Grand Ducal Highness
Encyclopedia
His/Her Grand Ducal Highness (abbreviation
: HGDH) is a style of address used before the princely titles of the non-reigning members of some German ruling families headed by a Grand Duke
. No currently reigning family employs the style, although it was used most recently by the younger sisters of the late Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg
. Since Grand Duchess Charlotte's marriage to Prince Felix of Parma
, all of their male-line descendants have used the style Royal Highness
.
A reigning Grand Duke, his heir apparent, and their spouses would use the style of Royal Highness
. The male line descendants of a reigning Grand Duke, other than the heir, would use the style Grand Ducal Highness. This practice was followed by the ruling families of Luxembourg
, Hesse and by Rhine
, and Baden
. Other grand ducal families either existed before this system developed or were controlled by different rules. At present, the style is used only by the former ruling family of Baden, as the Hessian grand ducal family has become extinct.
Russian Grand Princes and Grand Princesses were the children or grandchildren of the Emperor and used the style Imperial Highness
. The Grand Dukes of Tuscany
used the style Royal Highness for themselves but it is not clear what style other members of the family would have used in the absence of the Austro-Hungarian styles. By the time the system of different classes of Highness came into regular use for the relatives of rulers (in the nineteenth century), the Grand Dukes of Tuscany were also members of the House of Austria
. As such, they had the title of Archduke
and used the style Imperial and Royal Highness.
In most of Europe, the style of Grand Ducal Highness was of lower rank than Royal Highness
, and Imperial Highness
but higher than Highness
and Serene Highness
. If a woman with the rank of Royal Highness married a man with the rank Grand Ducal Highness, the woman would usually retain her pre-marital style. Also, if a woman with the rank of Grand Ducal Highness married a man with the rank of Serene Highness, she would keep her pre-marital style. However if a woman bearing the style Grand Ducal Highness married a man bearing the style of Royal Highness or Imperial Highness she would, being consistent with the established tradition of conferring styles, assume her husband's style of Imperial Highness or Royal Highness
Abbreviation
An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase. Usually, but not always, it consists of a letter or group of letters taken from the word or phrase...
: HGDH) is a style of address used before the princely titles of the non-reigning members of some German ruling families headed by a Grand Duke
Grand Duke
The title grand duke is used in Western Europe and particularly in Germanic countries for provincial sovereigns. Grand duke is of a protocolary rank below a king but higher than a sovereign duke. Grand duke is also the usual and established translation of grand prince in languages which do not...
. No currently reigning family employs the style, although it was used most recently by the younger sisters of the late Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg
Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg was the reigning Grand Duchess of Luxembourg from 1919 to 1964.-Early life and life as Grand Duchess:...
. Since Grand Duchess Charlotte's marriage to Prince Felix of Parma
Felix of Bourbon-Parma
Prince Félix of Bourbon-Parma , later Prince Félix of Luxembourg, was the husband of Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg and the father of her six children, including Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg.-Early life:Prince Félix was one of the...
, all of their male-line descendants have used the style Royal Highness
Royal Highness
Royal Highness is a style ; plural Royal Highnesses...
.
A reigning Grand Duke, his heir apparent, and their spouses would use the style of Royal Highness
Royal Highness
Royal Highness is a style ; plural Royal Highnesses...
. The male line descendants of a reigning Grand Duke, other than the heir, would use the style Grand Ducal Highness. This practice was followed by the ruling families of Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, Hesse and by Rhine
Grand Duchy of Hesse
The Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine , or, between 1806 and 1816, Grand Duchy of Hesse —as it was also known after 1816—was a member state of the German Confederation from 1806, when the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt was elevated to a Grand Duchy, until 1918, when all the German...
, and Baden
Baden
Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany....
. Other grand ducal families either existed before this system developed or were controlled by different rules. At present, the style is used only by the former ruling family of Baden, as the Hessian grand ducal family has become extinct.
Russian Grand Princes and Grand Princesses were the children or grandchildren of the Emperor and used the style Imperial Highness
Imperial Highness
His/Her Imperial Highness is a style used by members of an imperial family to denote imperial - as opposed to royal - status to show that the holder in question is descended from an Emperor rather than a King .Today the style has mainly fallen from use with the exception of the Imperial Family of...
. The Grand Dukes of Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
used the style Royal Highness for themselves but it is not clear what style other members of the family would have used in the absence of the Austro-Hungarian styles. By the time the system of different classes of Highness came into regular use for the relatives of rulers (in the nineteenth century), the Grand Dukes of Tuscany were also members of the House of Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. As such, they had the title of Archduke
Archduke
The title of Archduke denotes a noble rank above Duke and below King, used only by princes of the Houses of Habsburg and Habsburg-Lorraine....
and used the style Imperial and Royal Highness.
In most of Europe, the style of Grand Ducal Highness was of lower rank than Royal Highness
Royal Highness
Royal Highness is a style ; plural Royal Highnesses...
, and Imperial Highness
Imperial Highness
His/Her Imperial Highness is a style used by members of an imperial family to denote imperial - as opposed to royal - status to show that the holder in question is descended from an Emperor rather than a King .Today the style has mainly fallen from use with the exception of the Imperial Family of...
but higher than Highness
Highness
Highness, often used with a possessive adjective , is an attribute referring to the rank of the dynasty in an address...
and Serene Highness
Serene Highness
His/Her Serene Highness is a style used today by the reigning families of Liechtenstein and Monaco. It also preceded the princely titles of members of some German ruling and mediatised dynasties as well as some non-ruling but princely German noble families until 1918...
. If a woman with the rank of Royal Highness married a man with the rank Grand Ducal Highness, the woman would usually retain her pre-marital style. Also, if a woman with the rank of Grand Ducal Highness married a man with the rank of Serene Highness, she would keep her pre-marital style. However if a woman bearing the style Grand Ducal Highness married a man bearing the style of Royal Highness or Imperial Highness she would, being consistent with the established tradition of conferring styles, assume her husband's style of Imperial Highness or Royal Highness