The Right Honourable

Not to be confused with The Honourable, The Most Honourable, or The Much Honoured. Frankly, the distinctions are often lost on those who aren't perpetually navigating the labyrinthine corridors of archaic etiquette.

This rather detailed engraving of George Cornewall Lewis prominently features "The Right Honourable" in its accompanying caption, a clear reflection of the elevated stature bestowed by the Home Secretary position he occupied at the time of its creation. A reminder that sometimes, a title is etched as deeply as the lines on a public servant's face.

The Right Honourable (typically rendered in abbreviation as The Rt Hon. or through various other forms) is an honorific style that has, for centuries, been applied to specific individuals and, occasionally, to collective bodies. Its origins are firmly rooted in the United Kingdom, extending outwards across the vast expanse of the former British Empire and finding continued, if sometimes adapted, usage within the modern Commonwealth of Nations. In its contemporary application, this term is primarily associated with the occupancy of certain senior public offices across the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, and, to a somewhat lesser extent, Australia.

The term "Right" in this particular context functions as an adverb, conveying a sense of 'very' or 'fully'. It’s not about moral rectitude, but rather a superlative degree of 'honourable'. Grammatically, "The Right Honourable" operates as an adjectival phrase, serving to provide additional descriptive information about the person it modifies. Consequently, it is generally considered incorrect to employ it in direct address—one doesn't simply walk up to someone and declare, "Hello, Right Honourable!"—nor is it appropriate to use it in isolation as a title in lieu of a proper name. Instead, it is always utilized in the third person, accompanying a name or a noun that it serves to qualify. This principle applies broadly to most similar adjectival styles, such as The Reverend or The Right Excellent. In contrast, styles that function as nouns, like Majesty or Holiness, can be used with a corresponding possessive pronoun in direct address or as a direct replacement for a name.

The word "Right" may be succinctly abbreviated to "Rt", and "Honourable" to "Hon.". It is also permissible to abbreviate both. While the definite article "The" is sometimes omitted in written abbreviated forms for brevity, it is, without exception, always pronounced when spoken.

Countries with common or current usage

United Kingdom

The British, ever fond of their intricate systems of hierarchy and appellation, have a rather comprehensive list of those deemed worthy of this particular distinction.

Entitlement

Observe Queen Victoria presiding over a meeting of her Privy Council. It is a foundational principle that all privy counsellors are styled "Right Honourable," unless, of course, they are already personally entitled to an even loftier designation. Such is the nature of these things.

Consider the intricate parliamentary robes of a baron, as once donned by Lord Montagu of Beaulieu. Peers holding the rank of baron, viscount, or earl are inherently granted the privilege of the "Right Honourable" style.

Even Gavyn Arthur, in his capacity as the 675th Lord Mayor of London, was entitled to be addressed as "The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London" during his term of office. A temporary elevation, perhaps, but an elevation nonetheless.

According to the official pronouncements of the British government, the following categories of individuals are entitled to be styled "Right Honourable":

Members of the Privy Council The Privy Council is, in its original and theoretical form, the body of formal advisers to the reigning sovereign. In contemporary reality, its membership is granted for life to all members of the Cabinet, a selection of other senior politicians, and a limited number of other high-ranking officials. Once appointed, these individuals are personally entitled to bear the style "Right Honourable" for the remainder of their lives, a rather enduring mark of their service.
Peers below the rank of marquess Specifically, Earls and countesses, viscounts and viscountesses, and barons and baronesses who possess a substantive title—whether it be inherited or granted for life—are personally entitled to the "Right Honourable" style. Furthermore, a peer's wife or widow also legally inherits the right to her husband's style, a courtesy extending beyond the immediate office holder. However, it's worth noting that a peer's heir, who might use a courtesy title during their ancestor's lifetime, is not automatically accorded the corresponding "Right Honourable" style. The capitalised "The" often seen before substantive peer titles, as in "The Earl of Beaconsfield," is sometimes claimed to be an abbreviated form of their full style, e.g., "The Right Honourable Earl of Beaconsfield." Yet, this interpretation struggles to explain formulations like "The Right Honourable The Earl of Beaconsfield" or "The Most Honourable The Marquess of Salisbury," which include a second "The" and are recommended by other authoritative guides.
The lord mayors and lord provosts of certain cities (ex officio) This entitlement is attached to the office itself, rather than the individual. The lord mayors of London, Cardiff, Belfast, Bristol, and York, alongside the lord provosts of Edinburgh and Glasgow, are styled "Right Honourable" while actively holding their respective offices. The moment they step down, the style is relinquished. As such, the title modifies the office, not the person's name, appearing as "The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London" rather than, say, "The Right Honourable Jane Doe."

