The Most Excellent

The Most Excellent (Spanish: Excelentísimo Señor, male, or Excelentísima Señora, female; abbreviated as Excmo. Sr. or Excma. Sra.) is an honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain people in Spain and certain Spanish-speaking countries. The honorific is mainly used in written documents and its retention after the holder leaves office is left for the most important positions of the state.

The prefix is similar in meaning to that of His/Her Excellency, but in the 19th century it began to replace it. The use of the prefix Excellency was re-introduced in Spain during the Franco-regime by General Francisco Franco himself, who was formally styled as Su Excelencia el Jefe del Estado (His Excellency The Head of State), although his ministers and senior government officials continued using the prefix The Most Excellent. After the Spanish Constitution of 1978, the legal style is The Most Excellent, and Excellency is no longer used due to its Francoist connotations.

Entitlement

Household of His Majesty the King

• The Head of the Household
• The Secretary General
• The Head of the Military Chamber

Executive Power

Central Government

• The President of the Government (Prime Minister) and former Presidents of the Government
• Vice Presidents of the Government and former vice presidents
• Government Ministers and former ministers
• Secretaries of State
• The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Government's Delegates to the Autonomous Communities

Autonomous communities

• The Presidents of the Autonomous communities of Spain
• Counsellors (ministers) of the Autonomous Communities

Legislative Power

• The President of the Congress of Deputies
• The President of the Senate
• Members of the Bureau of the Congress of deputies
• Members of the Bureau of the Senate
• Members of the Bureaus of the Autonomic Legislatures

Constitutional Court and Judiciary

• Justices of the Constitutional Court
• Members of the General Council of the Judicial Power
• Justices of the Supreme Court
• The Attorney General of the State
• The Head prosecutor of the Supreme Court
• The Chief justice and the Head prosecutor of the Audiencia Nacional
• Chief justices and Head prosecutors of the High Courts of Justice of the Autonomous Communities

Local Authorities

• The Mayors of Madrid and Barcelona
• Mayors of cities considered big cities according to the law

Other Institutions

• Members of the Council of State
• Members of the Court of Audit
• Rectors of Universities (it is followed by the title Magnifico)
• Vicerrectors of Universities
• Members of the Insituto de España
• Academics of the eight Royal Academies
• Members of the Nuclear Security Council
• Deans of the College of Lawyers of the provinces where a High Court of Justice is Seated
• The Governor of the Bank of Spain

Diplomacy

• Ambassadors
• Diplomats with the rank of Minister-Counselor

Military

• Flag officers of the Spanish Armed Forces and the Civil Guard

Recipients of civilian decorations, awards and orders

• Knights/Dames of the Collar and Knights/Dames Grand Cross of any of the military and civilian orders
• Holders of the Gold Medal of Merit in Labour

Royalty & nobility

• Consorts and issue of the Infantes of Spain
• Grandees of Spain
• Heirs of Grandees of Spain

Other

• Foreign Heads of State not belonging to royalty and their consorts