George Yule defines address form as a word or phrase that is used for a person to whom speaker wants to talk.
Such styles are particularly associated with monarchies, where they may be used by a wife of an office holder or of a prince of the blood, for the duration of their marriage.
They are also almost universally used for presidents in republics and in many countries for members of legislative bodies, higher-ranking judges, and senior constitutional office holders.
The second-person (singular and plural) possessive adjective your is used as a form of address (that is, when speaking directly to the person[s] entitled to the style[s]); the third-person possessive adjectives his/her' (singular) and their (plural) are used as forms of reference (that is, when speaking about the person[s] entitled to the style[s]).
[citation needed] With a long history of rulers, there are many styles which vary from territory to territory and languages for royal families in India, commonly Maharaja (for king), Maharani (queen) whereas for their successors Raja, Rani (Maha meaning "Great" removed).
For example, the Yoruba people of West Africa usually make use of the word Kabiyesi when speaking either to or about their sovereigns and other royals.
"The Right Honourable" is added as a prefix to the name of various collective entities such as: Styles can be acquired through marriage, although traditionally this applies more to wives of office-holders than to husbands.
(although she fit the criteria which customarily accords the prefix of "Lady" to the daughter of an earl, and she had been known as such prior to marriage, she did not revert to that title following divorce).
When King Charles III (Then; HRH the Prince of Wales) was remarried to Camilla Parker-Bowles in compliance with the Royal Marriages Act, she lawfully became HRH The Princess of Wales but, as was the announced intention prior to the couple's wedding, she continues to use the lesser title derived from her husband's Duchy of Cornwall and was known as HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, until the accession of her husband as King, because of the strong association to the late Diana, Princess of Wales.
[citation needed] However, titles for offices of which there are many concurrent office holders (e.g., ambassador, senator, judge, professor or military ranks, especially colonel and above) are retained for life: A retired U.S. Army general is addressed as "General (Name)" officially and socially for the rest of their life.
Military retirees are entitled to receive pay and are still counted as members of the United States Armed Forces.
Accordingly, all retired military ranks are retained for life pursuant to Title 10 of the United States Code.
In the case of the President, while the title is officially dropped after leaving office[citation needed] – e.g., Dwight Eisenhower reverted to his prior style "General Eisenhower" in retirement – it is still widely used as an informal practice; e.g., Jimmy Carter was often called President Carter during his lifetime.
Otto von Habsburg, who was Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary (1916–1918), had the style 'His Imperial and Royal Highness'.
He was last addressed as such by church figures during the funeral of his late mother, Empress-Queen Zita of Austria-Hungary in 1989, although the use of these styles has been prohibited in Austria since 1920.
For example, holders of titles of which there are many at the same time, such as ambassadors, senators, judges, and military officers, who retire retain use of their hierarchical honorific for life.
Senior clergy, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church, were to have their rings (the symbol of their authority) kissed by lay persons while they were on bended knee, while cardinals in an act of homage at the papal coronation were meant to kiss the feet of the Supreme Pontiff, the Pope.