Court, PRESENTATION AT.

Court, PRESENTATION AT. Formal presentation to the sovereign of persons whose status entitles them to that honour, takes place either at St James's Palace, at a levee, intended for gentlemen only, or at Buckingham Palace, a drawing-room, where both ladies and gentlemen appear. The days when levees and drawing-rooms are to be held are always announced some time beforehand. It is difficult in the present day to define exactly who may and who may not be entitled to be presented. Members of families of the nobility and landed gentry, diplomats, members of the House of Commons, persons holding high offices under the crown, judges, magistrates, church dignitaries, officers in the army and navy, persons who have attained distinction by eminence of any kind, and the wives and daughters of the same classes, form the larger number of those presented at levees and drawing-rooms. Persons are often presented on entering on some office, or attaining some dignity. Any one who has been once presented is entitled to appear at any future levee or drawing-room without a new presentation. The whole arrangements connected with presentations are under the supervision of the lord chamberlain, in whose office in St James's Palace information is given to all persons wishing to be presented. The names of ladies and gentlemen desiring presentation, and of the ladies, noblemen, and gentlemen who are to present them, have to be submitted to the sovereign for approval, and there is a strict exclusion of persons of damaged reputation, whatever their rank. Court dress or official uniform must be worn. A British subject who has been presented at St James's may on any after occasion claim to be presented by the British minister at any foreign court. As to court dress both of ladies and gentlemen, court etiquette, court mourning, &c., reference may be made to Old Court Customs and Modern Court Rule, by the Hon. Mrs Armytage (1883).