Saturday 2 July 2016

Rt Hon

RIGHT HONOURABLE

To my knowledge, the prefix "Right Honourable" (usually abbreviated to "Rt Hon") is historically and traditionally accorded to all peers and peeresses of the third, fourth and fifth degrees, viz. Earl, Viscount, and Baron.

Members of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council - Privy Counsellors - are styled "Right Honourable".

If a peer is also a privy counsellor, the letters "PC" follow their title.

The Lord Mayors of London and York have been styled "The Right Honourable" since time immemorial.

Other lord mayors are so styled only when granted this privilege by The Sovereign: these are Belfast and Cardiff.

The Lord Provosts of Edinburgh and Glasgow are also styled "Right Honourable".

The remainder of lord mayors are styled "Right Worshipful".

2 comments :

Christopher Bellew said...

I believe that only mayors of cities are addressed as "The Right Worshipful". Mayors of boroughs are "The Worshipful". I have gleaned this from my 1936 edition of Titles and Forms of Address which may now be out of date.

Timothy Belmont said...

We have similar works. I use Debrett's Correct Form.