Dame Eileen Atkins (right, in Edward Bond's The Sea) has been complaining that airline on-line booking sites do not include 'Dame' on the drop-down menu for 'title'.If, however, she were booking tickets for Royal Ascot (in order to observe the Sport of Kings) she'd be spoilt for choice.
Roger & Sheila inform me that if you visit the race-course's on-line site, the menu in the name and address field has in the region of 30 different options, including: 'Dowager Countess', 'Right Reverend', 'Major-General' and 'His Excellency' to name(drop) but a few.
"One can imagine," says Sheila, "the fun they must have had in the Ascot ticket office working through Debrett's to find all possible titles that might be necessary."
Roger (who is, as he says - without a trace of bitterness, I am sure - "just plain Mr") adds: "I'll have to get my brother-in-law to complain that there's no designation for 'Past Master of the Company of Watermen and Lightermen'!"
With so many problems in life, it's good to know that there's one thing one doesn't have to worry about!
There is nothing like a Dame...
ReplyDeleteIt is a relief to know that if one is the very model of a modern Major General, one can use one's correct title while ordering tickets for Ascot. Ascot.. hmmm.. Is there a category for Covent Garden FlowerSeller, one wonders?
"Not bloody likely!"
ReplyDeleteHow about ms - they might frown at that? And do they have Commander or Rabbi?
ReplyDeleteHow about a seperate distinction for pantomime dame as opposed to the standard variety ?
ReplyDeleteQuite frankly, my dear, I don't give a dame!
ReplyDeleteslingb: the refusal by normal intelligent people to "title" everybody
SHARON - Rabbis? Don't know, but one would hope so, especially since they must surely have made provision for various members of the C of E and RC establishments from their Archbishops downwards.
ReplyDeleteBut then, of course, that does raise the question of how (among others) Imams, Quaker Leaders and the Dalai Lama get on when booking tickets for Ascot.
BOLL - A designated category for Pantomime Dames? An excellent suggestion!
Oh, no, it's not!
OH, YES, IT IS!!
SUZANNE - Well, Rhett Butler (despite not being a true-blue Yankee), was right!
The Americans have no 'honours' hierarchy (other than awarding the occasional Presidential Medal) and, at the same time, have the graciousness to accord former presidents the courtesy of still addressing them as 'President'.
As to 'slingb': this is, I believe a contraction of the northern expression (itself derived from Old English) "Sling bloody 'ook!"
They DO have the "Rev., Right Rev. etc but don't expect the Pope to go: I couldn't see either "His Holiness" or "Hitlerjunge Rottenfuhrer".
ReplyDeleteRoger O B...
trodewi: getting wet feet at dawn camping in Wales
This discussion has prompted another look at the list and I now see that there are nearly 60 options! They tend to represent more of the secular and military establishment rather than the spiritual and it's difficult to imagine that there are many occasions when they would all be used.
ReplyDeleteHere's the list:
Mr
Mrs
Ms
Master
Admiral
Admiral Sir
Air Chief Marshal
Dame
The Duchess of
General
General Sir
Group Captain
Lieutenant General
The Marquess of
The Reverend
Squadron Leader
The Viscount
The Viscountess
Professor
The Dowager Countess
Dr
Lt. Commander
Major the Hon.
Lt.
Captain the Hon. Sir
Prince
Captain the Jonkheer
The Hon. Lady
Hon. Mrs.
Hon.
Countess
Earl
Lord
Commodore
Air Marshal
Flight Lieutenant
The Lord
The Lady
Baron
The Baroness
Brigadier
Captain
Commander
Count
Colonel
Major
Major General
The Marchioness of
The Countess of
Sir
Lady
The Duke of
His Honour Judge
Lt. Colonel
Rear Admiral
The Earl of
Wing Commander
Vice Admiral
Thank you, SHEILA, fascinating!
ReplyDeleteAnd for those who wondered what the heck (or who the heck) was/is 'Captain the Jonkheer', here's all I could dig up on the subject.
Can't say I'm any the wiser, except he must be a regular at Ascot.
So is there anyone who does not go to Ascot?
ReplyDeleteYeah, US!!!
ReplyDelete