FYI, here is what's come in to the Blog that relates to this office/rank.
   For recent questions sent in, check out Robert Hickey's Blog.
   For specific offices/ranks, check out Robert Hickey's On-Line Guide.

How to Address a Retired / Former
US Ambassador?
    How do I address a retired American Ambassador?  He was a member of the U.S. Foreign Service so he was a diplomat for a long time before he was an ambassador.
           -- Carol Bentley

    How do I address someone who served as an American Ambassador?  He was a close personal friend of The President and served for four years.
           -- Keith Inge

Dear Ms. Bentley & Mr. Inge:
    Any retired or former ambassador is addressed on the envelope, or in the address block of the letter, in the standard style used for addressing high US officials:
            The Honorable (Full name)
            (Address)
     And, in the salutation or conversation he/she would be addressed as:
            Dear Ambassador (Surname),
     The difference between ambassadors will arise when you introduce them, describe them, give their title, or identify them in writing.

How to identify a political appointee who served as a Ambassador?
      Those appointed to serve as a U.S. ambassador after a career in another field (typically they serve just one administration, more or less) are introduced as:
             Ambassador of the United States to (Name of Country) from Year to Year
            or 
             Former Ambassador of the United States to (Name of Country)

Who can be identified as a "Career Ambassador, Retired"?
       There are certain individuals who can be identified as a Career Ambassador.   They have been accorded the “Personal Rank of Career Ambassador” by the President. If you do a web search for "career-ambassador U.S. Department of State" you find the list. There aren't many. This small category of ambassadors is introduced or identified as:
          Career Ambassador of the Foreign Service of the United States of America, Retired

Who can be identified as a "Ambassador, Retired"?
       Career U.S. Foreign Service Officers who have served as a U.S. Ambassador at one or more U.S. embassies are introduced or identified as:
          Ambassador of the United States of America, Retired

How to Address an Ambassador:
Your Excellency? or The Honorable?
I see some ambassador's names written as The Honorable (full name) and others as His Excellency (full name). Which is correct?  The ambassador who is coming is the French Ambassador. How should I write his name?
        ~ The Diva of Diplomats

Dear Diva:
    1) An ambassador of the United States is addressed by US citizens as:
          The Honorable (full name)
                 The Ambassador of the United States of America
                           (Address)
    The form -- the Honorable -- is used because US citizens formally address their own officials as the Honorable (Full Name).
    2) Any foreign ambassador is addressed as:
          His/Her Excellency (full name)
                 The Ambassador of (official name of country)
                           (Address)
    Form #2 is standard around the world for addressing ambassadors. Even US ambassadors are addressed as His/Her/Your Excellency when they serve abroad by citizens of the countries in which they are serving.
    Thus, the French Ambassador to the USA is addressed as:
          His Excellency (full name)
                 The Ambassador of the French Republic
                           (Address)
           -- Robert Hickey

How to Address Current Ambassadors
At-Post (In the Country where They Serve)
vs. Back Home (In the USA)?
      We are doing an overview of usage of the title Your Excellency to the Ambassadors (of the State and accredited to the country) when accompanying their Heads of State or Government abroad.  I would like to know -
       1) Would you address your  Ambassador (USA ambassador accredited in UK)  with "Your Excellency" when taking part of the official visit by the President of the USA  to UK?
       2) Would you address UK Ambassador accredited in USA with "Your Excellency" when taking part of the official visit by the President of the USA  to UK?
               -- Tina

