Most Gracious Majesty
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Most Gracious Majesty is a form of address in the United Kingdom. It is an elaborate version of Your Majesty and is only used in the most formal of occasions.
[edit] Historical background
Around 1519 King Henry VIII decided Majesty should become the style of the sovereign of England. "Majesty", however, was not used exclusively; it arbitrarily alternated with both "Highness" and "Grace", even in official documents. For example, one legal judgment issued by Henry VIII uses all three indiscriminately; Article 15 begins with "the Kinges Highness hath ordered," Article 16 with "the Kinges Majestie" and Article 17 with "the Kinges Grace."
In pre-Union Scotland Sovereigns were only addressed as Your Grace.
During the reign of James VI of Scotland and I of England and Ireland, however, James made Majesty the official title, to the exclusion of others.
In full, the Sovereign is still referred to as "His [Her] Most Gracious Majesty", actually a merger of both Grace and Majesty.
[edit] See also
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