The Rt. Honorary form of address

[RWS]

Additionally, American tourists mistaken for distant British cousins whom they somehow resemble can sometimes be addressed as "Right Honourable".

[storeynicholas]

NJS

[zegnamtl]

There is nothing right [...] about the man.

I thought he was very much on the right?

Sorry.

Well done, yes he is indeed right as in right wing,
he is also wing, as in wing nut! (politics aside, I speak of the man, not the color of his tie).

But for the moment, he is the "right honorable".

[HappyStroller]

Still, whatever the real character of the gentleman, this British parliamentary practice of address does seem to promote a more civil tongue during parliamentary dialogue, which perhaps leads to the making of a more civilized form of law being passed by the government of the day, compared with many other parts of the World, including Rhodesia.

[BirdofSydney]

Certain British judicial officers are also entitled to the style - obviously members of the judicial branch of the Lords, as well as the Lords Justices of Appeal, the Lord Chief Justice, and - one supposes - the Master of the Rolls, Chancellor of the High Court, and Presidents of the Family and Queen's Bench Divisions (as the latter four were all Court of Appeal Judges prior to their elevation, I'm not sure off the top of my head if "Rt. Hon" attaches to these positions by themselves).

[storeynicholas]

IThe title for these chaps derives, I think, from the fact that they are all either peers of the realm or Privy Councillors (or Counsellors - and therein is a debate in itself). As I said above, if they are peers of the realm they have the title anyway, if they are not, then as PCs, they are entitled to it. For example the Lord Chief Justice is a peer of the realm and a PC and so he is entitle to the style and title (inter alia) the Rt Hon (as a peer) and PC to denote that he is both.
NJS.

[HappyStroller]

Is it true almost all British peerages are no longer hereditary? For instance, the son of the Duke of Marlborough will not inherit his father's title because lordships in the House of Lords are no longer hereditary?

[storeynicholas]

No. The hereditary peers have (almost all) been replaced in the House of Lords by a selection of equally well -selected legislators: Tony's Cronies. However, the hereditary peerages themselves continue as social handles.
NJS

[newtom]

This is quite complex: Right Honourable applies mainly to Privy Councillors (government ministers are , as well as other people, PCs). It is also a prefix for peers of the realm who, if they are PCs append PC to the end of their titles as they are already Rt Hons. Ordinary members of the house of commons are addressed as the Honourable member for (name of constituency) unless they are members of the Bar when they are addressed as Honourable or Rt Honourable (as the case may be) and 'learned' member, 'friend' for same party member or 'gentleman' for opposition. Children of some lesser peers, who do not hold a courtesy title, such as The Viscount Duplin are also addressed as the Honourable [first name and second name].
NJS

And just to confuse it even more, an MP who is a serving member or reservist of HM Armed Forces is the "(Right) Honourable and Gallant Member for....."

[storeynicholas]

Newtom - good point - nothing that adds to our stock of knowledge is confusing and we should, surely, be glad of all the store we can gather.
NJS