Dear Tina,
       FYI, your questions are answered in my book in the chapter on Diplomats and International Officials. 
       1) Foreign ambassadors at-post
       In the US we follow the standard international practice of addressing accredited current ambassadors ... from one head of state to another head of state ... as "His Excellency John Jones,"  "Her Excellency Mary Jones,"  "Your Excellency" or "Ambassador Jones" the last being the least formal.
       2) Foreign ambassadors when back home in their own country
       In the US, US citizens follow our standard practice of using "The Honorable" for everyone appointed by The President. So we address US ambassadors as "The Honorable Henry Smith" or "Mr. Ambassador" or "Ambassador Smith" ... the last being the least formal.
    Your questions:
    Would you address your Ambassador (USA ambassador accredited in UK)  with Your Excellency when taking part of the official visit by the President of the USA to UK?
    I would as a US citizen address a US Ambassador would "The Honorable Henry Smith" or "Mr. Ambassador" or "Ambassador Smith"  I would not use the British spelling of  "Honourable" just because we were in the UK ... since the nicest way to write a name is the way one sees it at home ... which would be "Honorable"
    Would you address UK Ambassador accredited in USA with Your Excellency when taking part of the official visit by the President of the USA to UK?
    I would as a US citizen always address a UK ambassador as "His Excellency John Jones"  "Your Excellency" or "Ambassador Jones" the last being the least formal.
               -- Robert Hickey

How a Should Non-US Citizen
Address an American Ambassador ?
          I am writing an invitation letter to the ambassador of the United States to Japan. According to your book the ambassador should be addressed by US citizens as The Honorable John V. Roos.  But I am a Japanese citizen.  I will be writing to him in care of the US Embassy in Tokyo. 
          Should I address him as The Honorable (Full Name) as the U.S. citizens do?  Or should I address him as His Excellency (Full Name)?
        ~ T. Suzuki

Dear T. Suzuki:
          Using The Honorable (Full Name) would be honoring his US tradition -- would be how a US citizen would address him -- and how he would expect to be addressed in the USA (at home). It is not wrong for you to use it.
          Using His/Her Excellency (Full Name) will follow the diplomatic custom -- and how he  would expect to be addressed outside the USA and in Japan.
          Both are correct, but use Excellency since you are in Japan and are a Japanese citizen.
           -- Robert Hickey

Not Finding Your Question Answered?
Below are other topics covered in my blog and at right is a list of officials, Between the two I probably have what you are looking for.
     After hunting around a bit, if you don't see your question answered send me an e-mail. I am pretty fast at sending a reply: usually the next day (unless I am traveling.)
      If I think your question is of interest to others, I will post the question & answer – with your name and any personal specifics changed.
      -- Robert Hickey

USE OF NAMES & HONORIFICS   
Mr., Miss, Jr., III, & Names        
Married Women       
Deceased Persons         
People with Two Titles
Post-Nominal Abbreviations and Initials         
Sequence Post-Nominal Abbreviations: Sr., Jr., etc.    
 
Couples: Private Citizens / Joint Forms of Address 
Couples: U.S. Military / Joint Forms of Address     
Couples: U.S. Officials / Joint Forms of Address      

USE OF SPECIFIC OFFICIAL TITLES        
Former Officials            
Professionals and Academics        

United States Federal Officials, Currently In Office             
United States State Officials, Currently In Office              
United States Municipal Officials, Currently In Office             
       All About The Honorable with U.S. Officials         
       Former United States Officials of all types             
United States Armed Services
       Addressing Active Duty Personnel              
       Addressing Retired Personnel      
       Use of Rank by Retired Personnel      
       Use of Rank by Veterans      

Tribal Officials             
Clergy and Religious Officials           
Canadian Officials         
Australian Officials          
British Officials, Royalty, and Nobility        
Diplomats and International Representatives            
Foreign National Officials and Nobility        

SPECIFIC SITUATIONS
Author's Name on His/Her Book       
Business Cards, Names on,       
Couples              
Introductions, Names in            
Invitations: Names on       
Invitations: Names of Armed Service Personnel on        
Name Badges & Tags            
Names on Programs, Signs, & Lists            
Naming a Building or Road            
Place Cards            
Plaques, Awards, Diplomas, Certificates, Names on    
Precedence: Ordering Officials           
Tombstones, Names on      

Site updated by Robert Hickey on 17 April 2019

Back to directory of titles  /  See who is using Honor & Respect

For forms of address for invitations, place cards, name badges, introductions, conversation, and all other formal uses, see Honor & Respect: the Official Guide to Names, Titles, and Forms of Address.

Copyright © 2019 Robert Hickey.     All Rights Reserved.
Photo: Marc Goodman.