Excellency is an

honorific An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an honorary academic title. It ...

style given to certain high-level officers of a

sovereign state A sovereign state or sovereign country, is a polity, political entity represented by one central government that has supreme legitimate authority over territory. International law defines sovereign states as having a permanent population, defin ...

, officials of an international organization, or members of an

aristocracy Aristocracy (, ) is a form of government that places strength in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocracy (class), aristocrats. The term derives from the el, αριστοκρατία (), meaning 'rule of the best'. At t ...

. Once entitled to the title "Excellency", the holder usually retains the right to that courtesy throughout their lifetime, although in some cases the title is attached to a particular office, and is held only for the duration of that office. Generally people addressed as ''Excellency'' are heads of state,

heads of government The head of government is the highest or the second-highest official in the executive branch of a sovereign state, a federated state, or a self-governing colony, autonomous region, or other government who often presides over a cabinet, a gro ...

governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

ambassador An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or sov ...

Roman Catholic bishops Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

and high-ranking ecclesiastics and others holding equivalent rank (e.g., heads of international organizations). Members of royal families generally have distinct addresses (

Majesty Majesty (abbreviated HM for His Majesty or Her Majesty, oral address Your Majesty; from the Latin ''maiestas'', meaning "greatness") is used as a manner of address by many monarchs, usually kings or queens. Where used, the style outranks the st ...

Highness Highness (abbreviation HH, oral address Your Highness) is a formal style used to address (in second person) or refer to (in third person) certain members of a reigning or formerly reigning dynasty. It is typically used with a possessive adjecti ...

, etc.) It is sometimes misinterpreted as a title of office in itself, but in fact is an honorific that precedes various titles (such as Mr. President, and so on), both in speech and in writing. In reference to such an official, it takes the form ''His'' or ''Her Excellency''; in direct address, ''Your Excellency'', or, less formally, simply ''Excellency''. The abbreviation ''HE'' is often used instead of ''His/Her Excellency''; alternatively it may stand for ''

His Eminence His Eminence (abbreviation H.Em. or H.E. or HE) is a style (manner of address), style of reference for high nobility, still in use in various religious contexts. Catholicism The style remains in use as the official style or standard form of a ...

''.

Government

Heads of state and government

In most

republic A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...

nation state A nation state is a political unit where the state and nation are congruent. It is a more precise concept than "country", since a country does not need to have a predominant ethnic group. A nation, in the sense of a common ethnicity, may inc ...

s, the

head of state A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...

is formally addressed as ''His or Her Excellency''. If a republic has a separate

head of government The head of government is the highest or the second-highest official in the executive branch of a sovereign state, a federated state, or a self-governing colony, autonomous region, or other government who often presides over a cabinet, a gro ...

, that official is almost always addressed as ''Excellency'' as well. If the nation is a

monarchy A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state for life or until abdication. The political legitimacy and authority of the monarch may vary from restricted and largely symbolic (constitutional monarchy) ...

, 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 the

British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...

were entitled to be addressed as ''Excellency'' and this remains the position for the governors of what are now known as

British Overseas Territories The British Overseas Territories (BOTs), also known as the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs), are fourteen dependent territory, territories with a constitutional and historical link with the United Kingdom. They are the last remna ...

International diplomacy

In various international organizations, notably the UN and its agencies, ''Excellency'' is used as a generic form of address for all republican heads of state and

. It is often granted to the organization's head as well, and to those chiefs of UN diplomatic missions, such as

Resident Coordinator A United Nations Resident Coordinator is the highest United Nations official and the chief of UN diplomatic mission in a country (except when there is a mission of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations or similar, in which case the Special Repre ...

s (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. In recent years, some international organizations, such as the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, or the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...

, have designated their permanent representatives in third countries as ''ambassadors'', although they do not represent sovereign entities. This is now largely accepted, and because these ''ambassadors'' rank after the UN representative in the orders of precedence of representatives of international organizations, the UN coming naturally first as pre-eminent, the UN Resident Coordinators are now also commonly but informally referred to in diplomatic circles as ''ambassadors'', although the UN itself does not refer to them in this way.

International judiciary

Judges of the

International Court of Justice The International Court of Justice (ICJ; french: Cour internationale de justice, links=no; ), sometimes known as the World Court, is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN). It settles disputes between states in accordanc ...

are also called ''Your Excellency''.

Monarchy

Royalty

In some monarchies the

husband A husband is a male in a marital relationship, who may also be referred to as a spouse. The rights and obligations of a husband regarding his spouse and others, and his status in the community and in law, vary between societies and cultures, ...

wives A wife ( : wives) is a female in a marital relationship. A woman who has separated from her partner continues to be a wife until the marriage is legally dissolved with a divorce judgement. On the death of her partner, a wife is referred to as ...

