INTRODUCTION
Attending an official or ceremonial
chivalric or royal event is a new experience for many
persons who may be apprehensive at committing a social error
or of giving offense in some way. However, Royalty, Nobility,
and Knights are rarely offended if a social error is
inadvertently made.
In most cases, the natural bearing of
the Knight, along with the manners taught to you in your
youth, are sufficient and will need only slight augmentation.
Of course, Knights are representing their Orders and the
chivalric tradition itself, and, as such, they will want to
conform to the requirements of probity and good manners.
This Protocol is based upon the official Manual of
Protocol of The Religious and Military Order of Knights
of the Holy Sepulchre.
UNIFORMS
Some Orders have uniforms, which are worn at functions where
others would wear evening dress (the "tuxedo").
The Order's uniform supersedes all other uniforms and modes
of dress, unless one holds a ceremonial office which
requires a mode of dress other than the Order's uniform.
Some Orders permit their Knights to wear military uniforms
if the person is on active duty or if the person is a
retired officer. Decorations should always be worn. See the
particular Order's Constitution for illustration of the
correct wearing of Decorations.
THE CHAPEL CAPE
Alternately, at official ceremonial functions
only, the Chevalier may wear the Chapel Cape with tuxedo and
Decorations and the Dame may wear the Chapel Cape with the
appropriate formal evening dress and Decorations.
The Chapel
Cape is not worn at dinner, although it is worn for any
ceremony prior to or following the dinner or banquet.
INFORMAL ATTIRE
The business suit and the sport coat are not
often considered "informal attire," but they are.
At informal (non-ceremonial, non-official) times, while the
OHS Uniform is much preferred, the Knight may wear a suit or
sport coat and tie, all with the lapel pin.
The Squire/Damsel
should wear the appropriate Uniform or, alternately, the
suit or sport coat and tie with lapel pin.
CASUAL ATTIRE
Casual dress (open shirt with no tie; shorts, no
matter how trendy) is very strongly discouraged at all times
and is absolutely not worn for the formal and informal
activities of the Royal Court.
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