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 people, usually with official governmental or diplomatic positions.

Use by governments

International diplomacy

In international diplomatic relations, representatives of foreign states are often styled as ''The Honourable''. Deputy chiefs of mission, , consuls-general and consuls are always given the style. All heads of consular posts, whether they are honorary or career postholders, are accorded the style according to the State Department of the United States. However, the style ''Excellency'' instead of ''The Honourable'' is used for ambassadors and high commissioners.

Africa

The Congo

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the prefix 'Honourable' or 'Hon.' is used for members of both chambers of the Parliament of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Informally, senators are sometimes given the higher style of 'Venerable'.

Ghana

The style of Honourable is accorded members of parliament in Ghana. It is also extended to certain grades of Royal Orders awarded by Ghana's sub-national Kingdoms.

Kenya

The style Honourable is used to address members of the Kenyan parliament. Traditionally, members of Parliament are not allowed to call each other by name in the chambers, but rather use the terms "Honourable colleague" or "Honorable Member for ...". The written form is ''Hon. ast Name irst Name' or ''Honourable ast Name' or ''Honourable'' osition(e.g. ''Honourable Speaker'').

Mauritius

Recipients of the rank of Grand Officer or above of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean and persons knighted by Queen Elizabeth II are automatically entitled to prefix ''The Hon'', ''Hons'' or ''The Honourable'' to their name. Commanders and Officers may request permission from the President to use this prefix. Recipients of the order who are not Mauritian citizens may not use the prefix or post-nominals unless granted permission by the President.

South Africa

All members of the South African parliament and the nine provincial legislatures are entitled to this prefix.

East Asia

South Korea

In South Korea, the prefix ''The Honourable'' is used for the following people:
* Ministrial Members of Cabinet of Korea
* Leaders and Floor Leaders of Parties and Members of Shadow Cabinet.
* Governors and Ministrial members of Provinces
* Mayors of Metropolitan Cities
* Judges at Supreme Court of Korea and Chief Justices of Provincial Level Courts.

China

=Hong Kong

=
In Hong Kong, the prefix ''The Honourable'' is used for the following people:
* The Chief Executive of Hong Kong
* Members, including the President, of the Legislative Council
* Members of the Executive Council, including official members such as the Chief Secretary, the Financial Secretary, the Secretary for Justice, and other secretaries of bureaux
* Judges of the Court of Final Appeal
* Justices of Appeal of the Court of Appeal
* Judges of the Court of First Instance
* Individuals who have been awarded the Grand Bauhinia Medal, the highest medal in Hong Kong's honours system.
* Deceased heroes (29 to date) who served in any of the disciplined services under the Security Bureau

=Macau

=
In Macau, the prefix ''The Honourable'' is used occasionally for the following people:
* Chief Executive of Macau
* Members, including the President, of the Legislative Assembly of Macau
* Members of the Executive Council
* The Secretariat for Administration and Justice (Macau), the Secretariat for Economy and Finance (Macau), and other Principal officials
* Judges of the Court of Final Appeal
* Individuals who have been awarded the Grand Medal of Lotus Flower, the highest medal in Macau's honours system.

Europe

Germany

A rough equivalent of the style ''Honourable'' would be 'high well-born', which was used until 1918 for all members of noble families not having any higher style. Its application to bourgeois dignitaries became common in the 19th century, though it has faded since and was always of doubtful correctness.

or , the literal translation of 'honourable', is used for Catholic clergy and religiouswith the exceptions of priests and abbesses, who are ' reverend'. A subdeacon is 'very honourable'; a deacon is ' right honourable'.

Ireland

In Ireland, all judges of the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court are referred to as ''The Honourable Mr/Ms Justice''.

Italy

In Italy, the style ''The Honourable'' ( it, Onorevole, link=no) is customarily used to refer to a member of the Chamber of Deputies or Senate of the Republic. Former members of parliament can maintain the style.

Malta

All members of the unicameral Parliament of Malta are entitled to this prefix.

The Netherlands

An extensive system of honorifics used to be in place in the Netherlands. In a more formal setting it still is. 'the honourable lord/lady' is used for the genteel bourgeoisie. The middle classes are instead addressed with 'sir/madam', which is the equivalent of ''Mr/Ms'' in English.

Also typical is the use of 'the well-born lord/lady', for students at universities, traditionally children of the genteel bourgeoisie.

The system adds honorifics based on prestige for military officers based on rank, barristers, prosecutors, judges, members of parliament, government ministers, nobles, clergy, and for academic degrees of master's and above.

In the Dutch language, is a formal and academic title, for both men and women, protected by Dutch law, ranking above a doctorate and below a professorship. It stands for 'master', and is strictly reserved for holders of a master's degree in law (LL.M.) who are qualified to practice law. Holders are addressed as 'the well-born lord/lady master', followed by their name.

Spain

In the Spanish Autonomous Community of Catalonia the word Honorable (Catalan: ''Honorable'') is used for current and former members of the cabinet (''consellers'') of the President of the Catalan Government ('' Generalitat de Catalunya''). Former and current Heads of Government or President of the Generalitat are given the name of ''Molt Honorable'' ("Very Honorable"). This also applies to former and current heads of government of the Autonomous Communities of Valencia and Balearic Islands.

