Wednesdays!

Event Type: King’s Levée

Description: His Majesty the King, will be hosting a Levée, to
                   receive the homage and news from the court’s gentlemen.

Location: State Bedroom, St. James’s Palace ( http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Winterfell%20Valley/68/103/1501)

Time: Noon / 12 pm SLT

Dress: Formal / Court

Etiquette: See Notecard in-world for history and etiquette. For more information, please contact Delos Helstein

History

In the sense of etiquette, the King's Levée was a court ceremony, that was modeled on Louis XIV at Versailles. Normally, it started the day of the Monarch, who rose in the State Bedchamber, and would be observed by physicians, court favorites, and the Kingdom's important male aristocrats and ministers. In this time, King was wipe washed, Shaved, hair combed, dressed, and then embellished with accessories, by his household and key members of the court. During this time, and while he sat to have his breakfast, the King would receive homages, news from hos ministers, and male presentees who were new the court.

When Whitehall Palace burned in 1698, the Court left for the much smaller residences at Kensington Palace, and St. James's Palace. William III of England saw the break down of such formalities and strict etiquette, as he was a private, quite man, used to the ways he was accustomed to the Netherlands. The lack of Space also made these often elaborate ceremonies, impossible to conduct in front of the entire court. And lastly, with the departure of the government from the Royal roof to Westminster Palace, the Levée became a bulletin for news to the King, rather than a conduct of business.

By the time we reached the reign of George III, the Levée ceremony was achieved its current from, quite different from its original purpose. The King, already fully dressed, would receive the ministers and hear about the governmental news of the day. Small conversations would occur, and the day was planned accordingly but mostly these meetings were all male and for government alone.



Rules of Etiquette for the King's Levée:

Step 1) The gentleman, after being announced, bows as soon as he enters the room.
Step 2) He takes a few steps and bows again.
Step 3) Upon getting close enough to the King's table, he bows for the third time.
Step 4) He waits for the King to Address him.
Step 5) Pleasantries and conversations are exchanged.
Step 6) The King hears news from his ministers and courtiers.
Step 7) General conversation occurs.
Step 8) Once the meeting is done, the King departs, and the courtiers retire to go about their day.
Optional Step) One cannot leave the room without the royal permission. To leave, one should say "Forgive me Your Majesty, may I beg leave to withdraw?", before bowing, heading backwards to the door and bowing again.



Conducting Conversation:

Verbal Address:
    'Your Majesty' for the first time and subsequently 'Sire/Ma'am'. This should always rhyme with 'Pam'. Pronunciation to rhyme with 'palm' has not been correct for some generations.

Conversation:
    In conversation with The King/Queen, 'Your Majesty' should be substituted for 'you'. References to other members of the Royal Family are made to 'His (or Her) Highness' or the appropriate title, such as the Duke of York.

    When introducing another person to The King/Queen it is only necessary to state the name or title of the person to be introduced: 'May I present John Smith, Your Majesty'