Excellency

Heads of state and government

In most republican nation states, the head of state is formally addressed as His or Her Excellency.^[4]

If a republic has a separate head of government, that official is almost always addressed as Excellency as well. If the nation is a 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 were entitled to be addressed as Excellency and this remains the position for the governors of what are now known as British Overseas Territories.^[5]

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

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In recent years, some international organizations, such as the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, or the European Union, 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 are also called Your Excellency.

Discover more about Government related topics

Republic

Republic

A republic is a system of government where people choose representatives through elections to make decisions in the public's interest. In contrast, a democracy might rely primarily on sortition to make decisions by a representative sample of the public while an autocracy concentrates power in very few hands.

Nation state

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.

Head of state

Head of state

A head of state is the public persona who officially embodies a state in its unity and legitimacy. Depending on the country's form of government and separation of powers, the head of state may be a ceremonial figurehead or concurrently the head of government and more.

Head of government

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 group of ministers or secretaries who lead executive departments. In diplomacy, "head of government" is differentiated from "head of state" although in some countries, for example the United States, they are the same person.

Monarchy

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, to fully autocratic, and can expand across the domains of the executive, legislative, and judicial.

British Empire

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 established by England between the late 16th and early 18th centuries. At its height it was the largest empire in history and, for over a century, was the foremost global power. By 1913, the British Empire held sway over 412 million people, 23 per cent of the world population at the time, and by 1920, it covered 35.5 million km2 (13.7 million sq mi), 24 per cent of the Earth's total land area. As a result, its constitutional, legal, linguistic, and cultural legacy is widespread. At the peak of its power, it was described as "the empire on which the sun never sets", as the Sun was always shining on at least one of its territories.

British Overseas Territories

British Overseas Territories

The British Overseas Territories (BOTs), also known as the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs), are fourteen territories with a constitutional and historical link with the United Kingdom. They are the last remnants of the former British Empire and do not form part of the United Kingdom itself. The permanently inhabited territories are internally self-governing, with the United Kingdom retaining responsibility for defence and foreign relations. Three of the territories are inhabited, chiefly or only, by a transitory population of military or scientific personnel. All but one of the rest are listed by the UN Special Committee on Decolonization as non-self-governing territories. All fourteen have the British monarch as head of state. These UK government responsibilities are assigned to various departments of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and are subject to change.

International organization

International organization

An international organization or international organisation, also known as an intergovernmental organization or an international institution, is a stable set of norms and rules meant to govern the behavior of states and other actors in the international system. Organizations may be established by a treaty or be an instrument governed by international law and possessing its own legal personality, such as the United Nations, the World Health Organization and NATO. International organizations are composed of primarily member states, but may also include other entities, such as other international organizations, firms, and nongovernmental organizations. Additionally, entities may hold observer status.

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is the world's largest regional security-oriented intergovernmental organization with observer status at the United Nations. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, promotion of human rights, freedom of the press, and free and fair elections. It employs around 3,460 people, mostly in its field operations but also in its secretariat in Vienna, Austria, and its institutions.

European Union

European Union

The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of 4,233,255.3 km2 (1,634,469.0 sq mi) and an estimated total population of nearly 447 million. The EU has often been described as a sui generis political entity combining the characteristics of both a federation and a confederation.

Permanent representative

Permanent representative

A permanent representative is a diplomat who is the head of a country’s diplomatic mission to an international organisation.

International Court of Justice

International Court of Justice

The International Court of Justice, sometimes known as the World Court, is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN). It settles disputes between states in accordance with international law and gives advisory opinions on international legal issues. The ICJ is the only international court that adjudicates general disputes between countries, with its rulings and opinions serving as primary sources of international law.

Royalty

In some monarchies the husbands, wives, 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 spouses or children of a born infante or infanta are addressed as Excellency, if not accorded a higher style.

Former members of a royal house or family, who have forfeited a royal title, may be awarded the style afterwards. Examples are former husbands or wives of a royal prince or princess, including Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg, following her divorce from Prince Joachim of Denmark. Likewise, Count Carl Johan Bernadotte of Wisborg, who lost his succession rights to the Swedish 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, such as Kuwait and Qatar, the Emir, heir apparent and prime minister are called His Highness. Their children are styled with His/Her Excellency unless they possess a higher honorific.