, or children, of a royal prince or princess, who do not possess a princely title themselves, may be entitled to the style. For example, in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

spouses or children of a born '' infante'' or '' infanta'' are addressed as ''Excellency'', if not accorded a higher style. Also, former members of a royal house or family, who ''did'' have a royal title but forfeited it, may be awarded the style afterwards. Examples are former husbands or wives of a royal prince or princess, including

Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg, , formerly Princess Alexandra of Denmark, (''née'' Alexandra Christina Manley; born 30 June 1964) is the former wife of Prince Joachim of Denmark, the younger son of Margrethe II of Denmark. She was born i ...

, following her divorce from Prince Joachim of Denmark. Likewise,

Count Carl Johan Bernadotte of Wisborg Carl Johan Arthur, Prince Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg, (31 October 1916 – 5 May 2012) was the fourth son and fifth and youngest child of King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden and his first wife Princess Margaret of Connaught. He was born a Prince ...

, who lost his succession rights to the

Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

throne and discontinued use of his royal titles in 1946 when he married the commoner Elin Kerstin Margaretha Wijkmark, was accorded the style. In some emirates (e.g.,

Kuwait Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...

Qatar Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it sh ...

), only the Emir, heir apparent and prime minister are called ''His Highness''. Their children are styled with the lower treatment of ''His/Her Excellency'' (unless they possess a higher honorific).

Nobility

In Spain members of the high nobility, holding the dignity of

grandee Grandee (; es, Grande de España, ) is an official royal and noble ranks, aristocratic title conferred on some Spanish nobility. Holders of this dignity enjoyed similar privileges to those of the peerage of France during the , though in neith ...

, are addressed as ''The Most Excellent Lord/Lady''. In Denmark, some

count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

s (''lensgrever''), historically those related by blood or marriage to the

monarch A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. Life tenure, for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority ...

, who have entered a morganatic marriage or otherwise left the

Royal Family A royal family is the immediate family of kings/queens, emirs/emiras, sultans/ sultanas, or raja/ rani and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress, and the term ...

have the right to be styled as ''Your Excellency'', e.g., the Counts of Danneskiold-Samsøe, some of the

counts of Rosenborg The Danish royal family is the dynastic family of the monarch. All members of the Danish royal family except Queen Margrethe II hold the title of ''Prince/Princess of Denmark''. Dynastic children of the monarch and of the heir apparent are accor ...

and the

Countess of Frederiksborg Countess of Frederiksborg () is a Danish non-hereditary substantive title of nobility, which Queen Margrethe II of Denmark created for her former daughter-in-law, Alexandra. The title refers to Frederiksborg Castle in Hillerød, the largest Re ...

(''

ad personam ''Ad hominem'' (), short for ''argumentum ad hominem'' (), refers to several types of arguments, most of which are fallacious. Typically, this term refers to a rhetorical strategy where the speaker attacks the character, motive, or some other ...

''). In the Sultanate of Sulu, senior nobility and holders of royal offices that are granted the title of

Datu Sadja Datu Sadja is a senior titled nobility in the Royal Sultanate of Sulu. It is subordinate to the Datu or Su-sultanun which is acquired purely by inherited lineage or formal relationship to the Sultan. The title of Datu is roughly comparable to Eur ...

are addressed as ''His/Her Excellency.''

Knights

''Excellency'' can also attach to a prestigious quality, notably in an order of knighthood. For example, in the

Empire of Brazil The Empire of Brazil was a 19th-century state that broadly comprised the territories which form modern Brazil and (until 1828) Uruguay. Its government was a representative parliamentary constitutional monarchy under the rule of Emperors Dom Pe ...

, it was attached to the highest classes, each time called ''

Grand Cross Grand Cross is the highest class in many orders, and manifested in its insignia. Exceptionally, the highest class may be referred to as Grand Cordon or equivalent. In other cases, there may exist a rank even higher than Grand Cross, e.g. Grand ...

'', of all three imperial orders: Imperial Order of Pedro I, Imperial Order of the Southern Cross (in this case, also enjoying the military honours of a

Lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

) and Order of the Rose. In modern days, Knights Collar and Knights Grand Cross of the Spanish Orders of Chivalry, like the Order of Charles III,

Order of Isabella the Catholic The Order of Isabella the Catholic ( es, Orden de Isabel la Católica) is a Spanish civil order and honor granted to persons and institutions in recognition of extraordinary services to the homeland or the promotion of international relations a ...

