You probably think you’re abiding by royal etiquette when you refer to the queen as Her Royal Highness. It’s also a nice way to write about her when you’ve used the term “the queen” too many times. Is it ok to refer to the queen as your royal highness? No, the proper term is Her Majesty.
The queen’s full title is (takes a deep breath) “Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of her other realms and territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.”
She’s simply referred to as Her Majesty the Queen on the Royal Family’s official website.
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If you ever find yourself getting ready to meet the queen, here’s how it should go down. After being presented to the Queen (nobody is ever “introduced,” they are “presented”), tradition calls for you to address her as “Your Majesty.” For example, “I’m pleased to meet you, Your Majesty.” After that, you want to use “Ma’am. ” So, if the Queen asks how you are, your reply should be something like: “I’m good, Ma’am.” However, you can also use “Your Majesty.”
Your Royal Highness is reserved for royal women of lesser status, like Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle.
Similarly, the proper way to address a king is “Your Majesty,” and thereafter as “Sir.”
