Another poll

[meridian_rose]

Once she's decided to take the Grand Tour, Kat, at the urging of her grandmother, makes Honor her vice-regent. However he's obviously had a position at her right hand for many years prior to this. I'm just not sure of the title of that post.

Some googling comes up with suggestions from before Queen Elizabeth 1st (principal secretary) and during her reign, (Secretary of State) for the monarch's right hand. I'm not sold on "Secretary of State" so that didn't make it into the poll.
King's Clerk, King's Secretary are also mentioned. Seem more administrative in modern parlance, but are historically accurate.
Potentially Queen's Counsel – more usually a legal position, but it would work here and "to counsel" suggests advice in a general way.
Queen's Advisor – I see no reason this wouldn't work.
GRRM's Game of Thrones uses the King's Hand. Are there any other invented titles you can think of? I've got some Chief Minister type options in the poll but I'd be interested in any other options you can come up with.

I'm leaning towards either Queen's Counsel or Queen's Advisor but I'd like to get a feeling for what readers think of when they come across the various titles.

[Poll #1921410]

Comments

[dorothydeath.livejournal.com]

That's a though one.
I struggle with titles, too. A lot. O_O

I don't like the Clerk/Secretary variations much because in my mind those are strongly connected to the office jobs (and clerks and secretaries are usually not very important positions. O_O)

I don't like "Queen's Counsel" because there is already the Council, and I'm afraid I'll be misreading one for another. O_O

I love "Chief Advisor". :D That sounds cool! :D
And Chief Minister. It sounds super important! :D

I like Queen's Minister less because it sounds a bit like something from the Queen's Groom/Queen's Maid category to me. Or like Queen's pet, or something. O_o
But it's just my personal impression and as a non-native I perceive such things differently so idk... o_O

Hope that's helpful! :D

[meridian_rose]

Yes, thank you, good to hear other thoughts if only for comparison :D.

It's a problem of modern usage that State suggests America and Secretary suggests typist, when these have other, broader meanings, I think.

There is some confusion over council/counsel in some people's minds but there is specific instances of the usage and Queen's Counsel is an official legal position in the UK so I'm quite fond of it - and I find the -sel to be a much 'softer' look somehow that I don't confuse with the -cil suffix.

Chief Minister does seem very important :D I think that Queen's Minister is slightly more formal and ceremonial a form.
Queen's Minister as Queen's pet would certainly be what some people think :D
Queen Elizabeth's right hand man was the Secretary of State and her personal spymaster and 'pet' :D

Something for me to think about is that this position will become vacant once Honor is vice-regent. Does Kat give it to someone she trusts? Leave it empty until after the Tour? I'm thinking she might bestow it on Cal, to the horror of several council members. I'm not sure how they'd take him being Chief Advisor! (But Queen's pet, well, what's new there?!)

[brontefanatic.livejournal.com]

I like Queen's advisor; Queen's Chief Advisor if there are other advisors for very specific areas.

Anyway - just my two cents.

[meridian_rose]

I'll take into account in the poll numbers :)

[hrhrionastar.livejournal.com]

I like Queen's Counsel, for the alliteration and also that being Honor does for Kat a lot of the time. But it's true some people might confuse it with Queen's Council, so maybe Queen's Advisor is better. I don't think Clerk or Secretary is really right, though. Minister, maybe...it depends on how Grand Vizier-y Honor's title ends up being.

[meridian_rose]

I like QC too, but I guess Briana, head of legal affairs could be Queen's Counsel, and Honor can be, in backstory, Queen's Advisor :D I decided on vice-regent so no grand vizier issues now :D

Thank you, your input is appreciated :D