Privy counsellors

Privy counsellors are appointed by the sovereign, acting on the advice of the prime minister of the day. They retain their membership for life, unless they choose to resign or, in rare instances, are expelled. In practice, membership of this venerable, if largely ceremonial, body is extended to a rather extensive list of public figures:

All members of the Cabinet, which is, rather ironically, technically a committee of the Privy Council, along with other select senior ministers within the government.
Key figures from the opposition benches, including senior members of the Shadow Cabinet, the leaders of the principal political parties represented in parliament, and the esteemed Speaker of the House of Commons.
The first ministers of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and the leader of the largest opposition party within the Scottish Parliament, ensuring a broad representation of devolved administrations.
The two archbishops of the Church of England, who sit in the House of Lords ex officio, blending spiritual and temporal authority.
Senior judges, who perform the crucial judicial functions historically vested in the Privy Council.
Senior representatives from the wider Commonwealth nations, maintaining a symbolic link to the broader family of nations.
And, naturally, senior members of the royal family themselves, because nothing says tradition like keeping it all in the family.

This comprehensive list ensures that a significant proportion of the United Kingdom's most prominent past and present politicians are, or have been, entitled to be styled "Right Honourable." A rather dense club, one might say.

It's worth noting that no new appointments have been made to the Privy Council of Northern Ireland since 1971, though those members appointed prior to that date retain their entitlement to the style. Furthermore, non-British Commonwealth-citizen judges appointed to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council are also formally entitled to the style, even if this appellation is sometimes, perhaps pragmatically, overlooked in their home countries.

Current practice within the House of Lords and the College of Arms tends to restrict the application of the "Right Honourable" style solely to those who are privy counsellors, streamlining what could otherwise become an even more convoluted system.

Peers

All holders of a substantive peerage positioned below the rank of marquess are formally entitled to be styled "Right Honourable," as are their wives and widows. However, as previously mentioned, a peer's heir who merely uses a courtesy title is not automatically accorded this particular style, maintaining a distinction between actual and titular holders. Peers of higher rank receive different, and arguably grander, styles: dukes and duchesses are designated as The Most Noble or "His or Her Grace," while marquesses and marchionesses are styled as The Most Honourable.

To avoid any potential confusion, particularly when differentiating peers who are also members of the Privy Council—and therefore entitled to a style in both capacities—from peers who are not, the post-nominal letters "PC" are employed to explicitly identify privy counsellors. This applies universally across all ranks of peerage, as a holder of a dukedom or marquessate who subsequently joins the Privy Council would retain their inherently higher style, making the "PC" letters essential for clear identification of their additional privy counsellor status. This practice is endorsed by authoritative guides such as Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage and Correct Form, and is consistently applied in publications like Burke's Peerage & Baronetage. However, some, like Black's Titles and Forms of Address, consider the use of post-nominal letters for Privy Council membership incorrect, arguing it is an office, not an honour. In practical official contexts where clarity is paramount, publications typically reserve the "Right Honourable" style exclusively for the identification of privy counsellors.

Lord mayors, lord provosts and other officers

The lord mayors of London, Cardiff, Belfast, and York, along with the lord provosts of Edinburgh and Glasgow, are all entitled to carry the "Right Honourable" style during their tenure in office. The lord mayors of Belfast and Cardiff received this distinction through an explicit grant from the sovereign, while the others maintain it via ancient custom, a testament to the enduring power of tradition. As noted, this style is inextricably linked to the office itself, not the personal name of the individual holding it. Thus, one refers to "The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London" or "The Right Honourable the Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh."

