Forms of address in the United Kingdom

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

Terminology

Abbreviations

Several terms have been abbreviated in the tables below. The forms used in the table are given first, followed by alternative acceptable abbreviations in parentheses. The punctuation of each abbreviation depends on the source. For example, the punctuation of "The Rt Hon" is not consistent throughout sources. The Gazette favours "The Rt. Hon.", while the government usually prefers "The Rt Hon" or "The Rt Hon."

His/Her Majesty: HM
His/Her Royal Highness: HRH
His/Her Grace: HG
The Most Honourable: The Most Hon
The Right Honourable: The Rt Hon
The Honourable: The Hon
The Much Honoured: The Much Hon
The Most Reverend: The Most Rev
The Right Reverend: The Rt Rev
The Very Reverend: The Very Rev
The Reverend: The Rev
The Venerable: The Ven

"The Most Noble", which is an abbreviation of "The Most High, Potent, and Noble", is rarely used by Dukes and Duchesses; when used, the forenames of the peer or peeress can be used after "His Grace" but before "The Duke of ". This style is also sometimes used without "His Grace".

Names and territorial designations

"London" represents the territorial designation of any peerage.
*"Edinburgh" represents any territorial designation in Scotland.
*"Birmingham" represents any manor in England or Wales.
"John" and "William" represent any male name
"Jane" and "Mary" represent any female name.
"Smith" and "Brown" represent any surname, regardless of gender.

In regards to the nobility, Mary Brown represents a woman who married John Brown, while Jane Smith represents an unmarried woman.

Royalty

Nobility

The preposition of may be omitted in the form of Marquessates and Earldoms and included in the form of Scottish Viscountcies. It is not often present in peerage Baronies and Lordships of Parliament, though always present in Dukedoms and Scottish feudal Baronies.
The definite article the in the middle of two or more titles is sometimes capitalized, as in these tables. However this is controversial: traditional British guides use the lower-case the. As a single example, Debrett's gives "Major-General the Lord...", and Pears' Cyclopaedia in the section on Modes of Address gives several examples where the definite article interior to a list of honours is lower case.

Peers and peeresses

Eldest sons of dukes, marquesses and earls

Eldest sons of dukes, marquesses and earls use their father's most senior subsidiary title as courtesy titles, without "The" before the title. If applicable, eldest sons of courtesy marquesses or courtesy earls also use a subsidiary title from their grandfather, which is lower ranking than the one used by their father. Eldest daughters do not have courtesy titles; all courtesy peeresses are wives of courtesy peers.

Position	On envelopes	Salutation in letter	Oral address
Courtesy marquess	Marquess London	My Lord or Dear Lord London	My Lord or Lord London
Courtesy marquess's wife	Marchioness London	Madam or Dear Lady London	My Lady or Lady London
Courtesy earl	Earl London	My Lord or Dear Lord London	My Lord or Lord London
Courtesy earl's wife	Countess London	Madam or Dear Lady London	My Lady or Lady London
Courtesy viscount	Viscount London	My Lord or Dear Lord London	My Lord or Lord London
Courtesy viscount's wife	Viscountess London	Madam or Dear Lady London	My Lady or Lady London
Courtesy baron Courtesy Lord of Parliament	Lord London	My Lord or Dear Lord London	My Lord or Lord London
Courtesy baron's wife Wife of courtesy Lord of Parliament	Lady London	Madam or Dear Lady London	My Lady or Lady London

Heirs 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.

Position	On envelopes	Salutation in letter	Oral address
Scottish peer's heir-apparent or heir-presumptive	The Master of Edinburgh	Sir or Dear Master of Edinburgh	Sir or Master
Scottish peer's heiress-apparent or heiress-presumptive	The Mistress of Edinburgh	Madam or Dear Mistress of Edinburgh	Madam or Mistress

Male descendants of peers

Female descendants of peers

If a daughter of a peer or courtesy peer 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.

Position	On envelopes	Salutation in letter	Oral address
Duke's daughter Marquess's daughter Earl's daughter	The Lady Mary Smith, The Lady Mary Brown	Madam or Dear Lady Mary	My Lady or Lady Mary
Viscount's daughter Baron's daughter Lord of parliament's daughter	The Hon Mary Smith	Madam or Dear Miss Smith	Madam or Miss Smith
Viscount's daughter Baron's daughter Lord of Parliament's daughter	The Hon Mrs Brown	Madam or Dear Mrs Brown	Madam or Mrs Brown

Gentry and minor nobility

Knights and Baronets are distinguished by the use of "Bt" after the latter's names. Esquires are distinguished by the use of "Esq" except in the case of a Scottish laird, whose territorial designation implies the rank of esquire.

Baronets

Position	On envelopes	Salutation in letter	Oral address
Baronet	Sir John Smith, Bt	Sir or Dear Sir John	Sir or Sir John
Baronetess in her own right	Dame Mary Smith, Btss	Madam or Dear Dame Mary	Madam or Dame Mary
Baronet's wife	Lady Brown	Madam or Dear Lady Brown	My Lady or Lady Brown
Baronet's divorced wife	Mary, Lady Brown	Madam or Dear Lady Brown	My Lady or Lady Brown
Baronet's widow	Mary, Lady Brown Dowager Lady Brown, or Lady Brown	Madam or Dear Lady Brown	My Lady or Lady Brown

Scottish barons

Barons in Scotland are non-peerage nobles in the Baronage of Scotland. The Scottish equivalent to an English baron is Lord of Parliament.

'	Baron	Baroness or Baron's wife
Envelope	John Smith , Baron of Edinburgh or Baron of Edinburgh ' if baron has territorial designation	Jane Smith, Baroness of Edinburgh or Baroness of Edinburgh or Lady Edinburgh
Salutation in a letter	Dear Baron or Dear Edinburgh	Dear Baroness or Dear Lady Edinburgh
Invitation / Place Card / Introduction	The Baron of Edinburgh Together: The Baron of Edinburgh and Lady Edinburgh	The Baroness of Edinburgh or Lady Edinburgh
Oral address	Baron or Edinburgh	Baroness or Lady Edinburgh

Knights and dames

Seigneurs of Fiefs (Channel Islands only)

Chiefs, chieftains and lairds

Lords of the Manor (England and Wales)

Clergy

Church of England

Similar styles are also applied to clergy of equivalent status in other religious organisations. The words clergy and cleric/clerk are derived from the proper term for bishops, priests and deacons still used in legal documents: ".

Position	On envelopes	Salutation in letter	Oral address
Archbishop	The Most Revd and Rt Hon The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury/York	Dear Archbishop	Your Grace or Archbishop
Diocesan bishop in Privy Council	The Rt Revd and Rt Hon The Lord Bishop of London	Dear Bishop	My Lord or Bishop
Bishop, diocesan or suffragan	The Rt Revd The Lord Bishop of Durham	Dear Bishop	My Lord or Bishop
Dean	The Very Revd The Dean of York	Dear Mr/Madam Dean	Dean or Mr/Madam Dean
Archdeacon	The Ven The Archdeacon of London	Dear Archdeacon	Archdeacon
Prebendary	The Revd Prebendary Smith	Dear Prebendary Smith	Prebend
Canon	The Revd Canon John Smith	Dear Canon	Canon
Priest	The Revd John Smith or The Revd Mr John Smith or The Revd Dr John Smith	Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms/Dr Smith	Mr/Mrs/Ms Smith or Vicar/Rector/Prebendary/Curate/Chaplain etc. as applicable
Deacon	The Revd Deacon John Smith or The Revd John Smith	Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms Smith or Dear Deacon Smith	Deacon Smith or Mr/Mrs/Ms Smith