Order of Civil Merit The Order of Civil Merit ( es, Orden del Mérito Civil) was established by King Alfonso XIII of Spain in 1926. The order recognizes "the civic virtue of officers in the service of the Nation, as well as extraordinary service by Spanish and fore ...

Order of Alfonso X the Wise The Civil Order of Alfonso X the Wise ( es, Orden Civil de Alfonso X el Sabio) is a Spanish civil order established in 1939, recognising activities in the fields of education, science, culture, higher education and research. The order was create ...

Royal Order of Sports Merit The Royal Order of Sports Merit ( es, Real Orden del Mérito Deportivo) is a Spanish civil order of merit established in 18 June 1982. The order is indented to recognise distinguished service in sports, in teaching physical education, or the mana ...

Civil Order of Health Civil may refer to: * Civic virtue, or civility *Civil action, or lawsuit * Civil affairs *Civil and political rights * Civil disobedience *Civil engineering * Civil (journalism), a platform for independent journalism *Civilian, someone not a m ...

, as well as recipients of the Grand Cross of

Military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

Naval A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...

, and Aeronautical Merit are addressed as such. Furthermore, Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Gregory the Great and the

Order of St. Sylvester Pontifical Equestrian Order of Saint Sylvester Pope and Martyr ( la, Ordo Sancti Silvestri Papae, it, Ordine di San Silvestro Papa), sometimes referred to as the Sylvestrine Order, or the Pontifical Order of Pope Saint Sylvester, is one of five o ...

of the

Holy See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...

, and Grand Cross of The Lion, Crested Crane, Crown, and The Drum of Rwanda, and Knights of the

Order of the Golden Fleece The Distinguished Order of the Golden Fleece ( es, Insigne Orden del Toisón de Oro, german: Orden vom Goldenen Vlies) is a Catholic order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in 1430, to celebrate his marriage ...

, and Knights Grand Cross of several other orders of high prestige, are often addressed as Excellency.

Ecclesiastical use

By a decree of the Sacred Congregation of Ceremonial of 31 December 1930 the

granted bishops of the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

the title of ''Most Reverend Excellency'' (

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

: ''Excellentia Reverendissima''). In the years following the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, the ambassadorial title of ''Excellency'', previously given to

nuncio An apostolic nuncio ( la, nuntius apostolicus; also known as a papal nuncio or simply as a nuncio) is an ecclesiastical diplomat, serving as an envoy or a permanent diplomatic representative of the Holy See to a state or to an international or ...

s, had already begun to be used by other Catholic bishops. The adjective ''Most Reverend'' was intended to distinguish the religious title from that of ''Excellency'' given to civil officials. The instruction ''Ut sive sollicite'' of the Holy See's Secretariat of State, dated 28 March 1969, made the addition of ''Most Reverend'' optional, sanctioning what had been (except possibly for the beginnings of letters and the like) always the practice. According to the letter of the decree of 31 December 1930, titular patriarchs 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 of ''Beatitude'', which was formally sanctioned for them with the motu proprio ''Cleri sanctitati'' of 2 June 1957. Cardinals, even those who were bishops, continued to use the title of ''Eminence''.

Eastern Orthodox Eastern Orthodoxy, also known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholicism and Protestantism. Like the Pentarchy of the first millennium, the mainstream (or "canonical") ...

titular metropolitan A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese. By definition, a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop, the tradition of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox an ...

s are addressed with the style of "Excellency". In some English-speaking countries, the honorific of ''Excellency'' does not apply to bishops other than the nuncio. In English law,

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

archbishops are granted the title of ''

Grace Grace may refer to: Places United States * Grace, Idaho, a city * Grace (CTA station), Chicago Transit Authority's Howard Line, Illinois * Little Goose Creek (Kentucky), location of Grace post office * Grace, Carroll County, Missouri, an uninco ...

'' (Your Grace, His Grace, as for a duke), and bishops are granted the title of ''Lord''. 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. An exception is former British East Africa (

Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...

By country

Afghanistan

In Afghanistan the title "Jalalat Mahab" is used for Princes ( Sardars) of the former Muhammadzai Dynasty, who are descendants of the Afghan King Sultan Mohammed Khan Telai. Although Jalalat Mahab is derived from the Arabic term "Jalalat" literally meaning "His Majesty", it is regarded as equal to "His Excellency" internationally. The descendants of King Nadir Shah held the title "Alaa Hazrat" in which context "Hazrat" is Turkish and means "Majesty" or "Highness" and thus literally translated means "Higher Majesty" or "Higher Highness". But it is in rank equal to "His Highness". The King himself held the title "Alaa Hazrat Humayoon" which literally translated means" His Most Exalted Majesty", but it can be equalized with "His Majesty". President Daoud Khan the Cousin of the last Afghan King Zahir Shah, who acted as Prime Minister under his cousin held the address "Jalalat Mahab Aali Qadr Sardari Alaa" during his term as

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

Albania

The

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

, the chairman of the Parliament and the

prime minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

are addressed as "His/Her Excellency".

