Guide to Styles of Address

This 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 Æfirans are free to employ them or not, at their own discretion.

In this table, alternatives are separated by slashes, in decreasing order of formality; words in square brackets are optional. 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
King’s husband or dowager king	His Majesty King `Patrick`	Your Majesty / Sire / Sir	His Majesty / King `Patrick`
Queen’s wife or dowager queen	Her Majesty Queen `Mary`	Your Majesty / Ma’am	Her Majesty / Queen `Mary`
Royal peer	H.R.H. the `Duke` of `Avon`	Your Royal Highness / Sir	His Royal Highness / the `Duke` of `Avon`
Royal peeress	H.R.H. the `Duchess` of `Westbury`	Your Royal Highness / Ma’am	Her Royal Highness / the `Duchess` of `Westbury`
Royal peer’s husband or dowager royal peer	H.R.H. Gareth, `Duke` of `Roxleigh`	Your Royal Highness / Sir	His Royal Highness / the [Dowager] `Duke` of `Roxleigh`
Royal peeress’s wife or dowager royal peeress	H.R.H. Mary, `Countess` of `Holbrook`	Your Royal Highness / Ma’am	Her Royal Highness / the [Dowager] `Countess` of `Holbrook`
Other prince (in his own right)	H.R.H. the Prince `Nicholas`	Your Royal Highness / Sir	His Royal Highness / Prince `Nicholas`
Other princess (in her own right)	H.R.H. the Princess `Michelle`	Your Royal Highness / Ma’am	Her Royal Highness / Princess `Michelle`
Other prince (by marriage)	H.R.H. Prince `Alan`	Your Royal Highness / Sir	His Royal Highness / Prince `Alan`
Other princess (by marriage)	H.R.H. Princess `Bridget`	Your Royal Highness / Ma’am	Her Royal Highness / Princess `Bridget`
Foreign ambassador or envoy	His or Her Excellency (according to other rank)	Your Excellency / (according to other rank)	His or Her Excellency / (according to other rank)
Duke	His Grace the Duke of `Hamptonshire`	Your Grace or My Lord Duke / Sir / Duke	His Grace / the Duke [of `Hamptonshire`]
Duchess	Her Grace the Duchess of `Inley`	Your Grace or My Lady Duchess / Ma’am / Duchess	Her Grace / the Duchess [of `Inley`]
Duke’s husband or dowager duke	His Grace `Leslie`, Duke of `Blair`	Your Grace or My Lord Duke / Sir / Duke	His Grace / the [Dowager] Duke [of `Blair`]
Duchess’s wife or dowager duchess	Her Grace `Ann`, Duchess of `Tyncaster`	Your Grace or My Lady Duchess / Ma’am / Duchess	Her Grace / the [Dowager] Duchess [of `Tyncaster`]
Marquess	The Most Hon. the Marquess of* `Walford`	My Lord or Your Lordship / Sir / Lord `Walford`	His Lordship / Lord `Walford`
Marchioness	The Most Hon. the Marchioness of* `Galbray`	My Lady or Your Ladyship / Ma’am / Lady `Galbray`	Her Ladyship / Lady `Galbray`
Marquess’s husband or dowager marquess	The Most Hon. `David`, Marquess* `Ramsay`	My Lord or Your Lordship / Sir / Lord `Ramsay`	His Lordship / [the Dowager] Lord `Ramsay`
Marchioness’s wife or dowager marchioness	The Most Hon. `Sara`, Marchioness of* `Fairfield`	My Lady or Your Ladyship / Ma’am / Lady `Fairfield`	Her Ladyship / [the Dowager] Lady `Fairfield`
Earl	The Rt. Hon. the Earl* `Patterson`	My Lord or Your Lordship / Sir / Lord `Patterson`	His Lordship / Lord `Patterson`
Countess	The Rt. Hon. the Countess* `Archer of Bakural`	My Lady or Your Ladyship / Ma’am / Lady `Archer`	Her Ladyship / Lady `Archer [of Bakural]`
Earl’s husband or dowager earl	The Rt. Hon. `Jared`, Earl of* `Shelby`	My Lord or Your Lordship / Sir / Lord `Shelby`	His Lordship / [the Dowager] Lord `Shelby`
Countess’s wife or dowager countess	The Rt. Hon. `Elizabeth`, Countess of* `Lewin`	My Lady or Your Ladyship / Ma’am / Lady `Lewin`	Her Ladyship / [the Dowager] Lady `Lewin`
Viscount	The Rt. Hon. the Viscount* `Isleworth`	My Lord or Your Lordship / Sir / Lord `Isleworth`	His Lordship / Lord `Isleworth`
Viscountess	The Rt. Hon. the Viscountess of* `Lindenfeld`	My Lady or Your Ladyship / Ma’am / Lady `Lindenfeld`	Her Ladyship / Lady `Lindenfeld`
Viscount’s husband or dowager viscount	The Rt. Hon. `Benjamin`, Viscount* `Delaney`	My Lord or Your Lordship / Sir / Lord `Delaney`	His Lordship / [the Dowager] Lord `Delaney`
Viscountess’s wife or dowager viscountess	The Rt. Hon. `Keira`, Viscountess* `Winterbourne`	My Lady or Your Ladyship / Ma’am / Lady `Winterbourne`	Her Ladyship / [the Dowager] Lady `Winterbourne`
Baron	The Rt. Hon. the Lord `Jafari`	My Lord or Your Lordship / Sir / Lord `Jafari`	His Lordship / Lord `Jafari`
Baroness	The Rt. Hon. the Lady `Duneven`	My Lady or Your Ladyship / Ma’am / Lady `Duneven`	Her Ladyship / Lady `Duneven`
Baron’s husband or dowager baron	The Rt. Hon. `Reginald`, Lord `Baker of Stockton`	My Lord or Your Lordship / Sir / Lord `Baker`	His Lordship / [the Dowager] Lord `Baker [of Stockton]`
Baroness’s wife or dowager baroness	The Rt. Hon. `Daisy`, Lady `Parke`	My Lady or Your Ladyship / Ma’am / Lady `Parke`	Her Ladyship / [the Dowager] Lady `Parke`
Privy Counselor	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`	My Lord or Your Lordship / Sir / Lord `Neil`	His Lordship / Lord `Neil` [`Perry`]
Prince’s or peer’s daughter	Lady `Kimura Mayako`	My Lady or Your Ladyship / Ma’am / Lady `Mayako`**	Her Ladyship / Lady [`Kimura`] `Mayako`
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.` `Derya Çelik`	Sir or Ma’am / `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).

** In this example, “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 example, “ibn Muhammad” is a patronymic, not a surname; “Mr. Muhammad” would be incorrect.

Postnominal letters

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 (if not a Privy Counselor or officer in the armed forces)	Esq.
Recipient of the Star of Valor	S.V.
Privy Counselor (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.
Officer in the Royal Navy	R.N.
Officer in the Royal Corps of Engineers	R.C.E.
Officer in the Army Logistic Corps	A.L.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.