Correctly Addressed

Forms of Address

How to address royalty and nobility

A reigning King or Queen is addressed as "His/Her Majesty" on the envelope, with "Your Majesty" as the salutation. The ranks of nobility below the monarch — Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, and Baron — are addressed as "The Most Honourable" or "The Right Honourable" depending on rank, with "My Lord/Lady" as the spoken form. A Knight or Dame uses "Sir" or "Dame" directly before their first name.

Checked September 10, 2026/8 min read

Claire Post

Written by Claire PostReviewed against USPS Publication 28

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What is on this page6 sections
  1. 01Step by step
  2. 02Quick reference
  3. 03Special cases
  4. 04Key terms
  5. 05Check before you mail
  6. 06Questions people ask
The grand architecture and courtyard of Windsor Castle on a cloudy day.

Royalty and nobility make up the most elaborate, tiered address system on this entire site, and also the one with the least everyday relevance for a US-based reader, since the United States has no hereditary nobility of its own. It earns a page here mainly for completeness and for the genuine international correspondence that does come up.

Once the tiers click, the pattern is consistent: each rank has its own honorific, from Majesty down through Grace to the Honourable forms, and the spoken salutation generally simplifies to “My Lord” or “My Lady” for anything below Duke.

Step by step

  1. Address a reigning monarch as His or Her Majesty

    "His Majesty The King" or "Her Majesty The Queen" on the envelope, with "Your Majesty" as the salutation used at first address, and "Sir"/"Ma am" acceptable afterward in conversation.

    HIS GRACETHE DUKE OF [TITLE][RESIDENCE ADDRESS]
    CorrectStandard envelope format for a Duke.

  2. Address a Duke or Duchess as His or Her Grace

    The most senior rank of nobility below royalty, addressed as "His Grace The Duke of [Title]" or "Her Grace The Duchess of [Title]," with "Your Grace" as the salutation.

  3. Address a Marquess, Earl, or Viscount as The Right Honourable

    "The Right Honourable The Marquess/Earl/Viscount of [Title]" on the envelope, with "My Lord" as the spoken salutation, and the equivalent "Lady" forms for their female counterparts.

  4. Address a Baron or Baroness the same way

    "The Right Honourable The Lord/Lady [Title]" on the envelope (Baron is conventionally referred to as "Lord" in address), with "My Lord/Lady" as the salutation, the lowest rank of the hereditary peerage.

  5. Address a Knight or Dame with Sir or Dame plus first name

    "Sir [First Name] [Last Name]" or "Dame [First Name] [Last Name]," always with the first name included, never "Sir [Last Name]" alone. This is a title of honor rather than hereditary nobility.

The elegant facade of Stockholm Palace at twilight.

Quick reference

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RankEnvelope opens withSalutation
King / QueenHis/Her MajestyYour Majesty
Duke / DuchessHis/Her GraceYour Grace
Marquess / MarchionessThe Most HonourableMy Lord/Lady
Earl / CountessThe Right HonourableMy Lord/Lady
Viscount / ViscountessThe Right HonourableMy Lord/Lady
Baron / BaronessThe Right Honourable The Lord/LadyMy Lord/Lady
KnightSir [First Name] [Last Name]Sir [First Name]
DameDame [First Name] [Last Name]Dame [First Name]
The grandeur of Schwerin Castle framed by lush greenery.

Special cases

The rule above covers most people. Here is what changes for the rest.

Is a former nobility title, like a Dowager, addressed differently?

A Dowager (the widow of a title-holder, when the current holder title-holder wife has taken over the primary form) is addressed as "The Dowager [Title]" to distinguish her from the current holder wife, with the same underlying salutation for her rank.

Does Ruler apply to any monarch, or specifically a King or Queen?

"Ruler" is a general descriptive term rather than a formal address form. The specific address, His/Her Majesty for a monarch, or the equivalent form for a Sultan, Emir, or other head of state, depends on the specific country and title.

Is this relevant for US correspondence at all?

Rarely for everyday US mail, but it comes up for genuine <a href="/how-to-address-envelope-internationally/">international correspondence</a>, invitations involving titled guests, or general interest. US republican tradition has no equivalent hereditary nobility system.

Key terms on this page

Peerage
The system of hereditary titles of nobility in the United Kingdom, ranked Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, and Baron, from highest to lowest.
Dowager
The widow of a peer or title-holder, addressed with "Dowager" added to her title to distinguish her from the current title-holder wife.

Check the address before you mail

Questions people ask

Is Sir a hereditary title, the same as Duke or Earl?
No, a Knighthood is granted for life to the individual and is not hereditary or passed to descendants, unlike the ranks of the peerage.
How do I address an envelope to nobility if I do not know their exact rank?
Confirm the exact title before writing if at all possible, since the honorific and salutation differ meaningfully by rank. "The Right Honourable" is a reasonably safe default for the middle ranks of the peerage if the exact tier is genuinely unknown.
Is My Lord/Lady used in written correspondence, or only spoken address?
It is used in both formal written salutations and in-person spoken address for the ranks of nobility below Duke, similar to how "Your Grace" functions for a Duke in either context.

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