Armenia

The president, the prime minister, the chairman of the Parliament, as well as ministers and ambassadors of

Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...

are addressed as "Excellency" (in

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...

Ձերդ գերազանցութիւն - Dzerd gerazancutiwn). The members of the traditional Armenian nobility are also addressed as "Excellency", although in

it is Ձերդ պայծառութիւն - Dzerd paytzarrowtiwn, literally "Your brightness".

Bangladesh

In Bangladesh the prime minister, the president, the speaker of the Parliament and the international diplomat are styled with "His/Her Excellency".

Belgium

Members of the

Council of Ministers of Belgium The Council of Ministers (french: Conseil des ministres; nl, Ministerraad) is the supreme executive organ of the Federal Government of the Kingdom of Belgium. It is a cabinet composed of the Prime Minister, who leads it, and up to fourteen senio ...

(

, deputy prime minister(s), other

ministers Minister may refer to: * Minister (Christianity), a Christian cleric ** Minister (Catholic Church) * Minister (government), a member of government who heads a ministry (government department) ** Minister without portfolio, a member of government w ...

, and Secretaries of state), but also honorary ministers of state, are entitled to the style of "His/Her Excellency". The style is also used for the governors of Belgium (i.e. governors of the ten

provinces of Belgium The Kingdom of Belgium is divided into three regions. Two of these regions, Flanders and Wallonia, are each subdivided into five provinces. The third region, Brussels, does not belong to any province and nor is it subdivided into provinces. Inst ...

governor of Brussels The Governor of the Administrative Arrondissement of Brussels-Capital (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (French: ''Gouverneur de Bruxelles-Capitale'', Dutch: ''Gouverneur van Brussel-Hoofdstad'') ...

, governor of the

national bank of Belgium The National Bank of Belgium (NBB; nl, Nationale Bank van België, french: Banque nationale de Belgique, german: Belgische Nationalbank) has been the central bank of Belgium since 1850. The National Bank of Belgium was established with 100% pr ...

) and ambassadors (both foreign ambassadors in Belgium and Belgian ambassadors to other countries). Moreover, within the Catholic Church in Belgium, the (

arch- This is a list of common affixes used when scientifically naming species, particularly extinct species for whom only their scientific names are used, along with their derivations. *a-, an-: ''Pronunciation'': /ə/, /a/, /ən/, /an/. ''Origin'' ...

)

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

s and (pro-)nuntia are addressed as "His Excellency Monsignor" (i.e. in Dutch as ''Zijne Excellentie Monseigneur'').

Brazil

In 1991, the

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

ian Presidential Office issued a composition manual to establish the appropriate usage of the

Portuguese language Portuguese ( or, in full, ) is a western Romance language of the Indo-European language family, originating in the Iberian Peninsula of Europe. It is an official language of Portugal, Brazil, Cape Verde, Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau and ...

for all government agencies. The manual states that the title of ''Excelência'' (Excellency) is the proper form used to address the president and

vice president A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on t ...

, all

members of parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...

and

judge A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a panel of judges. A judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the barristers or solicitors of the case, assesses the credibility an ...

s, among other officials.

Cambodia

In the Kingdom of Cambodia, deputy prime ministers, senior ministers, members of the

Council of Ministers A council is a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. A council may function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county/shire level, but most legislative bodies at the state/provincial or natio ...

, secretary of state, and members of

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

are addressed as "His/Her Excellency" ( km, ឯកឧត្ដម, /, ).

Commonwealth of Nations

Within the Commonwealth of Nations, the following officials usually use the style ''His or Her Excellency'': * The Commonwealth secretary-general; * Presidents of Commonwealth republics; *

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

s and

governors-general Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...

, and the spouses of governors-general; * Commonwealth high commissioners (but ''not'' their spouses); * Foreign ambassadors (but ''not'' their spouses); * Foreign dignitaries who are entitled to the style in their own countries. While reference may be made to the ''King's Most Excellent Majesty'', the style ''Excellency'' is not used with reference to the

King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...

Chile

The

president of Chile The president of Chile ( es, Presidente de Chile), officially known as the President of the Republic of Chile ( es, Presidente de la República de Chile), is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Chile. The president is re ...

and the

president of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile The president of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile ( es, Presidente de la Cámara de Diputadas y Diputados de la República de Chile) is the highest authority of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile. The office was established in 1811 by the First N ...

are addressed by the style "His/Her Excellency".

