Protocol for Addressing Royalty
The British royal family serves as a model for how royals should be treated because they are the most formal of the royals. Although there are no actual rules when meeting members of the royal family, traditional forms of protocol may be observed. Men can bow their heads and women do a small curtsy, but a handshake is acceptable, too. The way royals are addressed, however, differs depending on the situation.
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Formal Introduction
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The queen is addressed as "Her Majesty the Queen" and the king as "His Majesty the King." Princes are addressed as "His Royal Highness" and princesses as "Her Royal Highness." A duke and duchess are addressed as "His Grace, Duke of" and "Her Grace, Duchess of," respectively.
On an Envelope
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Letters written to members of the royal family are addressed in specific ways on the envelope. Address a letter for the queen via the private secretary with, "The Private Secretary to Her Majesty the Queen" and to the king with "The Private Secretary to His Majesty the King." A letter to a prince should read, "The Private Secretary to His Royal Highness" and to a princess as "The Private Secretary to Her Royal Highness." An envelope to a duke and duchess are addressed as "His/Her Grace, the Duke of" York, for example.
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In a Letter
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The greeting in a letter to the queen or king on first correspondence should be, "Your Majesty." The greeting in letters to follow can use "Dear Madam" or "Dear Sir." The greeting for a prince is "Your Royal Highness" and a letter to a duke or duchess starts with "Dear Duke of " or "Dear Duchess."
Spoken Greeting
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When speaking to the queen or king, you should say, "Your Majesty" and subsequently "Ma'am" or "Sir." Male and female members of the royal family are addressed as "Your Royal Highness." Subsequently, they are addresses as "Sir" and "Ma'am."
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