The Honourable
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The prefix The Honourable or The Honorable (abbreviated to "The Hon." or formerly "The Hon'ble") is a title of quality attached to the names of certain classes of persons.
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British usage
Entitlement
In the United Kingdom, all sons and daughters of viscounts and barons 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 or mother's subsidiary titles.) The style is only a courtesy one, however, and on legal documents they are described as, for instance, John Smith, Esq., commonly called The Honourable John Smith. As the wives of sons of peers share the titles of their husbands, the wives of the sons of viscounts and barons and the younger sons of earls are known as, e.g., The Hon. Mrs John Smith.
Some persons 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.);
- Members of executive councils (and by extension, cabinets);
- Members of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada;
- Members of legislative councils (or senates) where the legislature is bicameral; and
- Certain representatives of the Sovereign, e.g. Lieutenant-Governors of Canadian provinces.
Many corporate entities are also entitled to the style, for example:
- The Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament Assembled;
- The Honourable East India Company;
- The Honourable Artillery Company;
- The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple etc.
Usage
The style The Honourable is always written on envelopes (where it is usually abbreviated to The Hon), and formally elsewhere, in which case the style Mr or Esq. is omitted. In speech, however, The Honourable John Smith is referred to simply as Mr John Smith.
In the House of Commons and other lower houses of Parliament and other legislatures, members refer to each other as honourable members etc. out of courtesy, despite the fact that they are not entitled to the style in writing.
Where a person is entitled to the prefix The Right Honourable he will use this higher style instead of The Honourable.
American usage
In the United States, the prefix The Honorable is used for a large number of high ranking (and not so high ranking) government officials, within the following guidelines:
- Any person elected to any public office at any level of American government; or
- Any person appointed by the President to a position subject to Senate confirmation.
The term Your Honor as a spoken form of address is usually reserved for judges, justices, and magistrates (who are addressed as such when presiding in court). Some mayors, such as the Mayor of New York City are also given the title.
Australian usage
In Australia, all ministers in Commonwealth and state (but not territory) governments are entitled to be styled The Honourable. Except in New South Wales and South Australia, the title is retained for life because it recognises that their appointment to the relevant executive council (when they first become a minister) is an appointment for life, and the person technically remains "an executive councillor-on-call". In New South Wales and South Australia the premier can advise the Queen to grant former ministers the title for life. The Presiding officers of the parliaments of the Commonwealth and the states are also styled The Honourable but normally only during their tenure of office. Special permission is sometimes given for a former presiding officer to retain the title after leaving the office.
The title "The Honourable" is not acquired through membership of either the House of Representatives or the Senate. A member or senator may have the title if they have acquired it separately, eg. by being a current or former minister. During proceedings within the chambers, forms such as "The honourable Member for ...", "The honourable the Leader of the Opposition", or "My honourable colleague" are used. This is a merely a parliamentary courtesy and does not imply any title.
Traditionally, members of the Legislative Councils of the states were also styled The Honourable. This practice is still followed in New South Wales, Western Australia and South Australia. It is not followed in Tasmania. In Victoria, the practice was abolished in 2003.
Canadian usage
In Canada, the following people are entitled to the style The Honourable (or l'honorable in French) for life:
- Members of the Canadian Senate
- Members of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
- Provincial Lieutenant-Governors
In addition, some people are entitled to the style while in office only:
- The Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons
- Judges of the Supreme Court of Canada and other superior courts
- Members of provincial Executive Councils while holding office
- Speakers of provincial legislatures while holding office.
It is usual for Speakers of the House of Commons to be made Privy Councillors, in which case they keep the style for life, and provincial Premiers are sometimes also made Privy Councillors.
Members of the Canadian House of Commons and of provincial legislatures refer to each other as "honourable members" (or l'honorable député) but are not entitled to have The Honourable as a prefix in front of their name.
The Governor General of Canada, the Prime Minister of Canada, the Chief Justice of Canada and certain other eminent persons are entitled to the style The Right Honourable (or le/la Très honorable in French).
see Styles of Address (Canada)
Hong Kong usage
In Hong Kong, the prefix "the Honourable" is used for the following people:
- Members of the Legislative Council
- Members of the Executive Council
- The Chief Executive
- Chief Secretary, Financial Secretary, Secretary of Justice, and Secretaries of Bureaux
- Judges of the Court of Final Appeal
- Judges of the High Court
- Bearers of the title Grand Bauhinia Medal, the highest medal in Hong Kong's honours system
New Zealand usage
In addition to the standard Commonwealth usage, the Speaker of the House of Representatives is entitled to be referred to as "the Honourable". New Zealand office holders who are "honourable" ex-officio are usually personally granted the title for life as a courtesy when they vacate the office.
Manx usage
In the Isle of Man, the style The Honourable (often abbreviated to Hon.) is used to refer to a Minister while holding office.