clothes at a royal garden party...

[locum76]

Hi all.

I've been invited to the queens garden party at Holyrood palace!

The dress code for men is:

Morning coat, lounge suit or uniform. (national dress may be worn).

What I want to ask you guys is, what would you wear? I'm thinking that 'national dress' would mean I could get away with wearing a proper Scottish nine yards plaid or something similar. Does anyone here know if a plaid would break the protocol? If not where could I get a hold of one?

Also, giving away my general scruffiness, what exactly is a morning coat and what is a lounge suit?

Cheers

Rob

 

[MartinK9]

http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/default.asp?action=article&ID=36

http://www.dresscodeguide.com/

http://www.dapper.co.uk/dapper/dress_etiquette.htm

 

[locum76]

cool, thats what i suspected. now what about the plaid?

 

[wanderingblade]

Turn up in full bushcraft get up.

Pull apart a marquee and fashion an impromptu teepee.

Get the most the minor royals scouting for firewood while you get Her Maj. working up a sweat over the fireboard.

Trap, prepare, cook and eat a swan

Have a lengthy debate about knife crime / legitimate use with a senior policeman

Campaign loudly for a Knighthood for Ray Mears

Campaign Loudly for the deportation of Bear Grylls

.........have fun.

 

[Toddy]

When Colin went he just wore his kilt with a Prince Charlie jacket. He reckoned he'd die in the heat with his plaid since he'd be supposed to wear a jacket with it too.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Sniper]

Isn't the plaid classed as everyday wear? If that is the case I doubt it would be suitable, I think it's the "wedding" kit version Locum with dress jacket and waistcoat, as that's what I had suggested last time I went to "Auntie Betty's" for a BBQ.

 

[sandsnakes]

Locum, I go most years to BP. The thing is if you wear a full plaid will you have bare shoulders?

You will find all manner of dress, but the protocol for Scotland would be the now accepted form of the kilt with ghilie brouges, charlie jacket etc.

Lounge suit does well as long as you polish your shoes. Best way is to think of it as a posh job interview with good iced coffee and cakes thrown in. What you don't want is to stand out to such an extent that some minor functionary thinks you are 'doing a **** take' and tells you its not the appropriate dress.

Can I ask why you have been invited? i assume its 'service to the community etc'.

For some this is the crowning moment of their life, people in wheel chairs who have worked dam hard for wheel chair access. Social workers, midwives, fund raisers for cancer charities etc, etc. Most of the people who go have poured heart and soul into projects, hospitals and charitity work, so remember its also about those around you and you.

Having said all this phone the issuing office and they will help you, if you have a reason to wear the full plaid and are noted for it and its why you are being invited, it will probably be ok. You will find that they will bend over backwards to help you.

If you meet the Queen you first response is to answer 'your majesty' which is less formal but now the accepted way of response it.

The Queen is very knowlegable about wild life, game, horses, dogs, people and all sorts of stuff. People forget that she can also change a tyre on a car and strip an engine.

Have fun, you will love it.

Sandsnakes

 

[John Fenna]

I vote for Swanni shirt, Ventile jacket, Fjallraven trousers, Barma hat and big boots - the Bushy Uniform (though the Swanni could be replaced by a 5:11 if you find it too warm!

 

[East Coaster]

I vote for Swanni shirt, Ventile jacket, Fjallraven trousers, Barma hat and big boots - the Bushy Uniform (though the Swanni could be replaced by a 5:11 if you find it too warm!

I second that Mr Fenna

If they don't like it k em!

 

[Chris G]

I have to say that I'm rather impressed by the number of people on here who have been to the tea party and/or met HRH.

"If you meet the Queen you first response is to answer 'your majesty' which is less formal but now the accepted way of response it." - Do you then go on to "Mam as in Jam, not Marm as in Arm"? Just curious.

 

[Mikey P]

I have to say that I'm rather impressed by the number of people on here who have been to the tea party and/or met HRH.

"If you meet the Queen you first response is to answer 'your majesty' which is less formal but now the accepted way of response it." - Do you then go on to "Mam as in Jam, not Marm as in Arm"? Just curious.

For the military, it's 'ma'am as in in jam' all the way.

Just make sure you have your answer ready for:

"And what do you do?" (to be said in very clipped, received-pronunciation stylee )

 

[sandsnakes]

The continuation is a bit up to you. For the Duke its Sir all the time. Queen its either ma'ma Mam as in Jam or Marm as in Arm.

The accent is not clipped just perfect old school BBC English. She will try to put you at ease and knows a lot about everything so will have interesting replies to your answers.

It says no photos or cameras, lots of scum bags try to videophone or photograph her. Not good form as you have been asked into her home.

If The Princess Royal (Anne) is there she is great fun and very easy to talk to.

Oh yes, try not to faint on parade!

Sandsnakes

 

[JohnC]

When we had royal visits at work, the advice was to think in advance of what you do and reherse a couple of sentences, the protocol guy reminded us not to say "I'm only..." or " I just do ...." basically to be proud of what you do and prepared to have further questions asked. He also said don't try bowing or curtsying unless you know how to do it, it'll look odd.

 

[locum76]

great, thanks guys. I'll probably just stick to the good old fashioned 'lounge' suit then. although I like wanderblades suggestion the best.

sandsakes, I got invited through my work. someone gets invited from the charity every few years and I guess they got my name from the website.

I wasn't sure about going becuae i'm not really a royalist but i've got no especial grudge against them either and decided it wuold be a waste of an unusual opportunity.

One more thing, do any of you protocol experts know if I'll get away with a hipflask? If the answer is yes, I wonder what Prince Phillips favourite whisky is...

 

[sandsnakes]

You can get away with a hip flask, but its not the kind of occasion you need to get plastered at. Lots of interesting people, once met a guy who was banged up in Colditz and was one of the last living members of the 'escape committe'. He was a hoot had us in fits of laughter for a couple of hours. Met a chap who was the worlds expert in tapeworms..euggghhh!

So go and have fun. The cakes are divine!

Sandsnakes