"The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery" — Mark Van Dorena

• "You have been asked to be a Lady in Waiting or Guard to an SCA Royal Personage. Now what?"


• "This can be a very fun and exciting experience which will allow you to make lots of new friends and see a whole new side to the SCA."


• "Remember that your main job is not only to assist the Royals being able to perform their tasks and unload their stuff, but you also play a very important role! You enhance the whole experience for everyone else around you by assisting the Royals in BEING Royal! Your presence as you attend the Royals adds to feeling that they are real Royalty!"
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•   -=- Top 10 Tips for being a Lady-in-Waiting or a Guard to SCA Royalty, by Duchess Mary-Grace of Gatland

I think of SCA courts as theater ... the Royals are the actors and the court members are the back stage workers (although they also have on stage appearances).

The SCA is recreating a time when Royals were very important in day to day life. Even if you weren't privileged to attend court and interact with the Royals on a regular basis, what they did and said affected your life. And if you were to interact with them, even in passing, you needed to know how to act around them.

So in the SCA Royals are necessary for us to properly recreate the era. Their existence is the backbone of our "game"; and so their actions, appearance, and words take on a huge importance in our activities.

As in the Middle Ages, it’s not possible for one person (or one couple) to do all the work that goes into being a Royal. It takes an army of behind the scenes workers to make it all happen. This is where the court members come in.

If you’ve been to court, you’ve seen them working. Awards, prizes, and gifts appear in the Royal’s hands as needed. Water glasses are filled; presentations are moved to the back of the pavilion, and more. They are standing guard and escorting people into and out of court. A court's pageantry, effectiveness, and length are GREATLY affected by the efficiency of the court personnel.

But it doesn’t stop there.

Imagine the following scene: The Queen / Princess / Baroness is in the Royal pavilion and a young fighter requests an audience, kneels, and asks to fight for her in the day’s combat. She graciously accepts the fighter’s offer. Then she hands him/her a day favor asking that he/she wear it as a token from her.

Lovely! Exactly what we picture in the SCA … BUT wait … she carries favors around with her wherever she goes? No. Her court was paying attending to what was happening. They know where she keeps her day favors, and one of them slipped it to her behind her back as she was talking to the fighter. Making a perfect experience for the fighter

The court members are in charge of keeping the Royals day running as smoothly as possible: Keeping track of time and activities, keeping the Royals fed and watered, keeping the pavilion (the stage) clean and clear, providing what the Royals need as they need it, and more.

But wait, there's more.

Court personnel often help between events: assembling gift baskets, favors, and awards; helping with packing and unpacking, organizing attendance, coordinating between the Royals and the event staff, and much more:

"Care and support may take the form of setting up and breaking down camp, organizing court, taking notes at meetings, fetching and carrying, minding children, delivering messages, cooking, cleaning, laundry, and more." -=-Retinue - An Tir Culturewiki

Below are some links that should help you get a handle on what’s expected when you serve on court.

You’ll also find that reading the Royal’s handbooks give you an idea of what’s expected of the Royals, which helps you understand what you can do to help them.

• The Basics of Being on Court and/or Guard By Lady Rosie Black Rune and Baroness Tyen MacPherson
• Caid Court and Guard signs A YouTube video of demonstrating 23 American Sign Language signs that could help SCA courts and guards communicate more discretely.
• Retinue - An Tir Culturewiki "A retinue is a crew of people who take care of the King and Queen, Prince and Princess, or Baron and Baroness during their reign, providing personal support and care both at home and at events so that the King and Queen (or other representatives) are free to perform their duties."
• Baronial and Royal Court Handbook or “How to Serve on Court and Guard” (PDF) Notes and thoughts by Countess Bridget Lucia Mackenzie
• How to Become Part of and Serve as Royal Retinue "One question that people often have is how to help the Royalty. How do become a retainer? What do I need to do?"
• How to Be A Retainer in the SCA "We are the behind-the-scenes people. Roadies, stage crew, etc. We're there to help make the Baronage/Royalty's event run smoothly. With enough help, everyone's event can still be fun, including yours!"
• Top 10 Tips for being a Lady-in-Waiting or a Guard to SCA Royalty "You have been asked to be a Lady in Waiting or Guard to an SCA Royal Personage. Now what? Here are the top 10 tips to keep in mind, and some protocol that must be followed."
• How To Do Royal Retinue To The Benefit of the Kingdom & TRM "This is written from the viewpoint of a lady-in-waiting, but some of this applies to all the retinue."
• Baronial Household (or Retinue) “Job List” "Some information We gleaned from articles that then helped Us to put together our Household."
• Policies for Attendants in the Reign of Artan V and Aziza "This document was provided to members of the royal household in preparation for the fifth reign of Artan, in A.S. XXX (late 1995). It is provided here for consideration by attendants upon royalty in whatever SCA context might be. Take what you like and leave the rest."