Other lord mayors may be styled "Right Worshipful," a slightly less exalted but still notable designation, and other lord provosts do not typically use a specific style at all. By the 1920s, a peculiar trend emerged where a number of city mayors, including the Lord Mayor of Leeds, began to unofficially appropriate the "Right Honourable" style. This informal adoption of grandeur eventually prompted discussion in parliament, highlighting the human inclination for self-elevation. Curiously, the Lord Mayor of Bristol continues to use the "Right Honourable" style to this day, seemingly without explicit official sanction. In guidance issued in June 2003, the Crown Office even recommended that the lord provosts of Aberdeen and Dundee should also be styled "Right Honourable," mirroring the established practice in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

In a more historical vein, the Chairman of the London County Council (LCC) was granted this distinguished style in 1935, as part of the celebratory events marking the silver jubilee of King George V. Following the LCC's replacement by the Greater London Council (GLC) in 1965, its chairman was similarly accorded the style, a tradition that persisted until the GLC's abolition in 1986.

Furthermore, "Right Honourable" is also employed as a style by the incumbent Lord Lyon King of Arms, a rather theatrical figure in Scottish heraldry. In this instance, the style precedes his official title rather than his personal name, consistent with other ex officio applications.

In the House of Commons

Within the hallowed, often boisterous, halls of the House of Commons, members adhere to a rather specific protocol when referring to one another, employing "honourable" and "right honourable" as a matter of parliamentary courtesy.

In the actual chamber of the House of Commons, members are strictly prohibited from addressing each other directly or from naming fellow members by name. Instead, all remarks must be directed to the speaker, and other members are referred to indirectly. This practice, a relic of tradition, is ostensibly intended to enforce a polite tone, maintaining order and preserving a semblance of decorum. Only the occupant of the Chair is permitted to address members by their names. Generally, members will refer to those within their own party as "my honourable friend," while those from opposing benches are designated "the honourable gentleman/lady/member." For greater clarity, especially when the chamber is in a particular state of disarray, constituencies (e.g., "the honourable member for...") or ministerial offices (e.g., "my right honourable friend the Prime Minister") can be appended. In the official records of Hansard, references to other MPs are always expanded to include their constituency or ministerial office (and name in parentheses) for clarity to readers, regardless of the precise wording used in the moment, and "honourable" is consistently abbreviated to "hon."

The use of "honourable" to refer to one another is purely an internal courtesy, confined to the practices of the House, and does not constitute a formal style used outside the chamber. However, when a member is, in fact, genuinely entitled to be styled "Right Honourable" (which, in practice, is invariably due to their membership of the Privy Council), they are indeed referred to as such within the chamber. Further, more colourful, embellishments are traditionally applied to certain professions: clergy are deemed "reverend," military officers "gallant," and barristers "learned." While a 2010 report by the Modernisation Committee recommended the abolition of these additional descriptors, the practice, much like many parliamentary traditions, has largely persisted.

In summary, the internal parliamentary address protocol follows:

"Honourable" is employed for members who are not privy counsellors.
"Right honourable" is reserved for members who are privy counsellors.
"(Right) honourable and reverend" may be used for clergy, perhaps to remind everyone of their moral compass.
"(Right) honourable and gallant" may be used for military officers, presumably for their courage in enduring parliamentary debates.
"(Right) honourable and learned" may be used for barristers, a nod to their supposed intellectual prowess.

Collective entities

The rather grand prefix "Right Honourable" is also appended to the names of several collective entities, imbuing them with an air of solemn authority:

"The Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament Assembled," a verbose and traditional way to refer to the entirety of the House of Lords.
"The Right Honourable the Lords of the Privy Council," which is, quite simply, the Privy Council itself.
"The Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty," a historical appellation for the former Board of Admiralty, a testament to naval power.

Canada

In Canada, the intricacies of honorifics are somewhat streamlined, focusing on the highest echelons of public service. For more details, one might consult Canadian honorifics. Only the occupants of the three most senior public offices are bestowed with the style "Right Honourable" (or "Le/La très honorable" in French). Historically, this entitlement stemmed from their appointment to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom. However, the practice of Canadian appointments to the British Privy Council was discontinued by the government of Lester Pearson, shifting the basis of this distinction. Currently, individuals who either hold, or have previously held, one of the following offices are granted the style of "Right Honourable" for life:

It is crucial not to conflate "The Right Honourable" with "His or Her Excellency," a style reserved for governors general strictly during their term of office, or with The Honourable. The latter is used only while in office (with the exceptions of Nova Scotia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, where honorary members of the Executive Council retain the title permanently) by provincial premiers and cabinet ministers, and for life by senators and members of the King's Privy Council for Canada (which primarily includes cabinet ministers, but also other notable figures such as party leaders or provincial premiers who may be appointed from time to time).

