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Imperial Majesty (His/Her Imperial Majesty, abbreviated as HIM) is a style used by Emperors and Empresses. It distinguishes the status of an emperor/empress from that of a King/Queen, who are simply styled Majesty. Holders of this style have sometimes been observed to follow religious leaders who are styled "His Holiness" in public ceremonies.
King-Emperors and Queen-Empresses sometimes have used the style Imperial and Royal Majesty (e.g., The Empress Frederick's style Her Imperial and Royal Majesty The German Empress and Queen of Prussia).
The reigning British monarchs from 1876 to 1948 had the style Imperial Majesty as Emperors of India. However, this style was only sometimes used in relation to the imperial title as Emperor or Empress and never as King or Queen.
The last Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, also used the style of "Imperial Majesty". Today, the style is assumed by Farah Pahlavi, the exiled Shahbanu of Iran.
Incongruously, in modern times the Emperor of Japan rarely uses the style of "Imperial Majesty", instead preferring the simpler style of "Majesty". This is despite the imperial titles still used by the rest of the imperial household.
See also
References
- "No. 38330". The London Gazette. 22 June 1948. p. 3647.
- Benjamin Disraeli, Prime Minister (9 March 1876). "Royal Titles Bill—Bill 83". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 227. United Kingdom: House of Commons.
...there would be no clumsy periphrasis of the kind. The Majesty of England requires for its support no such epithet. The Queen is not 'Her Royal Majesty.' The Queen is described properly as 'Her Majesty.' Therefore, the 'clumsy periphrasis' of 'Royal and Imperial Majesty' could never occur.
- "Personal Histories". The Imperial Household Agency. Retrieved 2022-08-19.