UK Honours List - a bit OT

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Wow, but thanks! Seems like your last paragraph tells it best and I shall remember it.

It occurs to me that a number of people probably make a very good living keeping all this sorted and informing outsiders of decorum, style, protocols and forms of address. (Also, probably very common knowledge for every UK school kid.)

As a side note, a friend of mine, now contracted to the royal military as an instructor, encountered at least one, possibly both, of the Princes a year or so ago in the normal course of his duties. If I recall, he/they were referred to as Lieutenant (Leftenant) Wales. Sound right?

Thank you again for the corrected information.

Yes, your friend is correct. Princes William and Harry are both styled "of Wales" (HRH Prince William of Wales) as their father is the Prince of Wales.

As far as this sort of thing being "very common knowledge for every UK school kid" I'd venture to say that the average person really has very little knowledge about these things, unless they regularly bump up against royals as part of their day-to-day existence. And no, no one makes a good living out of knowing this sort of thing. The people who really keep track of these arcane matters are Heralds, and the primary requirement to be a Herald is a private income!

[piperdbh]

Is there protocol on whether to use the initials when signing one's name, or is it like Mac of Rath says, "...modesty forbids..."?

[Lallans]

Is there protocol on whether to use the initials when signing one's name, or is it like Mac of Rath says, "...modesty forbids..."?

As in say HMS Sheffield?

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Generally speaking persons who have a title use that title as their signature. For example HRH Prince William would sign as "William of Wales"; Merlin Hay, Earl of Erroll, would sign as either "Merlin Erroll" or simply "Erroll". MacMillan of Rathdown merely places a large X in the appropriate spot and waits for someone to come along and notarize it as "his mark"...

[CameronCat]

MacMillan of Rathdown merely places a large X in the appropriate spot and waits for someone to come along and notarize it as "his mark"...

Hee-hee!

[piperdbh]

But suppose Her Majesty decided that I were worthy of honoring and made a Member of the British Empire. Would I refer to myself as "piperdbh, MBE", or would that be considered bad form?
I had a few professors in college who would refer to themselves as "Dr. So-and-So", and smart-alecky students like me always thought it was a bit pretentious.

[Downunder Kilt]

It is my belief that as an American you may have a British honour bestowed upon you, but it is in a honorary capacity and you are not able to use post nominals associated with the honour

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Generally speaking post-nominals, such as OBE, MBE, GCMG, etc. are not used as part of the signature.

The usual form would be:

(signed) Peter Peel

(printed on a card or letter paper) Peter Peel, OBE
(if in the armed forces then) General Sir Peter Peel, GCMG
(if the son of a Peer then) Hon. Peter Peel, CBE

[piperdbh]

Post-nominals, such as OBE, MBE, GCMG, etc. are not used as part of the signature.

The usual form would be:

(signed) Peter Peel

(printed on a card or letter paper) Peter Peel, OBE
(if in the armed forces then) General Sir Peter Peel, GCHG
(if the son of a Peer then) Hon. Peter Peel, CBE

Ah-ha. I knew you'd have the answer.

[Jock Scot]

M o R is spot on.These titles and awards are part of the UK's (the Commonwealth too, I think still?) heritage and whilst the system is old fashioned and scoffed at by some-----it works and creates a huge amount of pride and goodwill not only for the recipient but the families and colleagues too.

I know that I and others have been having a spot of fun here by being deliberately evasive, but behind it all, there is a very real natural reluctance to say too much about these things. Not because any one is ashamed of the honours system, far from it, but "blowing one's own trumpet" really is not regarded with any enthusiasm by the British. Its just not done and it is the way we are, thank goodness.

It is exceedingly bad form to make too much of a fuss about these things and on day to day events no one will be any the wiser of your achievements and that is how it should be.No one likes a braggart and Britain has a natural aversion to such people and has ways of dealing with that, should the rare occasion arise. However, as M o R points out, in business and official letters and on one's card there are clues. I must add, there are many people with various honours who choose not to publicise their achievements at all and that is a personal choice that they make and it is quite acceptable so to do.

In passing, it is also bad form to ask people why and how they achieved an honour and you will need to know some one really,REALLY well before asking them how they achieved an honour and even then the reply from a military man might be "oh I helped an old lady accross the road once" or from somene else "oh I developed a better way of counting paper clips".