EdinburghEdinburgh
Feudal Baroness
Lady
Female Chief
Chief's wife
Madam Smith of Edinburgh or
Lady Edinburgh
Dear Madam Smith of Edinburgh or
Dear Lady Edinburgh
Madam Edinburgh or
Lady Edinburgh
Feudal Baron's heir-apparent
Laird's heir-apparent
Chief's heir-apparent
John Smith of Edinburgh, younger or
John Smith, younger of Edinburgh
Dear Younger of Edinburgh or
Dear Young Edinburgh
Younger of Edinburgh or
Young Edinburgh
Feudal Baron's heir-apparent's wife
Laird's heir-apparent's wife
Chief's heir-apparent's wife
Mrs Smith of Edinburgh, youngerDear Mrs EdinburghMrs Edinburgh
Feudal Baron's eldest daughter
Laird's eldest daughter
Chief's eldest daughter
The Maid of Edinburgh or
Mary Smith, Maid of Edinburgh or
Miss Smith of Edinburgh
Dear Miss Smith of EdinburghMiss Smith of Edinburgh

Clergy

Church of England
ArchbishopThe Most Rev. and Rt Hon. The Lord Archbishop of LondonDear ArchbishopYour Grace or
Archbishop
Diocesan BishopThe Rt Rev. The Lord Bishop of LondonDear BishopBishop
BishopThe Rt Rev. The Bishop of LondonDear BishopBishop
DeanThe Very Rev. The Dean of LondonDear DeanDean
ProvostThe Very Rev. The Provost of LondonDear ProvostProvost
ArchdeaconThe Ven. The Archdeacon of LondonDear ArchdeaconArchdeacon
CanonThe Rev. John SmithDear CanonCanon
Vicar
Rector
The Rev. John SmithDear Mr Smith or
Dear Father Smith
Mr Smith or
Father Smith
Church of Scotland
Lord High Commissioner to the General AssemblyHis Grace The Lord High CommissionerYour GraceYour Grace
ClergyThe Rev. John SmithDear Mr Smith or Dear Father SmithMr Smith or
Father Smith
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