Germany

The

president of Germany The president of Germany, officially the Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: link=no, Bundespräsident der Bundesrepublik Deutschland),The official title within Germany is ', with ' being added in international corres ...

and

chancellor of Germany The chancellor of Germany, officially the federal chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany,; often shortened to ''Bundeskanzler''/''Bundeskanzlerin'', / is the head of the federal government of Germany and the commander in chief of the Ge ...

are both addressed by the style "Excellency" in international diplomacy, albeit not domestically.

India

The

president of India The president of India ( IAST: ) is the head of state of the Republic of India. The president is the nominal head of the executive, the first citizen of the country, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Indian Armed Forces. Droupadi Murmu ...

and

s 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 Bhishma (Sanskrit: भीष्‍म, , ), also known as Pitamaha, Gangaputra, and Devavrata, played an integral role in Mahabharata. He was the supreme commander of the Kaurava forces during the Kurukshetra War mentioned in the Hindu epic M ...

) as महामहिम भीष्म (His/Your Excellency Bhishma) in Mahabharat. However the Constitution makers approved will discontinue "ancient era" styles of Mahāmahim. The same release states that in

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

(which is the other language in which subsidiary official communications are released in the Central

Government of India The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, c ...

in its capacity of Sahāyak Rājabhāśhā: Subsidiary Officiating language) the style Honourable shall replace the erstwhile His/Her/Your Excellency. The newer style will be ''Honourable''. The corresponding changes in releases from the President's Secretariat shall be from Mahāmahim to Rāshtrapatiji. The release also talks about the styles of other dignitaries, like

governors A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political_regions, political region, ranking under the Head of State, head of state and in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of ...

. "Hon'ble" will be used before the titles "president" and "governor", while the traditional honorifics ''

Shri Shri (; , ) is a Sanskrit term denoting resplendence, wealth and prosperity, primarily used as an honorific. The word is widely used in South and Southeast Asian languages such as Marathi, Malay (including Indonesian and Malaysian), Javanese, ...

'' or ''Smt.'' (''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.

Ireland

The

president of Ireland The president of Ireland ( ga, Uachtarán na hÉireann) is the head of state of Republic of Ireland, Ireland and the supreme commander of the Defence Forces (Ireland), Irish Defence Forces. The president holds office for seven years, and can ...

is addressed as ''Your Excellency'' or in the Irish language, ''a Shoilse''. Alternatively, one may address the president simply as ''President'' or in the Irish language ''a Uachtaráin''.

Italy

The president of Italy and the

prime minister of Italy The Prime Minister of Italy, officially the President of the Council of Ministers ( it, link=no, Presidente del Consiglio dei Ministri), is the head of government of the Italian Republic. The office of president of the Council of Ministers is ...

(officially called President of the Council of Ministers) are addressed 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.

Jordan

Like many countries that once formed part of the Ottoman Empire, ''His/Her Excellency'' is used as the style for those with the title of

Bey Bey ( ota, بك, beğ, script=Arab, tr, bey, az, bəy, tk, beg, uz, бек, kz, би/бек, tt-Cyrl, бәк, translit=bäk, cjs, пий/пек, sq, beu/bej, sh, beg, fa, بیگ, beyg/, tg, бек, ar, بك, bak, gr, μπέης) is ...

Pasha Pasha, Pacha or Paşa ( ota, پاشا; tr, paşa; sq, Pashë; ar, باشا), in older works sometimes anglicized as bashaw, was a higher rank in the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman political and military system, typically granted to governors, gener ...

. 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 of ''His/Her Excellency'' is used on its own. Those styled this way include government ministers, senior military officers, and the husbands and children of Princesses.

Kenya

The

president of Kenya The president of the Republic of Kenya () is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Kenya. The President is also the head of the executive branch of the Government of Kenya and is the commander-in-chief of the Kenya Defe ...

is addressed as "His/Her Excellency". The governors of the counties and diplomats are also addressed as "His/Her Excellency".

Malaysia

The

(Yang di-Pertua Negeri) of Melaka,

Penang Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...

Sabah Sabah () is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indone ...

, and

Sarawak Sarawak (; ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the M ...

are addressed as "His Excellency" (Tuan Yang Terutama). High commissioners and ambassadors are also addressed as "His/Her Excellency" (Tuan/Puan Yang Terutama).

Myanmar

The president of Myanmar,

first lady First lady is an unofficial title usually used for the wife, and occasionally used for the daughter or other female relative, of a non-monarchical A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state fo ...

