Imperial and Majestic Highness

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Imperial and Majestic Highness (abbreviation HI&MH) is a style, known only to have been used in the Empire of Austenasia.

The style ranks below Imperial Majesty and Majesty (referring to an Emperor/Empress and King/Queen respectively), but above Imperial Highness and Imperial and Royal Highness (which respectively refer to a member of an Imperial house and to a relative of a monarch with both royal and Imperial connections).

"Imperial and Majestic Highness" was invented by Crown Prince Jonathan of Austenasia after he was given the title of His Majesty The King of Moylurg in October 2010. The Crown Prince did not consider it appropriate to assume the style of "Majesty" within Austenasia and thus claim the dignity of a monarch due to the political atmosphere of the time; the ruling Emperor Esmond III was suspicious of any perceived threats to his sovereign authority (the Austenasian Civil War having ended mere months beforehand), and a rivalry had developed between the Emperor and King Declan I which Jonathan did not want to be caught up in by adopting the style of Majesty in reference to a title granted by the latter. However, the Crown Prince wished for his new monarchical title to be more directly referenced than by simply adding "Royal" to his existing style to form Imperial and Royal Highness (HI&RH), held by princes as opposed to kings. The new style was therefore adopted, with Crown Prince Jonathan styling himself as a member of an Imperial house with direct connotations of "Majesty", without using the style of Majesty itself except in Moylurg.

The style was later bestowed by the Austenasian Senate on Emperor Aggelos I of Imvrassia in April 2024 for use within Austenasia in his capacity as Prince Regent upon his appointment as such. This lasted until September 2024, when he succeeded as Emperor of Austenasia. Under Austenasian law, a Prince Regent would ordinarily be styled Imperial Highness, but it was considered inappropriate to style Aggelos below his station in this way given he is the sovereign Emperor of Imvrassia in his own right, a title and rank fully recognised by Austenasia. However, it was likewise considered inappropriate for Aggelos to use the style of Imperial Majesty in an Austenasian context, where that style refers solely to the Monarch (and not even the imperial consort). The Senate therefore resurrected the style of Imperial and Majestic Highness for his use, acknowledging his rank as Emperor of Imvrassia while not going by Imperial Majesty in his Austenasian role.

See also