HSH is an acronym for His Serene Highness or Her Serene Highness. The style of HSH appeared at the front of the princely titles of members of German ruling families. The style is also used by the ruling family of Monaco where the reigning Prince is styled His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III of Monaco.

The style Serene Highness was mainly used by the children and grandchildren of the reigning dukes and princes of the small German states that survived after the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire. It was also given to several morganatic branches of German ruling family. Queen Mary, the consort of King George V used the style Her Serene Highness as a Princess of Teck. (The dukes and princes of Teck were a branch of the Royal House of Wurtemberg). In the Republic of Venice, also called the Serene Republic, the Doge was known as "Serenissimus".

In most of Europe, the style of Serene Highness was considered to be lower in rank than Highness, Grand Ducal Highness, Royal Highness, and Imperial Highness. If a woman with the rank of Royal Highness married a man with the rank Serene Highness, the woman would usually retain her pre-marital style. Queen Victoria did however create those German princes and dukes who married her daughters Royal Highnesses. Their children remained Serene Highnesses.

There is some evidence that in pre-Revolutionary France, a Serene Highness would outrank someone who was merely a Highness without any modifier. Those members of the Royal House of France who were not children or grandchildren of the king used the style Most Serene Highness. In fact, that style was introduced into France by Gaston d'Orleans the son of Henry IV and younger brother of Louis XIII.

In Germany, the styled used is Durchlaucht. Although this is usually translated into English as Serene Highness it would be more correct to translate it as Transparency. The incorrect translation results in the inconsistency (to English speaking minds) of a mere Highness outranking a Serene Highness.

During World War I, King George V revoked the style Serene Highness for use by those members of the British Royal Family who were British subjects.

External Links

• Article on the use of Highness (http://www.heraldica.org/topics/royalty/highness.htm)