, state counsellor, vice-presidents of Myanmar, speaker of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw,

speaker of the House of Nationalities The speaker of the Amyotha Hluttaw ( my, အမျိုးသားလွှတ်တော် ဥက္ကဌ) is the presiding officer or Speaker of the Amyotha Hluttaw The Amyotha Hluttaw ( my, အမျိုးသားလွှတ� ...

speaker of the House of Representatives of Myanmar The Speaker of the Pyithu Hluttaw ( my, ပြည်သူ့လွှတ်တော် ဥက္ကဋ္ဌ) is the presiding officer or Speaker of the Pyithu Hluttaw The Pyithu Hluttaw ( my, ပြည်သူ့ လွှတ်တေ ...

, governor of the

Central Bank of Myanmar The Central Bank of Myanmar (; ; abbreviated CBM) is the central bank of Myanmar (formerly Burma). Organisation Its headquarter located in Naypyidaw, and it has branches in Yangon and Mandalay. The Governor is Kyaw Kyaw Maung and three V ...

, members of the Cabinet of Myanmar,

chief ministers of states and regions of Myanmar The Region Chief Minister ( my, တိုင်းဒေသကြီးဝန်ကြီးချုပ်) or State Chief Minister ( my, ပြည်နယ်ဝန်ကြီးချုပ်) serves as the chief executive of each of the respe ...

, mayors and ambassadors are addressed as "His/Her Excellency" while justices of the Supreme Court of Myanmar are addressed as "The Honourable".

The Netherlands

Members of the cabinet of the Netherlands (

, deputy prime minister(s), other

, and state secretaries), but also honorary ministers of state, are entitled to the style of "His/Her Excellency". The style is also used for the executive officers of the Dutch royal court (great officers of the Royal House, hofmarschall,

equerry An equerry (; from French ' stable', and related to 'squire') is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attendant, usually up ...

s), governors of the

constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands , national_anthem = ) , image_map = Kingdom of the Netherlands (orthographic projection).svg , map_width = 250px , image_map2 = File:KonDerNed-10-10-10.png , map_caption2 = Map of the four constituent countries shown to scale , capital = ...

(

Aruba Aruba ( , , ), officially the Country of Aruba ( nl, Land Aruba; pap, Pais Aruba) is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands physically located in the mid-south of the Caribbean Sea, about north of the Venezuela peninsula of ...

Curaçao Curaçao ( ; ; pap, Kòrsou, ), officially the Country of Curaçao ( nl, Land Curaçao; pap, Pais Kòrsou), is a Lesser Antilles island country in the southern Caribbean Sea and the Dutch Caribbean region, about north of the Venezuela coast ...

, and

Sint Maarten Sint Maarten () is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Caribbean. With a population of 41,486 as of January 2019 on an area of , it encompasses the southern 44% of the divided island of Saint Martin, while the north ...

), ambassadors (both foreign ambassadors in the Netherlands and Dutch ambassadors to other countries), judges of the

, and flag- and

general officer A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED O ...

s of three-star rank and above (

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

lieutenant-general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

lieutenant-admiral Lieutenant admiral () is a senior naval military rank in the Royal Netherlands Navy. The rank is a four-star rank, senior to a vice-admiral () and equivalent to admiral in most foreign navies. It is used whenever the Dutch Chief of Defence is fro ...

s, and vice-admirals). Moreover, within the Catholic Church in the Netherlands, the (

)

s and (pro-)nuntia are addressed as "His Most Reverend Excellency" (i.e. in Dutch as ''Zijne Hoogwaardige Excellentie'').

Nigeria

The president of Nigeria and

vice-president of Nigeria The vice president of Nigeria is the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the federal government of Nigeria, after the president of Nigeria, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. Officially styled vice presiden ...

shares the style "His/Her Excellency" with the various governors and their deputies of the country's regional states as well as their wives.

Pakistan

The

prime minister of Pakistan The prime minister of Pakistan ( ur, , romanized: Wazīr ē Aʿẓam , ) is the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and his chosen cabinet, despite the president of Paki ...

and the

president of Pakistan The president of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=s̤adr-i Pākiṣṭān), officially the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is the ceremonial head of state of Pakistan and the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Armed Forces.

Peru

The president of Peru is addressed as "His/Her Excellency" (In Spanish: ''Su Excelencia'') if in diplomatic context.

Philippines

The

(

Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...

: ''pangulo''; Spanish and colloquially: ''presidente'') is addressed in

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. Populist president

Rodrigo Duterte Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945), also known as Digong, Rody, and by the initials DU30 and PRRD, is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the chairperson ...

