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Addressing French noblemen

James J. Algrant <james_mem...@newsguy.com>

In article <92n6t1$jb...@bob.news.rcn.net>, "Francois says...

>In medio alt.talk.royalty aperuit Peter Kurth <laz...@sover.net> os suum:
>> Monseigneur if it's a duc or prince of the church, Monsieur if it isn't -- &
>> Madame *always* for women. PK

>For dukes???

>--
> François R. Velde
> ve...@nospam.org (replace by "heraldica")
> Heraldica Web Site: http://www.heraldica.org/

For dukes it is "Monsieur le Duc". An anecdote comes to mind. Several years
ago a French TV personality, Philippe Bouvard was interviewing the Duc de
Brissac and asked him with surprising ingenuousness, "What do they usually call
you?" He did not have to wait long for a reply: Sir, I am not called, and I do
not like to be called. But when one addresses himself to me one says: Monsieur
le Duc and when one refers to me one says: Monsieur le Duc de Brissac."

With respect to princes. One addresses them as: Monsieur le Prince if referring
to non-sovereign French princes, "Prince" if referring to foreign non sovereign
princes, "Monseigneur" if referring to sovereign princes or pretenders French
or other.

Info: from 'Aujourd'hui, les nobles' by Gérard de Sède.