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Imperial Majesty (style)
Encyclopedia
Imperial Majesty is a style
used by Emperor
s and Empresses. The style is used to distinguish the status of an emperor/empress from that of a king
/queen
, who are simply styled Majesty
(HM) or Royal Majesty (HRM). In the International Protocol, holders of this style outrank any others although the holders of the style sometimes voluntarily follow after religious leaders with the style of his holiness.
Today the style is used by the Emperor
and Empress of Japan
(in ) and also by the exiled Empress Farah Pahlavi of Iran
.
Style (manner of address)
A style of office, or honorific, is a legal, official, or recognized title. A style, by tradition or law, precedes a reference to a person who holds a post or political office, and is sometimes used to refer to the office itself. An honorific can also be awarded to an individual in a personal...
used by Emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
s and Empresses. The style is used to distinguish the status of an emperor/empress from that of a king
King
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
/queen
Queen regnant
A queen regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right, in contrast to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king. An empress regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire....
, who are simply styled Majesty
Majesty
Majesty is an English word derived ultimately from the Latin maiestas, meaning "greatness".- Origin :Originally, during the Roman republic, the word maiestas was the legal term for the supreme status and dignity of the state, to be respected above everything else...
(HM) or Royal Majesty (HRM). In the International Protocol, holders of this style outrank any others although the holders of the style sometimes voluntarily follow after religious leaders with the style of his holiness.
Today the style is used by the Emperor
Emperor of Japan
The Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
and Empress of Japan
Empress Michiko of Japan
Empress Michiko of Japan is the wife and consort of Emperor Akihito, the current monarch of Japan. She was the first commoner to marry into the Japanese Imperial Family. As crown princess and later as empress consort, she has become the most visible and widely-travelled imperial consort in...
(in ) and also by the exiled Empress Farah Pahlavi of Iran
Farah Pahlavi
Farah Pahlavi is the former Queen and Empress of Iran. She is the widow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran, and only Empress of modern Iran...
.