United Kingdom

=Entitlement

=

In the United Kingdom, all sons and daughters of viscounts and barons (including the holders of life peerages) and the younger sons of earls are styled with this prefix. (The daughters and younger sons of dukes and marquesses and the daughters of earls have the higher style of ''Lord'' or ''Lady'' before their first names, and the eldest sons of dukes, marquesses and earls are known by one of their father's or mother's subsidiary titles.) The style is only a courtesy, however, and on legal documents they may be described as, for instance, ''John Smith, Esq., commonly called The Honourable John Smith''. As the wives of sons of peers share the styles of their husbands, the wives of the sons of viscounts and barons and the younger sons of earls are styled, for example, ''The Hon. Mrs John Smith''. Likewise, the married daughters of viscounts and barons, whose husbands hold no higher title or dignity, are styled, for example, ''The Hon. Mrs Smith''.

In 1912, King George V granted maids of honour (royal attendants) the style of ''the honourable'' for life, with precedence next after daughters of barons.

''The honourable'' is also customarily used as a form of address for most foreign nobility that is not formally recognised by the sovereign (e.g. ambassadors) when in the UK.

Some people are entitled to the prefix by virtue of their offices. Rules exist that allow certain individuals to keep the prefix ''The Honourable'' even after retirement.
* Judges of the High Court and other superior courts in the Commonwealth (if the judge is a knight, the style ''Sir John Smith'' is used socially instead of ''The Honourable Mr Justice Smith''.); and
* Members of Commonwealth executive and legislative councils (or senates) where the legislature is bicameral.

Several corporate entities have been awarded the style by royal warrant, for example:
* The Honourable East India Company;
* The Honourable Artillery Company;
* The four Inns of Court (for example The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple)
* The Honourable Company of Master Mariners
* The Honourable Company of Air Pilots

=Usage

=
The style ''The Honourable'' is usually used in addressing envelopes (where it is usually abbreviated to ''The Hon.'') and formally elsewhere, in which case ''Mr'' or '' Esquire'' are omitted. In speech, however, The Honourable John Smith is usually referred to simply as Mr John Smith.

In the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, as in other traditionally lower houses of Parliament and other legislatures, members must as a minimum refer to each other as ''the honourable member'' or ''my honourable friend'' out of courtesy, but they are not entitled to the style in writing. Members who are 'senior' barristers may be called ''the honourable and learnèd member'', serving or ex-serving members of the military ''the honourable and gallant member'', and ordained clergy in the House ''the honourable and reverend member''; a practice which the Modernisation Committee recommended abolished, but which use has continued. When anyone is entitled to be styled '' Right Honourable'' this is used instead of ''honourable''.

In the Falkland Islands, the style ''the honourable'' is given to any serving or former members of the Legislative Assembly or Legislative Council.

In the Isle of Man, the style ''the honourable'' (often abbreviated to ''Hon.'') is used to refer to a minister while holding office.

North America

Canada

In Canada, while not always enshrined in legislation, some people are commonly referred to as ''The Honourable'' (french: link=no, l'honorable). Those who have the honorific for life include:
* Senators
* Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada (mostly members or former members of the federal Cabinet)
* Lieutenant governors
* Members of the Executive Council of Nova Scotia (since 2009)
* Members of the Executive Council of Alberta (since 2022)

People who have the honorific only while in office include:
* The Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada
* Members of provincial and territorial executive councils (premiers, cabinet ministers and deputy premiers). Some executive councillors (see above) have the honorific for life.
* Speakers of provincial and territorial legislatures
* Government house leaders of provinces and territories
* Territorial commissioners
* Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada
* Justices of the Federal Court and Federal Court of Appeals, Tax Court of Canada
* Justices of the Court Martial of Canada and Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada
* Justices of provincial superior courts (trial and appellate)
* Provincial inferior court judges

Derivatives include:
* The Honourable Mr/Madam Justice — justices of federal courts, provincial appellate and superior courts.
* The Honourable Judge — judges of provincial courts and formerly judges of district or county courts.

In all cases, the governor general of Canada may grant permission to retain the style after they cease to hold office. Persons eligible to retain the style include the speaker of the House of Commons (who may already be eligible as a privy councillor), territorial commissioners, and judges of certain courts (e.g., the Supreme Court of Canada). The most recent former justice granted such privileges was Frank Iacobucci.

It is usual for speakers of the House of Commons to be made privy councillors, in which case they keep the style for life. By custom, the leader of the Official Opposition is appointed to the Privy Council, granting them the style (being the only non-government MP accorded such privilege). In the past, certain provincial premiers (e.g., Peter Lougheed, Bill Davis, Joey Smallwood and Tommy Douglas) were elevated to the Privy Council and gained the style, but such practice is rare.