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-serving mayor of Davao City and that his cabinet officials only be addressed as "Secretary". Other government officials followed suit by abandoning use of "The Honorable". 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 ''The Honourable'' (British English) or ''The Honorable'' (American English; see spelling differences) (abbreviation: ''Hon.'', ''Hon'ble'', or variations) is an honorific style that is used as a prefix before the names or titles of certain ...

"; both titles, however, may be glossed in Filipino as ''Ang Kagalang-galang''.

Portugal

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

, the proper style of the

is "His/Her Excellency" ( Portuguese: Sua Excelência).

Somalia

The

president of Somalia The president of Somalia ( so, Madaxaweynaha Soomaaliya) is the head of state of Somalia. The president is also commander-in-chief of the Somali Armed Forces. The president represents the Federal Government of Somalia, Federal Republic of Somal ...

is addressed 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.

South Africa

The

president of South Africa The president of South Africa is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of South Africa. The president heads the executive branch of the Government of South Africa and is the commander-in-chief of the South African Nationa ...

(and historically the

state president of the South African Republic This is a list of State Presidents of the South African Republic (Before 1866 nl, President van de Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek and after 1866 nl, Staatspresident der Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek). The country was referred as the ''Transvaal R ...

), is (and was) addressed as "His/Her Excellency" if in a formal context.

South Korea

The

president of South Korea The president of the Republic of Korea (), also known as the president of South Korea (often abbreviated to POTROK or POSK; ), is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Korea. The president leads the State Council, and is ...

is addressed as "His/Her Excellency" ( ko, 각하, gagha) if in a formal context both inside and outside of

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

Spain

Spain uses the title "

The Most Excellent The Most Excellent (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Excelentísimo Señor'' (male) or ''Excelentísima Señora'' (female), literally "Most Excellent Sir/Madam") is an honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain people in Spain and certa ...

" extensively as a formal address to high officers of the state. The following officials receive the treatment: * The

and former prime ministers, current and former deputy prime ministers of the central government, current and former government ministers, current junior ministers (''secretaries of state'') and the undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry. * Government delegates. * Ambassadors and ministers plenipotentiaries of first and second rank. * Captain generals, generals of the army, admiral generals, generals of the Air, lieutenant generals, admirals,

divisional general Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corps ...

s, vice-admirals, brigadier generals, and counter admirals.Art. 302 de las Reales Ordenanzas del Ejército de Tierra, art. 491 de las Reales Ordenanzas de la Armada y art. 341 de las Reales Ordenanzas del Ejército del Aire. * The president, councillors, and secretary general of the Council of State, as well as the chief counsels of the Council of State. * The president and former presidents of each of the autonomous communities, as well as the sitting councillors (regional ministers). * The president of the

Congress of Deputies The Congress of Deputies ( es, link=no, Congreso de los Diputados, italic=unset) is the lower house of the Cortes Generales, Spain's legislative branch. The Congress meets in the Palacio de las Cortes, Madrid, Palace of the Parliament () in Ma ...

, the president of the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

, all members of the Cortes Generales (although the later are usually addressed as "His/Her Lordship" (sp. ''Su señoría''). * The members of the

General Council of the Judiciary The General Council of the Judiciary ( es, Consejo General del Poder Judicial, CGPJ) is the national council of the judiciary of Spain. It is the constitutional body that governs all the Judiciary of Spain, such as courts, and judges, as it is ...

, the president and the judges of the Spanish Supreme Court, the

Spanish Attorney General The Attorney General of the State ''(')'', or also, Prosecutor General, is the head of the Prosecution Ministry (''Ministerio Fiscal''), the body with functional autonomy in the Judiciary, that has constitutionally been entrusted with the promoti ...

, and the members of the

Spanish Constitutional Court The Constitutional Court ( es, Tribunal Constitucional) is the supreme interpreter of the Spanish Constitution, with the power to determine the constitutionality of acts and statutes made by any public body, central, regional, or local in Spa ...

. * The presidents and numeraries of the eight Royal Academies. * The governor of the

Bank of Spain The Bank of Spain ( es, link=no, Banco de España) is the central bank of Spain. Established in Madrid in 1782 by Charles III of Spain, Charles III, today the bank is a member of the European System of Central Banks and is also Spain's national ...

. * The presidents of the three Foral Deputation (provincial governments) of the

Basque Country Basque Country may refer to: * Basque Country (autonomous community), as used in Spain ( es, País Vasco, link=no), also called , an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain (shown in pink on the map) * French Basque Country o ...

, and the president of the Deputation of Barcelona. * The rectors of the Universities (usually addressed as His/Her Excellency and Magnificence). * Grandees of Spain and their consort, as well the Heirs of Grandees and their consort * Knights/Dames of the Collar and Knights/Dames Grand Cross of the Spanish military and civilian orders The style "

His Excellency Excellency is an honorific style (manner of address), style given to certain high-level officers of a sovereign state, officials of an international organization, or members of an aristocracy. Once entitled to the title "Excellency", the holder ...

