[MR] A question of Protocol

[Arthur Donadio]

Hello All:

In my experience, no sovereign, consort, royal peer, or person of baronial 
rank who is comfortable in his or her own skin will bristle at an unintended 
failure to observe the customary courtesies.  Most of us remember all too 
well what it was like to be new and to have difficulty remembering the forms 
and meaning of the various hats and heraldry.  As has been commented, 
Atlantians are known around the world for being particularly respectful to 
the Crown, to each other, and to dignitaries of other realms.

My take on the toasts differs from that of His Grace, Logan.  Under the 
theory that in their own lands the baron and baroness outrank everyone but 
the king and queen, during my reigns, I have always instructed that (at 
events hosted by a barony) the landed baron and baroness have the honor of 
toasting the king and queen.  Then the highest ranking peer toasts the crown 
prince and princess and the next highest ranking toasts the sitting baron 
and baroness.  This has always made the most sense to me as it helps 
reinforce to the people of the barony that next to the king and queen, their 
baron and baroness are at the top of the food chain in their lands.

On the topic of carrying SCA observances into the modern world, I can tell 
you that I have done that too.  At the end of a long and particularly 
contentious trial in district court, I rose to give my closing argument.  
When I concluded, the judge said,"thank you, Mr. Donadio".  Without 
thinking, I bowed to the judge before sitting down.

Cuan