Nobility

In Spain members of the high nobility, holding the dignity of grandee, are addressed as The Most Excellent Lord/Lady.

In Denmark, some counts (lensgrever), historically those related by blood or marriage to the Danish monarch, who have entered a morganatic marriage or otherwise left the Royal Family have the right to be styled as Your Excellency, e.g., the Counts of Danneskiold-Samsøe, some of the counts of Rosenborg and the Countess of Frederiksborg (ad personam).

In the Sultanate of Sulu, senior nobility and holders of royal offices that are granted the title of Datu Sadja are addressed as His/Her Excellency.^[6]

Knights

Excellency can also attach to a prestigious quality, notably in an order of knighthood. For example, in the Empire of Brazil, it was attached to the highest classes, each time called Grand Cross, of all three imperial orders: Imperial Order of Pedro I, Imperial Order of the Southern Cross with the military honours of a Lieutenant general and Order of the Rose.

Knights Collar and Knights Grand Cross of the Spanish Orders of Chivalry, such as the Order of Charles III, Order of Isabella the Catholic, Order of Civil Merit, Order of Alfonso X the Wise, Royal Order of Sports Merit, Civil Order of Health, as well as recipients of the Grand Cross of Military, Naval, 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 of the Holy See, and Grand Cross of The Lion, Crested Crane, Crown, and The Drum of Rwanda, and Knights of the Order of the Golden Fleece, and Knights Grand Cross of several other orders of high prestige, are often addressed as Excellency.^[7]

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Husband

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, and have varied over time.

Infante

Infante

Infante, also anglicised as Infant or translated as Prince, is the title and rank given in the Iberian kingdoms of Spain and Portugal to the sons and daughters (infantas) of the king, regardless of age, sometimes with the exception of the heir apparent or heir presumptive to the throne who usually bears a unique princely or ducal title. A woman married to a male infante was accorded the title of infanta if the marriage was dynastically approved, although since 1987 this is no longer automatically the case in Spain. Husbands of born infantas did not obtain the title of infante through marriage, although they were occasionally elevated to the title de gracia at the sovereign's command.

Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg

Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg

Alexandra Christina, Countess of Frederiksborg,, formerly Princess Alexandra of Denmark, is the former wife of Prince Joachim of Denmark, the younger son of Margrethe II of Denmark.

Prince Joachim of Denmark

Prince Joachim of Denmark

Prince Joachim of Denmark, Count of Monpezat, is a member of the Danish royal family. The younger son of Queen Margrethe II, he is sixth in the line of succession to the Danish throne, following his elder brother, Crown Prince Frederik and his four children.

Emirate

Emirate

An emirate is a territory ruled by an emir, a title used by monarchs or high officeholders in the Muslim world. From a historical point of view, an emirate is a political-religious unit smaller than a caliphate. It can be considered equivalent to a principality in non-Muslim contexts.

Kuwait

Kuwait

Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, 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 north and Saudi Arabia to the south. Kuwait also shares maritime borders with Iran. Kuwait has a coastal length of approximately 500 km (311 mi). Most of the country's population reside in the urban agglomeration of the capital city Kuwait City. As of 2022, Kuwait has a population of 4.45 million people of which 1.45 million are Kuwaiti citizens while the remaining 3.00 million are foreign nationals from over 100 countries. Kuwait has the largest number of stateless people in the entire region.

Qatar

Qatar

Qatar, 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 shares its sole land border with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its territory surrounded by the Persian Gulf. The Gulf of Bahrain, an inlet of the Persian Gulf, separates Qatar from nearby Bahrain. The capital is Doha, home to over 80% of the country's inhabitants, and the land area is mostly made up of flat, low-lying desert.

Grandee

Grandee

Grandee is an official aristocratic title conferred on some Spanish nobility. Holders of this dignity enjoyed similar privileges to those of the peerage of France during the Ancien Régime, though in neither country did they have the significant constitutional political role the House of Lords gave to the Peerage of England, of Great Britain and of the United Kingdom. A "Grandee of Spain" nonetheless enjoyed greater social privileges than those of other similar European dignities.

Count

Count

Count is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Especially in earlier medieval periods the term often implied not only a certain status, but also that the count had specific responsibilities or offices. The etymologically related English term "county" denoted the territories associated with some countships, but not all.