", 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.

Sri Lanka

The president of Sri Lanka was addressed as ''His/Her Excellency''. This was until 2022, when President Ranil Wickremesinghe banned the use. However, it is still used diplomatically.

Sweden

The

Swedish language Swedish ( ) is a North Germanic language spoken predominantly in Sweden and in parts of Finland. It has at least 10 million native speakers, the fourth most spoken Germanic language and the first among any other of its type in the Nordic countr ...

title and forms of address are ''Hans/Hennes Excellens'' (His/Her Excellency) and ''Ers Excellens'' (Your Excellency). During most of the 20th century in

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

, only three officials (other than foreign ambassadors accredited in Sweden and Swedish ambassadors at their post) were granted to the style of ''Excellency'': the

, the minister for foreign affairs and the marshal of the realm (the highest ranking courtier). They were indeed collectively referred to as "the three excellencies" ( sv, de tre excellenserna) 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 in

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

protocol and in other diplomatic writing. Prior to the 19th century, a

Lord of the Realm ''En af rikets herrar'' (in Swedish) or Lord of the Realm was an honorary title introduced by King Gustaf III of Sweden shortly after his bloodless coup d'état in 1772, and after the new constitution was passed by the Riksdag of the Estates. It ...

( sv, En af Rikets Herrar) and a member of the

Council of the Realm The Council of the Realm ( es, Consejo del Reino) was a corporate organ of Francoist Spain, created by the Law of Succession to the Headship of the State of 1947. Within the institutional complex created to hierarchize the regime of Francisco Fran ...

were also entitled to the style as Excellency.

Thailand

The

prime Minister of Thailand The prime minister of Thailand ( th, นายกรัฐมนตรี, , ; literally 'chief minister of state') is the head of government of Thailand. The prime minister is also the chair of the Cabinet of Thailand. The post has existed si ...

, deputy prime ministers, other cabinet members, governors and ambassadors are addressed as "His/Her Excellency".

Turkey

The

president of Turkey The president of Turkey, officially the president of the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Cumhurbaşkanı), is the head of state and head of government of Turkey. The president directs the executive branch of the government of Tu ...

is addressed as "His/Her Excellency".

United States

In the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, the form ''Excellency'' was commonly used for

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...

during his service as commander-in-chief of the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...

and later when

president of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...

, but it began to fall out of use with his successor

John Adams John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Befor ...

, and today is sometimes replaced in direct address with the simple '' Mr. President'' or ''the

Honorable ''The Honourable'' (British English) or ''The Honorable'' (American English; see spelling differences) (abbreviation: ''Hon.'', ''Hon'ble'', or variations) is an honorific style that is used as a prefix before the names or titles of certain ...

''. Nevertheless, in the protocol of many foreign countries and

, the president and the secretary of state are usually referred to as ''Excellency''. Diplomatic correspondence to President

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, as during the

Trent Affair The ''Trent'' Affair was a International incident, diplomatic incident in 1861 during the American Civil War that threatened a war between the United States and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Great Britain. The United States Navy, ...

, for instance, frequently referred to him as ''His Excellency''. The form ''Excellency'' was used for the

of most of the original

Thirteen Colonies The Thirteen Colonies, also known as the Thirteen British Colonies, the Thirteen American Colonies, or later as the United Colonies, were a group of Kingdom of Great Britain, British Colony, colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America. Fo ...

, and the practice formally continued after

independence Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...

. For example, the term was formerly used in Georgia on the state governor's letterhead, the text of executive orders, any document that requires the governor's signature, and informal settings. However, in most states the practice fell out of use (or was never introduced) and the title ''

'' is now used instead. Though the U.S. president and U.S. ambassadors are traditionally accorded the style elsewhere, the U.S. government does not usually use ''Excellency'' for its own chiefs of missions, preferring ''Honorable'' instead.

Government

Heads of state and government

International diplomacy

International judiciary

Monarchy

Royalty

Nobility

Knights

Ecclesiastical use

By country

Afghanistan

Albania

Armenia

Bangladesh

Belgium

Brazil

Cambodia

Commonwealth of Nations

Chile

Germany

India

Ireland

Italy

Jordan

Kenya

Malaysia

Myanmar

The Netherlands

Nigeria

Pakistan

Philippines

Portugal

Somalia

South Africa

South Korea

Spain

Sri Lanka

Sweden

Thailand

Turkey

United States

See also

Notes

References

Further reading