Members of the House of Commons of Canada and of provincial legislatures refer to each other during proceedings of the house with the courtesy style "honourable member" (or ), but their name is not otherwise prefixed with ''the Honourable'' (unless they are privy councillors or executive councillors).

Current and former governors general, prime ministers, chief justices and certain other eminent persons use the style of '' Right Honourable'' for life (or in French). This was originally subject to being summoned to the British Privy Council. Several early prime ministers were not summoned to the British Privy Council, and hence were styled ''The Honourable'': Alexander Mackenzie, Sir John Abbott and Sir Mackenzie Bowell.

Members of the Executive Council of Quebec have not used the style ''The Honourable'' since 1968 but retain the ability to do so, and are often accorded the honorific in media and by the federal government.

The Caribbean

=Caricom

=
Members of the Order of the Caribbean Community are entitled to be styled ''The Honourable'' for life.

=Barbados

=
In Barbados, members of the Parliament carry two main titles: members of the House of Assembly are styled ''The Honourable'', while members of the Senate are styled "Senator". Companions of Honour of the former Order of Barbados from the pre-republic era of Barbados, as well Members of the current Order of the Republic, are accorded the style ''The Honourable''.

=Jamaica

=
In Jamaica, those awarded the Order of Jamaica (considered Jamaica's equivalent to a British knighthood) and those awarded the Order of Merit are styled ''Honourable''.

Trinidad and Tobago

In Trinidad and Tobago The Prime Minister, government ministers, the leader of the opposition and ministers within government ministries (junior ministers) are styled as ''The Honourable'', senators serving as ministers are styled as ''Senator The Honourable'', ministers with doctorates are styled as ''The Honourable Dr. or Dr. the Honourable (rare).''

United States

In the United States, the prefix ''the Honorable'' has been used to formally address various officials at the federal and state levels, but it is most commonly used for the President-elect, governors, judges, and members of Congress when formally addressing them. The style may be conferred pursuant to federal government service, according to federal rules, or by state government service, where the rules may be different. Modifiers such as ''the Right Honorable'' or ''the Most Honorable'' are not used. The 't' in 'the' is not capitalized in the middle of a sentence.

Under the rules of etiquette, the President, Vice President, members of both houses of Congress, governors of states, members of state legislatures, and mayors are accorded the title.Mary K. Mewborn
Too Many Honorables?
''Washington Life'' November 1999. Persons appointed to office nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate are accorded the title; this rule includes members of the Cabinet and sub-Cabinet (such as deputies and undersecretaries), administrators, members, and commissioners of the various independent agencies, councils, commissions, and boards, federal judges, ambassadors of the United States, U.S. Attorneys, U.S. Marshals, the Architect of the Capitol, the Librarian of Congress and Public Printer of the United States, and presidentially appointed inspectors general.

High state officials other than governor, such as lieutenant governor and state attorneys general are also accorded the style ''Honorable''. State court judges and justices of the peace, like federal judges, also are accorded the style ''Honorable''. Practices vary on whether appointed state official, such as the heads of state cabinet-level departments are given the title. There is also no universal rule for whether county or city officials other than the mayor (such as city council, board of aldermen, board of selectmen, planning and zoning commission, and code enforcement board members, or city manager or police chief or fire chief) are given the title; as these may be different state by state.

Members of the White House staff at the rank of special assistant, deputy assistant, assistant to the president, and Counselor to the President are accorded the title. Officials nominated to high office but not yet confirmed (e.g., commissioner-designate) and interim or acting officials are generally not accorded the style ''Honorable'', except for cabinet-level officials.Robert Hickey
How to Use the Honorable
(citing Mary Mel French, ''United States Protocol: The Guide to Official Diplomatic Etiquette'').

Opinions vary on whether the term ''the Honorable'' is accorded for life. According to the protocols of the U.S. Department of State, all persons who have been in a position that entitled them to ''The Honorable'' continue to retain that honorific style for life. However, the State Department is not an authority on state and local officials such as mayors, members of state legislatures, and high state officials. The prefix is not used for people who have died.

Some estimate that in the United States there are nearly 100,000 people who are accorded the "Honorable" title, many in the Washington, D.C. region. Civilian officials, including service secretaries (e.g., Secretary of the Army) of the Pentagon receive the title.

The style ''The Honorable'' is used on envelopes when referring to an individual in the third person. It is never properly used to refer to oneself.

A spouse of someone with the style of ''The Honorable'' receives no additional style.

Oceania

Australia

In Australia, the style is allowed to be used by past and present:
* Governors-General and Governors
* Members of the Federal Executive Council
* Premiers and ministers in all states
* Presiding officers of federal and state parliaments (expect ACT lower house speakers)
* Members of all state legislative councils except in Victoria
* Chief ministers and ministers in the Northern Territory
* Leaders of the Opposition in Tasmania
* High Court Justices
* Federal Court Justices
* Family Court of Australia Justices
* Justices of the supreme court in states and territories.

The abbreviation in Australia is 'The Hon' (without a full stop).

=Governors

=
In May 2013, the title was given approval by Queen Elizabeth II to be granted to past, present, and future Governors-General of Australia

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