Monarchy of Denmark

Monarchy of Denmark

The monarchy of Denmark is a constitutional institution and a historic office of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Kingdom includes Denmark proper and the autonomous territories of the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The Kingdom of Denmark was already consolidated in the 8th century, whose rulers are consistently referred to in Frankish sources as "kings". Under the rule of King Gudfred in 804 the Kingdom may have included all the major provinces of medieval Denmark.

Morganatic marriage

Morganatic marriage

Morganatic marriage, sometimes called a left-handed marriage, is a marriage between people of unequal social rank, which in the context of royalty or other inherited title prevents the principal's position or privileges being passed to the spouse, or any children born of the marriage. The concept is most prevalent in German-speaking territories and countries most influenced by the customs of the German-speaking realms.

Danish royal family

Danish royal family

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 Or Count/Countess of Monpezat children of the monarch and of the heir apparent are accorded the style of His/Her Royal Highness, while other members of the dynasty are addressed as His/Her Highness. The Queen is styled Her Majesty.

By a decree of the Sacred Congregation of Ceremonial of 31 December 1930^[8] the Holy See granted bishops of the Catholic Church the title of Most Reverend Excellency or Excellentia Reverendissima in Latin. In the years following the First World War, the ambassadorial title of Excellency, previously given to nuncios, 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,^[9] sanctioning what had always been the practice, except possibly for the beginnings of letters and the like.

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 titular metropolitans 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 archbishops are granted the title of His/Her Grace, similar to 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, with the exception of the former British East African countries of Kenya, Uganda of Tanzania.

Discover more about Ecclesiastical use related topics

Holy See

Holy See

The Holy See, 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, which has ecclesiastical jurisdiction over the Catholic Church and sovereignty over the city-state known as Vatican City.

Catholic Church

Catholic Church

The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2019. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a prominent role in the history and development of Western civilization. The church consists of 24 sui iuris churches, including the Latin Church and 23 Eastern Catholic Churches, which comprise almost 3,500 dioceses and eparchies located around the world. The pope, who is the bishop of Rome, is the chief pastor of the church. The bishopric of Rome, known as the Holy See, is the central governing authority of the church. The administrative body of the Holy See, the Roman Curia, has its principal offices in Vatican City, a small enclave of the Italian city of Rome, of which the pope is head of state.

Latin

Latin

Latin 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 around present-day Rome, but through the power of the Roman Republic it became the dominant language in the Italian region and subsequently throughout the Roman Empire. Even after the fall of Western Rome, Latin remained the common language of international communication, science, scholarship and academia in Europe until well into the 18th century, when other regional vernaculars supplanted it in common academic and political usage. For most of the time it was used, it would be considered a "dead language" in the modern linguistic definition; that is, it lacked native speakers, despite being used extensively and actively.

Nuncio

Nuncio

An apostolic 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 organization. A nuncio is appointed by and represents the Holy See, and is the head of the diplomatic mission, called an apostolic nunciature, which is the equivalent of an embassy. The Holy See is legally distinct from the Vatican City or the Catholic Church. In modern times, a nuncio is usually an archbishop.

Secretariat of State (Holy See)

Secretariat of State (Holy See)

The Secretariat of State is the oldest dicastery in the Roman Curia, the central papal governing bureaucracy of the Catholic Church. It is headed by the Cardinal Secretary of State and performs all the political and diplomatic functions of the Holy See. The Secretariat is divided into three sections, the Section for General Affairs, the Section for Relations with States, and, since 2017, the Section for Diplomatic Staff.

Grace (style)

Grace (style)

His Grace and Her Grace are English styles of address used with high rank personages, and was the style used to address English monarchs until Henry VIII, and for addressing Scottish monarchs until the Act of Union of 1707, which united the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England.

