How to Write an Invitation to Royalty
HL Yolande Chastellain
Updated: 15 Apr 2004
| Editor's Note: This article was originally sent to the Northern List as an email. Her Ladyship has graciously allowed me to reprint it here. |
It has come to my attention, as Head Lady-in-Waiting to Their Highnesses Prince Ulf and Amira Celdae, that They have not received many invitations to events. I am sure that this is not due to a slow calendar of events, for there is an event happening in our fair lands for just about every weekend for the next two months.
Perhaps the lack of travel in Tir Righ is not due to such things as time of year, road conditions, costs of travel, too many events, etc., but to the fact that Royalty will not be present. Let's face it, what are the two biggest draws that garner attendance at events in the SCA? - heavy fighting and the presence of Royalty.
While it is up to your branch to determine whether or not you will have heavy combat as an activity at your event, it is also up to your branch to determine if you desire Royalty to be present. If you do, then just adding event copy to your local, principality or kingdom newsletter isn't enough. The now infamous maxim "If you build it, they will come" does not necessarily bode true for Royalty. You need to show Royalty how much you really want Them there, and that you are willing to do whatever is necessary to make Their travel plans and visit to your branch easier for Their already hectic lives.
An important consideration for having Royalty attend your event is offering to pay Their travel costs, especially if your branch is far away from where the Royalty live. Sometimes offering to fund part or all of the travel costs might help bring Them to your event as the Royalty incur greater costs on travel and the travel fund is not large. It is also important to let the Royals know that there will be people available to assist Them as Retinue-for-the-Day, as the Royal Travel Fund does not cover the travel costs of the Royal Retinue.
So yes, you would be grateful to have Royalty at your event. How do you get Them to attend? It's simple really - you start by inviting Them.
Letter writing truly is an art, and one that requires practice. Writing an invitation is very much like writing a letter, although it is much more formal. Especially when trying to make it more medieval, in both style and presentation. Certainly, presentation is everything. Hand-calligraphed and hand-delivered will make more impact than if the letter were typed and sent by email. A personalized letter, well written and enticing will definitely catch the attention of the Royalty.
I offer you the following quick tips, and sample letter to model your own invitation after (you have my permission to plagiarize this document).
- Keep it short, simple, and to the point
- Flowery language is nice, but remember to keep it short (preferably to one page)
- All references to Royalty should be made in capital letters
- Invitations should be in hard copy, via regular post
- You can include event copy with the invitation for Their edification
- Remember to include all details of your contact information
- Follow up the letter a few weeks before the event with a telephone call to the Royals' Retinue liaison to confirm if They will be in attendance if you haven't heard back from Them
Sample Invitation
Unto Their Storm Highnesses of Tir Righ, Prince (name) and Princess (name), warm greetings. On behalf of the populace of the Barony/Shire of (name) I write to Your Highnesses this day to invite Your most honoured presence at our annual (name of event) on Saturday, the 6th day of November, Anno Societatis (AS year). Our French banquet is to be held at (location) in (city). If Your most valued time allows for Your Highnesses' attendance, Your banquet costs shall be covered by the Barony/Shire. Any retinue You wish to have accompany You are more than welcome to attend, but must incur their own banquet costs. The doors open at 6:00 pm and the banquet will be served promptly at 7:00 pm. For Your Highnesses entertainment, we will have wandering minstrels, jugglers and jongleurs to sing Your praises. Please respond before the 6th day of October, in one month's time, so we may make the necessary preparations. We, as Your most honoured subjects, will accept last-minute arrangements with prior notice to accommodate any schedule changes that may arise. Please advise how many might accompany You. We hope that Your Highnesses will be able to grace our tables and we await with anticipation Your response. If You would be so kind as to contact myself, the Autocrat, at the below location and farspeaker, any necessary arrangements, such as transportation, accommodation and court scheduling, can be discussed. May Your days be joyous and healthy in the months to come. Yours in Service, (signature or seal) Her Ladyship Yolande Chastellain Dated this 5th day of September, Anno Societatis (year), being (year) in the common era. (autocrat name) |