Abbess,
    Christian Orthodox       
Abbot,
    Christian Orthodox        
Accountant        
Acting Official       
Adjutant General     
Admiral, Rear         
Alderman         
Archbishop, Catholic        
Archbishop,
   Christian Orthodox        
Archdeacon, Episcopal        
Archimandrite        
Architect
Archpriest        
Ambassador to the U.S.
   from a foreign country      
Ambassador of the U.S.        
American Indian Chief        
Assemblyman
   U.S., State / or           
   Assemblywoman            
Associate Justice,
   U.S. Supreme Court          
Associate Justice of a
   State Supreme Court
Attorney         
Attorney General           
Attorney, U.S.         
Australian Officials    

Baron, Baroness           
British Officials,
   Royalty, Nobility     
Brother, Catholic         
Brother,
   Christian Orthodox          
Bishop, Catholic            
Bishop,
   Christian Orthodox         
Bishop, Episcopal        
Board Member     
Boy        
Brigadier General       

Canadian Officials    
Candidate    
Captain,
   USA, USAF, USMC     
Cardinal             
Chairman
    Federal Reserve      
Chaplain in the
    Armed Services        
Chaplain of Congress          
Chargé d’Affaires         
Chief Executive Officer 
Chief Judge          
Chief Justice,
      U.S. Supreme Court 
Chief Justice, of a State
      Supreme Court             
Chief of Police          
Chief of Staff     
Chief Operating
   Officer          
Child            
Clergy & Religious
    Officials     
Colonel, "Honorary"
     Kentucky, or other
     state/organization      
Colonel, USA, USAF,
    or USMC     
Congressman, U.S.              
Congresswoman, U.S.   
Consul and or
   Consul General              
Commissioner       
Corporate Executive         
Councilman
    Councilwoman      
Counselor (Diplomat)      
Countess     
Couples     
Curator        

Dalai Lama          
Deacon         
Dean, academic            
Dean, clergy            
Deceased Persons        
Delegate, U.S., State            
Dentist             
Deputy Chief of Mission      
Deputy Marshal          
Designate, Elect,
    Pro Tempore      
Diplomats      
District Attorney           
Doctor of Dentistry           
Doctor of Medicine              
Doctor of
   Veterinary Medicine          
Doctor of Osteopathy            
Doctor, Other Disciplines     
Doctorate        
Doctorate, honorary      

Earl            
Elect, Designate
   Pro Tempore      
Eminence     
Etiquette    
Excellency           

Fiancee      
First, Second,
   Third, etc.        
First Lady, Spouse
   of the President of
   the United States 
First Lady, Member
    of Her   
    White House Staff      
First Lady, Spouse
   of a Governor
   or Lt. Gov.    
First Lieutenant   
Flag Protocol     
Former Officials    
Freeholder       

Geshe
General
    USA, USAF, USMC
Girl
Governor, Lieutenant 
Governor, Lt., Spouse   
Governor, Tribal Council          
Governor, U.S. State       
Governor, Former    
Governor
    Spouse of     
Governor's Staff,
    Member of      
Governors, Board of 

Honorable, The          
Honorary degrees    
Honourable, The       

Indian Chief         
Inspector General    
Introductions       
Invitations  
   Writing &  
   Addressing  
Invitations
    Military:
    Writing &
    Addressing

Judge, former     
Judge of US City or
        US Count     
Judge, US Federal            
Junior, Senior,
    I, II, III, etc.       
Justice, Associate
     Federal
     Supreme Court
Justice, Associate
     State
     Supreme Court

King     
Knight      

Late, The
   (deceased persons)        
Lawyer      
Lieutenant      
Lieutenant Colonel,     
   USA, USAF, USMC          
Lieutenant General,
   USA, USAF, USMC      
Lieutenant Governor         

How to Address Diplomats and
International Representatives
Questions & Answers, Frequently Asked Questions, and Blog

How to Address an Ambassador and Her Husband?   
How to Address an Ambassador: Excellency or The Honorable?  
How to Address an Former Ambassador?
Do I Address an Ambassador as "Your Excellency"?      
Do I Address a Charge d'Affaires?      
Do I Address a Counselor?      

How To Address a Foreign National Official or a Nobility?
Link to Q&A just on Foreign National Representatives and Nobility

How To Address a Chargé d’Affaires?
      On an invitation to a Chargé d’Affaires of an Embassy, is it proper to use the word HONORABLE before his/her name?    Thank you.
          -- Laura

Dear Laura:
     Are asking about an American chargé d’affaires? Among appointed US officials only those appointed by The President and approved by the Senate are addressed as The Honorable. At a US Embassy only the Ambassador is at that level ... so the only Ambassador is addressed as The Honorable (full name), Ambassador of the United ...
    But normally that position at an American Embassy is called a deputy chief of mission. I give that form on page 230 of my book.
    If you are addressing a chargé d’affaires at a foreign embassy, they aren't addressed as "The Honorable" either.  Americans address American ambassadors as "The Honorable" but address foreign ambassadors as "Your Excellency".  Foreign chargés d’affaires are not addressed as "Your Excellency": they are "Mr./Ms".
    So, on page 229 I show the form of address for a charge d'affaires as:
           Mr./Ms. (full name)
                Charge d'Affaires of the Embassy of ...
                        Address
    Back to your invitation: If the invitation is being sent to the the person's residence (rather than the embassy), skip charge d'affaires and "Embassy of..." of course.
    My book includes how to address all types of diplomats ... US and foreign ... exactly because they are the topic of so many questions.
          -- Robert Hickey 