Beyond these specific offices, the title may also be conferred for life by the Governor General upon eminent Canadians who have not held any of the aforementioned offices that would otherwise automatically grant them the style. This exceptional honour has been extended on two notable occasions: to eight prominent political figures in 1992, commemorating the 125th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, and to the long-serving Member of Parliament Herb Gray upon his retirement in 2002.

Living Canadians holding the style The Right Honourable

Person	Birthplace	Office	Born	Granted
Mark Carney	Fort Smith, Northwest Territories	Prime Minister	16 March 1965	14 March 2025
Justin Trudeau	Ottawa, Ontario	Former prime minister	25 December 1971	4 November 2015
Stephen Harper	Toronto, Ontario		30 April 1959	6 February 2006
Paul Martin	Windsor, Ontario		28 August 1938	12 December 2003
Jean Chrétien	Shawinigan, Quebec		11 January 1934	4 November 1993
Kim Campbell	Port Alberni, British Columbia		10 March 1947	25 June 1993
Joe Clark	High River, Alberta		5 June 1939	4 June 1979
Mary Simon	Fort Severight, Quebec	Governor general	21 August 1947	26 July 2021
Julie Payette	Montreal, Quebec	Former governor general	20 October 1963	2 October 2017
David Johnston	Sudbury, Ontario		28 June 1941	1 October 2010
Michaëlle Jean	Port-au-Prince, Haiti		6 September 1957	27 September 2005
Adrienne Clarkson	Hong Kong		10 February 1939	7 October 1999
Edward Schreyer	Beausejour, Manitoba		21 December 1935	22 January 1979
Richard Wagner	Montreal, Quebec	Chief justice	2 April 1957	18 December 2017
Beverley McLachlin	Pincher Creek, Alberta	Former chief justice	7 September 1943	7 January 2000

Over the years, a considerable number of prominent Canadians achieved membership in the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, thereby earning the right to use the "Right Honourable" style. This was often a recognition of their distinguished services while stationed in Britain, such as acting as envoys to London, or their critical roles as members of the Imperial War Cabinet, or simply due to their significant prominence within the Canadian Cabinet. This historical trajectory meant that all but three of Canada's early prime ministers—Alexander Mackenzie, John Abbott, and Mackenzie Bowell—who served before the style became routinely applied domestically, eventually acquired this title.

New Zealand

Previously, in New Zealand, it was customary for the prime minister and certain other senior cabinet ministers to be appointed to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, automatically entitling them to be styled "Right Honourable." This was a direct link to the imperial tradition.

However, Helen Clark, during her tenure as Prime Minister from 1999 to 2008, chose not to recommend any new appointments of New Zealanders to the Privy Council. Her successor, John Key, continued this departure from tradition, announcing in 2009 his decision to refrain from making any further recommendations to the Crown for appointments to the Privy Council. This effectively signaled the end of New Zealand's direct participation in the British Privy Council system.

In a move to establish a distinctly New Zealand-centric system of honorifics, the Queen of New Zealand formally announced in August 2010 that, with immediate effect, individuals holding, or subsequently appointed to, the following high offices would be awarded the style "Right Honourable" for life:

This change was a direct response to the cessation of appointments of New Zealanders to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom. Despite its significance, the immediate practical impact of this change was somewhat limited, as all but two of the individuals holding or having previously held these newly designated offices had already been appointed to the Privy Council under the old system. The exceptions were former governor-generals Sir Paul Reeves, Dame Catherine Tizard and Dame [Silvia Cartwright], and former speakers Sir Kerry Burke, Sir Robin Gray, Sir Peter Tapsell, Sir Doug Kidd and Margaret Wilson, who would now benefit from the new domestic entitlement.