Kenya

Kenya

Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa. With a population of more than 47.6 million in the 2019 census, Kenya is the 27th most populous country in the world and 7th most populous in Africa. Kenya's capital and largest city is Nairobi, while its oldest, currently second largest city, and first capital is the coastal city of Mombasa. Kisumu City is the third-largest city and also an inland port on Lake Victoria. As of 2020, Kenya is the third-largest economy in sub-Saharan Africa after Nigeria and South Africa. Kenya is bordered by South Sudan to the northwest, Ethiopia to the north, Somalia to the east, Uganda to the west, Tanzania to the south, and the Indian Ocean to the southeast. Its geography, climate and population vary widely, ranging from cold snow-capped mountaintops with vast surrounding forests, wildlife and fertile agricultural regions to temperate climates in western and rift valley counties and dry less fertile arid and semi-arid areas and absolute deserts.

Uganda

Uganda

Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. The country is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the south by Tanzania. The southern part of the country includes a substantial portion of Lake Victoria, shared with Kenya and Tanzania. Uganda is in the African Great Lakes region, lies within the Nile basin, and has a varied but a generally modified equatorial climate. It has a population of around 49.6 million, of which 8.5 million live in the capital and largest city of Kampala.

Tanzania

Tanzania

Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to the south; Zambia to the southwest; and Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain, is in northeastern Tanzania. According to 2022 national census, Tanzania has a population of nearly 62 million, making it the fifth largest in Africa.

Afghanistan

In Afghanistan the title Jalalat Mahab is used for Sardars, or Princes 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 or His Royal Highness 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 and is internationally also equal to His Royal Highness. The King himself held the title Alaa Hazrat Humayoon which literally translated means His Most Noble Majesty, and can be equalized with His Majesty internationally. 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.

Albania

The president, the chairman of the Parliament and the prime minister 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 are addressed as Excellency, which in Armenian is Ձերդ գերազանցութիւն, Romanized Dzerd gerazancutiwn. The members of the traditional Armenian nobility are also addressed as Excellency, which in Armenian it is Ձերդ պայծառութիւն Romanized as Dzerd paytzarrowtiwn, literally Your Brightness.

Bangladesh

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

Belgium

Members of the Council of Ministers of Belgium, consisting of the prime minister, deputy prime minister(s), other ministers, and Secretaries of state, and also honorary ministers of state, are entitled to the style of His/Her Excellency.

The style is also used for the governors of Belgium, which are governors of the ten provinces of Belgium, governor of Brussels, governor of the national bank of Belgium and both foreign ambassadors in Belgium and Belgian ambassadors to other countries.

Moreover, within the Catholic Church in Belgium, the (arch-)bishops and (pro-)nuntia are addressed as His Excellency Monsignor or Zijne Excellentie Monseigneur in Dutch.

Brazil

In 1991, the Brazilian Presidential Office issued a composition manual to establish the appropriate usage of the Portuguese language 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, all members of parliament and judges, among other officials.^[10]

Cambodia

In the Kingdom of Cambodia, deputy prime ministers, senior ministers, members of the Council of Ministers, secretary of state, and members of Parliament are addressed as "His/Her Excellency" (Khmer: ឯកឧត្ដម, Êk Ŏtdâm/លោកជំទាវ, Loŭk Chumtéav).

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;
• Governors and governors-general, and the spouses of governors-general;^[11]
• 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.

Chile

The president of Chile and the president of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile are addressed by the style "His/Her Excellency".

Germany

The president of Germany and chancellor of Germany are both addressed by the style "Excellency" in international diplomacy, albeit not domestically.

India

His Excellency The Right Hon. Sir Gilbert John Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, Earl of Minto, former Viceroy and Governor-General of India.

The president of India and governors 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) 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 (which is the other language in which subsidiary official communications are released in the Central Government of India 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.^[12] The release also talks about the styles of other dignitaries, like governors. "Hon'ble" will be used before the titles "president" and "governor", while the traditional honorifics Shri 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 is addressed as Your Excellency or in the Irish language, a Shoilse (literally, "brightness (VOC)".^[13] 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 (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 or Pasha. 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 is addressed as "His/Her Excellency".

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

Malaysia

The governors (Yang di-Pertua Negeri) of Melaka, Penang, Sabah, and Sarawak 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, state counsellor, vice-presidents of Myanmar, speaker of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, speaker of the House of Nationalities, speaker of the House of Representatives of Myanmar, governor of the Central Bank of Myanmar, members of the Cabinet of Myanmar, chief ministers of states and regions of Myanmar, 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 (prime minister, deputy prime minister(s), other ministers, 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, equerrys), governors of the constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten), ambassadors (both foreign ambassadors in the Netherlands and Dutch ambassadors to other countries), judges of the International Court of Justice, and flag- and general officers of three-star rank and above (generals, lieutenant-generals, lieutenant-admirals, and vice-admirals).

