Highness, Grace and Majesty
Further information: Grace (style) and HighnessFrom about the 12th century onwards, English Sovereigns used the style "Highness". They shared this style with only five other monarchs in Europe: the Holy Roman Emperor and the Kings of France, Castile, Aragon and Portugal. Around 1519, however, the Holy Roman Emperor and the King of France assumed the style "Majesty"; Henry VIII copied them. The style "Majesty" had previously appeared in England, but did not become common until Henry VIII's reign.
"Majesty", however, was not used exclusively; it arbitrarily alternated with both "Highness" and "Grace", even in official documents. For example, one legal judgment issued by Henry VIII uses all three indiscriminately; Article 15 begins with "the Kinges Highness hath ordered", Article 16 with "the Kinges Majestie" and Article 17 with "the Kinges Grace".
Scottish Sovereigns were addressed as "Your Grace", rather than "Majesty", in pre-Union Scotland. During the reign of James VI of Scots and I of England and Ireland, however, "Majesty" became the official title, to the exclusion of others.
In full the Sovereign is referred to as "His Most Gracious Majesty". In Acts of Parliament the phrase "The King's Most Excellent Majesty" is used in the enacting clause. In treaties and on British passports, the Sovereign is referred to as "His Britannic Majesty" as to differentiate from foreign sovereigns.
Read more about this topic: Style Of The British Sovereign
Famous quotes containing the words grace and/or majesty:
“Loving in truth, and fain in verse my love to show,
That she, dear she, might take some pleasure of my pain,
Pleasure might cause her read, reading might make her know,
Knowledge might pity win, and pity grace obtain,
I sought fit words to paint the blackest face of woe:”
—Sir Philip Sidney (1554–1586)
“If magistrates had true justice, and if physicians had the true art of healing, they would have no occasion for square caps; the majesty of these sciences would of itself be venerable enough. But having only imaginary knowledge, they must employ those silly tools that strike the imagination with which they have to deal; and thereby, in fact, they inspire respect.”
—Blaise Pascal (1623–1662)