The living New Zealanders who hold the style "Right Honourable" as a direct result of their membership in the Privy Council are:

Sir Geoffrey Winston Russell Palmer (1985) – prime minister
Helen Elizabeth Clark (1990) – prime minister
Sir Donald Charles McKinnon (1992) – deputy prime minister
Sir William Francis Birch (1992) – cabinet minister
Sir John Steele Henry (1996) – court of appeal justice
Sir Edmund Walter Thomas (1996) – supreme court justice
Dame Jennifer Mary Shipley (1998) – prime minister
Winston Raymond Peters (1998) – deputy prime minister
Sir Douglas Arthur Montrose Graham (1998) – cabinet minister
Sir Kenneth James Keith (1998) – court of appeal justice
Sir Peter Blanchard (1998) – supreme court justice
Sir Andrew Patrick Charles Tipping (1998) – supreme court justice
Wyatt Beetham Creech (1998) – deputy prime minister
Dame Sian Seerpoohi Elias (1999) – chief justice
Simon David Upton (1999) – cabinet minister

The living New Zealanders who hold the style "The Right Honourable" for life, as a direct consequence of the 2010 changes, are:

Name	Reason	Date Granted
Sir Anand Satyanand	Former Governor-General	2 August 2010
Sir John Key	Former Prime Minister
Sir Lockwood Smith	Former Speaker of the House of Representatives
Sir Jerry Mateparae	Former Governor-General	31 August 2011
Sir David Carter	Former Speaker of the House of Representatives	31 January 2013
Dame Patsy Reddy	Former Governor-General	28 September 2016
Sir Bill English	Former Prime Minister	12 December 2016
Dame Jacinda Ardern		26 October 2017
Sir Trevor Mallard	Former Speaker of the House of Representatives	7 November 2017
Dame Helen Winkelmann	Chief Justice	14 March 2019
Dame Cindy Kiro	Governor-General	21 October 2021
Adrian Rurawhe	Former Speaker of the House of Representatives	24 August 2022
Chris Hipkins	Former Prime Minister	25 January 2023
Christopher Luxon	Prime Minister	27 November 2023
Gerry Brownlee	Speaker of the House of Representatives	5 December 2023

Africa

In various African nations, the "Right Honourable" style has found its place, often reflecting a colonial legacy intertwined with post-independence political structures. During its periods of existence, the post of Prime Minister of Kenya was styled "Right Honourable." In post-independence Kenya, two individuals have been granted this distinction. The nation's founding president, Jomo Kenyatta, who served as Kenya's inaugural prime minister, was one. The other is Raila Amolo Odinga, who held the country's second prime ministerial office between 2008 and 2013. Raila Odinga, affectionately known as Baba (a political father figure and an enigma in his own right), is widely recognized as a towering icon in Africa, celebrated for his fervent Pan-Africanism and his relentless advocacy for good governance. Beyond Kenya, the prime ministers of Namibia and Uganda are both currently styled with the same honorific. Furthermore, in Uganda, both the speaker and deputy speaker of the Parliament of Uganda are also accorded this style, extending the honour beyond the executive branch.

Caribbean

Across the vibrant nations of the Caribbean, the "Right Honourable" style continues to denote high office. The prime ministers of Barbados, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago are all formally styled "Right Honourable." Even the West Indies Federation prime minister, during that office's relatively brief existence, was similarly styled, underscoring its widespread adoption in the region.

Malaysia

In Malaysia, the application of the "Right Honourable" style (translated into Malay as "Yang Amat Berhormat" for political figures and "Yang Amat Arif" for judges) is reserved for a select few at both federal and state levels. Federally, only the Prime Minister, his or her deputy, four specific judges of the Federal Court of Malaysia, and Members of Parliament who bear the personal title of Tun are styled as Right Honourable. The four specific judges include the Chief Justice, the President of the Court of Appeal, and the Chief Judges of the High Court in Malaya and the High Court in Sabah and Sarawak. At the state level, all the Menteris Besar, Chief Ministers and Premier, along with their deputies, are also granted the "Right Honourable" style, highlighting their significant roles within the federated system.

Nepal

In Nepal, the honorific system is quite structured. The president, vice president, speaker of the House of Representatives, prime minister, and chief justice are all formally styled "Right Honourable" (in Nepali: सम्माननीय, romanized: Sammānanīya). In contrast, ministers, members of parliament (encompassing both Lower and Upper Houses, as well as provincial parliaments), and chief ministers of provinces are simply styled "Honourable." This creates a clear, if sometimes humorously discussed in informal circles, differentiation between senior and less senior government dignitaries. The English rendition can also be seen as "The Rt. Hon’ble."

