[MR] Regarding Royal High Table Guests and Events

[Kelly Keck]

Gise, thank you very much for pointing that out.  I think it may still be
something of a concern if everyone at high table has their feast paid for by
the hosting shire or barony.

If I understand correctly, because of the rule against spending SCA money on
gifts to individuals, for it to be legal for a local group to pay for
someone's meal at high table, it *has* to be a reward or honor for something
wonderful they did at the event because that would make it a prize rather
than a gift (prizes being perfectly legal and gifts bought with SCA money
being verboten).  Since His Highness has said that is His intent, that works
well.  However, I don't know of any rule stipulating that royalty *must* use
those criteria for seating people at high table.  For a group to change its
financial policy and to be assured that such comps are legal, they would
have to have some guarantee that Their Majesties, Their Highnesses, and any
future monarchs would do the same.

Personally, although I think the best use of high table is as a reward to
someone who has done something spectacular at an event, I also don't think
the royalty would appreciate a policy dictating who may sit at Their table.
I also don't think it would be unreasonable for high table to be used as a
*personal* thank you from the royalty--not necessarily for the winner of a
tourney or the creator of a fabulous A&S project, but perhaps someone who
has retained for Them all day, or the person who arranged a successful fund
raiser for the kingdom travel fund.  Certainly, They could also include a
personal friend or two if They wished.  Either way, it is Their table.

However, if local groups are to pay for the meals of everyone sitting at
high table, that would preclude the royalty from including anyone for whom
that free meal would be a personal gift rather than a "prize", as they would
then essentially be giving a gift, a free meal, bought with SCA funds.

In Service,
Adriana Michaels

On 8/19/07, Scribe0002 at aol.com <Scribe0002 at aol.com> wrote:
>
>
> In a message dated 8/19/2007 6:05:03 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> Telara at aol.com writes:
>
> Further,  what happened to using high table as a reward or an honor for
> someone
> at  the event who does something wonderful? If you fill the table with
> your
> attending friends, there is no room for such an honor. Once again,
> it  comes
> down
> to being a good guest.
>
>
>
> Good Honora,
>
> I must point out that what His Highness has asked of me ~is~  seating for
> those who are honored . . . who have impressed Him in some way  through
> their
> actions and chivalry at an event. In all our correspondence on  this topic
> it has
> never been otherwise, though I have heard it repeated many  places that He
> intends to reward His friends with this comp.
>
> I do not agree with His request or His opinion in this, but I think it is
> important to stay clear on this fact.
>
> ~gise
>
>
>
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