Moreover, within the Catholic Church in the Netherlands, the (arch-)bishops 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 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 and the president of Pakistan, are both addressed as "His/Her Excellency".

Peru

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

Philippines

The president (Filipino: pangulo; Spanish and colloquially: presidente) is addressed in English 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.^{[nb 1]}

Populist president Rodrigo Duterte 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".^[14] 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"; both titles, however, may be glossed in Filipino as Ang Kagalang-galang.

Portugal

In Portugal, the proper style of the president is "His/Her Excellency" (Portuguese: Sua Excelência).

Somalia

The president of Somalia 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 (and historically the state president of the South African Republic), is (and was) addressed as "His/Her Excellency" if in a formal context.

South Korea

The president of South Korea is addressed as "His/Her Excellency" (Korean: 각하, romanized: gagha) if in a formal context both inside and outside of South Korea.

Spain

Spain uses the title "The Most Excellent" extensively as a formal address to high officers of the state. The following officials receive the treatment:

• The prime minister^[15] and former prime ministers,^[16] current and former deputy prime ministers of the central government, current and former government ministers,^[17] current junior ministers (secretaries of state) and the undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry.
• Government delegates.^[18]
• Ambassadors and ministers plenipotentiaries of first and second rank.^[19]
• Captain generals, generals of the army, admiral generals, generals of the Air, lieutenant generals, admirals, divisional generals, vice-admirals, brigadier generals, and counter admirals.^[20]
• The president, councillors, and secretary general of the Council of State, as well as the chief counsels of the Council of State.^[21]
• 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 president of the Senate, 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 president and the judges of the Spanish Supreme Court, the Spanish Attorney General, and the members of the Spanish Constitutional Court.
• The presidents and numeraries of the eight Royal Academies.
• The governor of the Bank of Spain.
• The presidents of the three Foral Deputation (provincial governments) of the Basque Country, 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", 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.^[22]

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 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, only three officials (other than foreign ambassadors accredited in Sweden and Swedish ambassadors at their post) were granted to the style of Excellency: the prime minister, 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" (Swedish: de tre excellenserna)^[23][24] 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 protocol and in other diplomatic writing.^[25]

Prior to the 19th century, a Lord of the Realm (Swedish: En af Rikets Herrar) and a member of the Council of the Realm were also entitled to the style as Excellency.

Thailand

The prime Minister of Thailand, deputy prime ministers, other cabinet members, governors and ambassadors are addressed as "His/Her Excellency".^[26]

Turkey

In the English language, the president and the vice-president, cabinet ministers, ambassadors, and some other high-ranking bureaucrats are addressed as Excellency.

In the Turkish language, honorific titles are no longer used since the 1923 modernisation of the language; under Atatürk's Reforms. Instead of Excellency, dignitaries are addressed using the Turkish word for Honorable (Turkish: Sayın) followed by their office.^[27] For example, an ambassador of Turkey would be addressed simply as Honorable Ambassador (Turkish: Sayın Büyükelçi). It is important to emphasise that this distinction only applies when speaking in the Turkish language, not in English. Additionally, in very rare ceremonial circumstances, the word Excellency is used in Turkish. An example would be the formal accreditation of a Turkish ambassador, wherein the letter of confidence authored by the Turkish president would address the ambassador as Excellency (Turkish: Ekselansları).

United States

In the United States, the form Excellency was commonly used for George Washington during his service as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and later when president of the United States, but it began to fall out of use with his successor John Adams, and today is sometimes replaced in direct address with the simple Mr. President or the Honorable.

Nevertheless, in the protocol of many foreign countries and United Nations, the president and the secretary of state are usually referred to as Excellency. Diplomatic correspondence to President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War, as during the Trent Affair, for instance, frequently referred to him as His Excellency.

The form Excellency was used for the governors of most of the original Thirteen Colonies, and the practice formally continued after independence. 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 Honorable is now used instead.^[28]

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.