South Korea

In South Korea, the nation's most senior officials are also recognized with a similar, if less frequently observed, honorific. The President, Prime Minister, Speaker of the National Assembly, and Chief Justice are all entitled to use the "Right Honourable" style, though its application in practice may vary.

Spain

Within the Spanish autonomous community of Catalonia, a distinct usage of the "Right Honourable" style exists. Both the president of the Generalitat de Catalunya and the president of the Parliament of Catalonia are formally referred to as "the Right Honourable," underscoring the high regard for these regional leadership positions.

Countries with rare or historic usage

Australia

In Australia, the application of the "Right Honourable" style is more limited in contemporary use, primarily surviving in specific civic roles. The lord mayors of Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney are entitled to be styled "Right Honourable" during their respective terms in office, a nod to British tradition within local government.

Historically, a more significant number of Australians were entitled to this style by virtue of their membership in the Privy Council of the United Kingdom. It is important to distinguish that appointment to the Australian equivalent of the Privy Council, the Federal Executive Council, does not confer the "Right Honourable" style. Typical appointees to the Imperial Privy Council from Australia included senior politicians and judges at both state and federal levels. Malcolm Fraser, in 1976, was the most recent prime minister to accept appointment to the Privy Council and thus be styled "Right Honourable." Of his 21 predecessors, only four were not members of the Privy Council: Alfred Deakin (who declined the appointment), Chris Watson (who was never offered it), Arthur Fadden (who accepted only after leaving office), and Gough Whitlam (who also declined). The last Governor-General of Australia to be entitled to the style was Sir Ninian Stephen, whose term concluded in 1988. The last active politician to hold the entitlement was Ian Sinclair, who retired from public life in 1998. The few Australian recipients of British peerages were also, by extension, entitled to this style.

Present-day Australian governments have largely distanced themselves from recommending Australians for elevation to the peerage or appointment to the Privy Council. However, some current Australian citizens continue to hold hereditary peerages, such as Malcolm Murray, 12th Earl of Dunmore, thereby retaining the associated style.

Living Australians holding the style The Right Honourable

Person	Reason	Formerly
Ian Sinclair, AC	Member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom	Former Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives
Sir William Heseltine, GCB, GCVO, AC	Member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom	Former Private Secretary to the Sovereign
Malcolm Murray, 12th Earl of Dunmore	Earl of Dunmore	Former Member of the House of Lords
Robert Fiennes-Clinton, 19th Earl of Lincoln	Earl of Lincoln
Simon Abney-Hastings, 15th Earl of Loudoun	Earl of Loudoun
George Dawson-Damer, 7th Earl of Portarlington	Earl of Portarlington
Keith Rous, 6th Earl of Stradbroke	Earl of Stradbroke
Francis Grosvenor, 8th Earl of Wilton	Earl of Wilton
Nicholas St John, 9th Viscount Bolingbroke, 10th Viscount St John	Viscount Bolingbroke
Charles Cavendish, 7th Baron Chesham	Baron Chesham
James Lindsay, 3rd Baron Lindsay of Birker	Baron Lindsay of Birker
David Campbell, 7th Baron Stratheden and Campbell	Baron Stratheden
David Baden-Powell, 5th Baron Baden-Powell	Baron Baden-Powell

Ireland

In Ireland, the historical context of the "Right Honourable" style is tied to the former imperial administration. Members of the Privy Council of Ireland were, by custom, entitled to be styled "Right Honourable." This entitlement persisted even after the Privy Council of Ireland effectively ceased to function or meet following the establishment of the Irish Free State in December 1922. Nevertheless, the Lord Mayor of Dublin, much like some of his counterparts in Great Britain, managed to retain the use of this honorific style. This retention was not due to Privy Council membership, but rather as a result of the style having been separately conferred by specific legislation. However, in 2001, as a consequence of comprehensive local government law reform in Ireland, this particular honorific was officially removed, marking a further step in the nation's post-colonial evolution of its administrative titles.

Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, historically known as Ceylon under British rule, the imperial practice of honorifics was duly followed. Ceylonese members appointed to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom were consequently styled "Right Honourable." In the local Sinhala language, these individuals were referred to as "Mahamanya," signifying their elevated status. Notable Ceylonese appointees to the Privy Council who bore this distinction included prominent figures such as D. S. Senanayake and Sir John Kotelawala, reflecting their significant roles in the country's political landscape during that era.