• To Serve the Crown: the Care and Feeding of Royalty, The Æthelmearc Gazette, March 23, 2015. Mistress Arianna of Wynthrope interviewed former royal retainers to learn what the job of serving the Crown entails.
• Retainer 101 and a compainion piece Serving As a Royal Retainer Covers: Attending the Crown at an Event, Standing in Court, and Caring for the Royal Stuff.

• Caid Royal Court Handbook (PDF) The "RETINUE" includes information about the positions of: Chamberlain, Chief Lady/Lord in Waiting, Senior Lady/Lord in Waiting, Lady/Lord in Waiting, Royal (Queen’s) Guard, Captain of the Guard, Lieutenant Guards, and the Guard Duties

• Caid Royal Chamberlain Handbook: 2006 edition (PDF) READ THIS NOW, READ THIS OFTEN While some of this has folded into the Caid Royal Court Handbook there is much in here that will be useful for the new Chamberlain and Head LiW. Most especially, some awesome checklists for preparing for events.
• Caid Royal Court Handbook (PDF) The "RETINUE" includes information about the positions of: Chamberlain, Chief Lady/Lord in Waiting, Senior Lady/Lord in Waiting, Lady/Lord in Waiting, Royal (Queen’s) Guard, Captain of the Guard, Lieutenant Guards, and the Guard Duties

• Responsibilities of the Queen’s Guard "Being on the Queen’s Guard is a great honor, but it is also a great responsibility. One not only contributes to the splendor of our game, but also the ground work required to make the game a reality. One is both in the spotlight as well as behind the scenes. One gets his or her hands dirty one minute, and in the next he/she is the escort to the most identifiable person in the Kingdom. One can have a tremendous amount of fun, but will also have an equal amount of work. Here is a list of some of the obligations one takes upon his/herself."
• Guarding the Queen, The Æthelmearc Gazette, March 17, 2015. "How does the Queen’s Guard work? Mistress Arianna of Wynthrope interviewed several past Queens and members of their guards to find out."
• Caid Royal Court Handbook (PDF) The "RETINUE" includes information about the positions of: Chamberlain, Chief Lady/Lord in Waiting, Senior Lady/Lord in Waiting, Lady/Lord in Waiting, Royal (Queen’s) Guard, Captain of the Guard, Lieutenant Guards, and the Guard Duties
• Baronial Guard Barony of Elfsea of the Stellar Kingdom of Ansteorra
• Sergeantry Barony of Myrgan Wood, the Kingdom of Avacal "The positions of Sergeant, Gallant, Yeoman, Lancer, Courtier and Warden within the Baronies of the Kingdom of Avacal, have been developed to allow individuals the opportunity to demonstrate the martial prowess, commitment to service, pursuit of the arts and sciences, and dedication to the chivalric qualities and developmental ideals esteemed within the Society for Creative Anachronism. The goal of the Sergeantry is to provide leadership within Avacal and their local group, and exemplify commitment to service to the populace of the Barony to which they swear fealty." -=- (Sergeantry Handbook, June 2016)

• Caid Royal Court Handbook (PDF) The "RETINUE" includes information about the positions of: Chamberlain, Chief Lady/Lord in Waiting, Senior Lady/Lord in Waiting, Lady/Lord in Waiting, Royal (Queen’s) Guard, Captain of the Guard, Lieutenant Guards, and the Guard Duties

Royality & Protocol Handbooks

• Caid Royal Court Handbook (PDF) "One of the most challenging (and rewarding) positions in the SCA is that of a reigning Monarch. Below is a copy of the newly-revised (2015) Royal Court Handbook, which is given to incoming Caidan Crown Princesses to help prepare them for the reign. It incorporates previous versions of the Princess' Handbook and Chamberlain's Handbook. It is a worthwhile read if you are dreaming of some day ascending the Dolphin throne or serving on a royal court."
• West Kingdom Royalty Handbook Ninth Edition, March 2003 (PDF) Includes a section on "Court - The Support Crew"
• A Handbook for the New Princess Midrealm
• Middle Kingdom Protocol Handbook "For the SCA protocol is the occasionally mysterious thing that helps make the magic of court possible. Protocol gives us our structure for ceremonies, the things that gives dignity to the SCA."

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