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Sardar

Sardar

Sardar, also spelled as Sardaar/Sirdar, is a title of royalty and nobility that was originally used to denote princes, noblemen, chiefs, kings and other aristocrats. It has also been used to denote a chief or leader of a tribe or group. It is used as a Persian synonym of the title Emir of Arabic origin.

Barakzai dynasty

Barakzai dynasty

The Barakzai dynasty also known as the Muhmmadzai Dynasty ruled modern day Afghanistan from 1823 to 1978 when the monarchy ended de jure under Musahiban Mohammed Zahir Shah and de facto under his cousin Sardar Mohammed Daoud Khan. The Barakzai dynasty was established by Dost Mohammad Khan after the Durrani dynasty of Ahmad Shah Durrani was removed from power.

Sultan Mohammad Khan

Sultan Mohammad Khan

Sultan Mohammad Khan, also known as Ghazi Sardar Sultan Mohammad Talaei, was an Afghan aristocrat, chief minister and regent. He was a powerful brother of Emir Dost Mohammad Khan, the eventual ruler of Afghanistan who seized control of the country from him. Prior to and during the reign of Dost Mohammad Khan, Sultan Muhammad Khan Telai was chief minister and governor of various regions of Afghanistan, including Kabul, Peshawar and Kohat. He was the first of the Musahiban, a Mohammadzai dynasty that began with him and ruled Afghanistan for more than 150 years, in various forms such as emir, king or president from 1823 to 1978.

Prime minister

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 the head of state, but rather the head of government, serving under either a monarch in a democratic constitutional monarchy or under a president in a republican form of government.

President of Albania

President of Albania

The president of Albania, officially styled the President of the Republic of Albania, is the head of state, commander-in-chief of the military and the representative of the unity of the Albanian people.

Prime Minister of Albania

Prime Minister of Albania

The prime minister of Albania, officially styled Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, is the head of government of the Republic of Albania and the most powerful and influential person in Albanian politics. The prime minister holds the executive power of the nation and represents the Council of Ministers and chairs its meetings.

President of Armenia

President of Armenia

The president of Armenia is the head of state and the guarantor of independence and territorial integrity of Armenia elected to a single seven-year term by the National Assembly of Armenia. Under Armenia's parliamentary system, the president is simply a figurehead and holds ceremonial duties, with most of the political power vested in the Parliament and prime minister.

Armenia

Armenia

Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north, the Lachin corridor and Azerbaijan to the east, and Iran and the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan to the south. Yerevan is the capital, largest city and financial center.

Armenian language

Armenian language

Armenian is an Indo-European language and an independent branch of that family of languages. It is the official language of both Armenia and Artsakh, the latter of which is unrecognized by the United Nations but has recognition from three non-UN states. Historically spoken in the Armenian highlands, today Armenian is widely spoken throughout the Armenian diaspora. Armenian is written in its own writing system, the Armenian alphabet, introduced in 405 AD by the priest Mesrop Mashtots. The total number of Armenian speakers worldwide is estimated between 5 and 7 million.

Armenian nobility

Armenian nobility

The Armenian nobility was a class of persons which enjoyed certain privileges relative to other members of society under the laws and customs of various regimes of Armenia. Governments which recognized or conferred nobility were the Kingdom of Van, Satrapy of Armenia, Kingdom of Armenia, Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia (885-1045) and the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia (1198-1375). The Armenian kingdoms of Vanand (963-1065), Syunik (987-1170), and Lori (978-1113) had a system of nobility that was similar to the nobility of Cilicia.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh

Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population of around 169 million people in an area of 148,460 square kilometres (57,320 sq mi). Bangladesh is among the most densely populated countries in the world, and shares land borders with India to the west, north, and east, and Myanmar to the southeast; to the south it has a coastline along the Bay of Bengal. It is narrowly separated from Bhutan and Nepal by the Siliguri Corridor; and from China by the Indian state of Sikkim in the north. Dhaka, the capital and largest city, is the nation's political, financial and cultural centre. Chittagong, the second-largest city, is the busiest port on the Bay of Bengal. The official language is Bengali, one of the easternmost branches of the Indo-European language family.

President of Bangladesh

President of Bangladesh

The President of Bangladesh officially the President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh is the head of state of Bangladesh and commander-in-chief of the Bangladesh Armed Forces.