How a Should Non-US Citizen
Address an American Ambassador ?
          I am writing an invitation letter to the ambassador of the United States to Japan. According to your book the ambassador should be addressed by US citizens as The Honorable John V. Roos.  But I am not a U.S. citizen and I live in Japan.  I will be writing to him in care of the US Embassy in Tokyo. 
          Should I address him as The Honorable John V. Roos as the U.S. citizens do?  Or should I address him as His Excellency John. V. Roos?
        ~ T. Suzuki

Dear T. Suzuki:
          Using The Honorable would be honoring his tradition -- would be how a US citizen would address him -- and how he would expect to be addressed in the USA..
          Using The Excellency will follow the international custom -- would be the most typical form of address by non-US citizens -- and how he  would expect to be addressed outside the USA.
          Either is a correct form of address, but if you are located in Japan ... use Excellency.
           -- Robert Hickey

How to Address an Ambassador:
Your Excellency or The Honorable?
I see ambassador's names written as "The Honorable (full name)" and as "His Excellency (full name)". Which is correct?  The ambassador who is coming is the French Ambassador. How should I write his name?
        ~ The Diva of Diplomats

Dear Diva:
    An ambassador of the United States is addressed by US citizens as:
          The Honorable (full name)
                 The Ambassador of the United States of America
                           (Address)
    An foreign ambassador to the United States is addressed by US citizens as:
          His/Her Excellency (full name)
                 The Ambassador of (official name of country)
                           (Address)
    So in this case, a French Ambassador in the United States would be addressed as:
          His Excellency (full name)
                 The Ambassador of the French Republic
                           (Address)
           -- Robert Hickey

Do I Address an Ambassador as Your Excellency?
Help! I have a meeting with a foreign ambassador tomorrow. I have written to him several times, so I know he's an "Excellency"? When we meet, do I say nice to meet you? or honored to meet you? Do I address him in person as Mr. Ambassador or Your Excellency?  NO GUESSES PLEASE! I can't afford to make a fool of myself. Only answer if you are really sure.
                    ~ Alex Mezo

Dear Mr. Mezo:
    Any of the replies to your introduction are fine. It's a pleasure to meet you is also good.
    In conversation call him Your Excellency or Mr. Ambassador or even Ambassador (Surname).
            -- Robert Hickey

Dear GB:
    Yes, I have a chapter on joint forms of address. This combination is covered on page 145. The correct address would be:
               The Honorable Jane Doe and Mr. John Doe
     ... because men get their full names when their wives name is listed first due to her higher precedence.
     For a formal salutation use:   
               Dear Madame Ambassador and Mr. Doe:
     Although using "ambassador" as the honorific would also be O.K.:   
               Dear Ambassador Doe and Mr. Doe:
               -- Robert Hickey

Dear Ms. Bentley:
    A retired US ambassador and a retired UK ambassador are addressed differently .... so I wish everyone tried as hard as you try to get everyone addressed correctly.
    A retired US ambassador is addressed on "the envelope" and in "the address block" of the letter as:
            The Honorable Carol Bentley
           (Address)
    And in the salutation or conversation he or she would be addressed as:
            Dear Ambassador Bentley,
    Use the American spelling of Honorable because it's considerate to present another person's name exactly as they are accustomed to seeing it.
    In the US we address anyone who was ever appointed to a position by The President and approved by The US Senate -OR- elected to public office by the citizens as "The Honorable" ... for life. It's a bit like in the UK once you are a member of the Privy Council you are The Right Honourable for life. Same situation.
    And ... ambassadors DO continue to use Ambassador as an honorific when they retire.
             -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Counselor (A Foreign Diplomat)?
     How should I address foreign diplomats who are not the ambassador – rather, they are in the ambassador’s office. Their positions are “Counselor, Deputy Chief of Mission” and “Counselor, Congressional Liaison Officer.” Thanks in advance for your assistance,
     -- Ellen

Dear Ellen:
     Everyone at a foreign embassy .... except the ambassador .... is:
          Mr./Mrs./Ms. (Full Name)
               Embassy of (Official Name of Country)
                    Address
     In a salutation they would be
          Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. (Surname):
     "Counselor" is not used as an honorific in writing for a diplomat. Include their office after their name in an introduction ... but not on an envelope. 
     RE: Use of Mrs. or Ms.: Internationally "Ms." is not as ubiquitous as it is in the US, but a foreign diplomat serving in the US would be familiar with it.
     Only an accredited ambassador who has presented his credientials to the head of state or head of the international organization is addressed as "His/Her Excellency" or in direct address "Your Excellency"
    -- Robert Hickey