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c. From the late 16th century used as a component of the names various companies of actors having a formal association with a particular patron (or, in more general use, seeking to make such an association informally); esp. in His (or Her) Majesty's servants. Subsequently versions of this name have been used informally to refer to other theatrical companies with a royal connection of some kind (e.g. through being based at a theatre with a title such as ‘Theatre Royal’), and occasionally to the acting profession in general. Now historical.Originally used with reference to companies of players who were permitted to describe themselves as the servants (in a more general sense) of a particular patron, of which one of the most durable was that more commonly known as The King's Men (see king's man n. 1b). In 1660 some former members of the King's Men, which had by then been disbanded, formed a new company called the King's Company, which became associated with the Theatre Royal in London (first in Bridges Street and later in Drury Lane), and which was often referred to as His (or Her) Majesty's Servants in advertisements; in 1684 the company merged with the Duke's Men (or Duke's Company). In due course the usage was extended to companies at other theatres with similar names.