I know to capitalize a title when used with the name, i.e. Prince John, and not if it is general - "any prince will do." But if Queen Eleanor has been identified and I write as "the queen" in the same paragraph obviously referring to Eleanor, is it capitalized? The same would work for all church and nobility titles I presume.
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1What do British newspapers do when they refer to the Queen? That's where I'd start. – Azor Ahai -him- Jul 07 '17 at 23:45
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Related: Is capitalizing “master” and other honorifics appropriate? – herisson Jul 08 '17 at 00:15
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Ultimately, this is a question of style; there is no single right or wrong answer. Adhere to the discipline of your editor, publication, or organization, or in the absence of a house style, observe the guidance of an appropriate style manual. – choster Jul 13 '17 at 21:48
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A noun (when not at the start of a sentence) should be capitalised if and only if it is a proper noun, which refers to a specific person, place, thing or idea without taking a limiting modifier.
Examples:
- "The Queen (of England) visited my school."
Since the word "Queen" is capitalised here, we know that it must be referring to a specific queen. The words "of x country" do not have to be included.
- "She dreamed that one day, she would be the queen."
In this sentence, the word "queen" is not capitalised as it does not refer to a specific person.
as4s4hetic
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Basically, it seems it's up to you. According to GrammarBook.com:
Capitalize titles when they are used before names, unless the title is followed by a comma. Do not capitalize the title if it is used after a name or instead of a name.
However, they add a note that:
Out of respect, some writers and publishers choose to capitalize the highest ranks in government, royalty, religion, etc.
Examples:
The President arrived.
The Queen spoke.
The Pope decreed.Many American writers believe this to be a wrongheaded policy in a country where, theoretically, all humans are perceived as equal.
So, basically, it's your choice. I don't think anyone will fault you either way.
Roger Sinasohn
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