The International Association of Amateur Heralds

I note that William David Hamilton Sellar, Lord Lyon King of Arms and Secretary of the Order of the Thistle, was granted an MVO in the New Year's Honours List.

An MVO is usually the level which junior members of the Royal Household are granted (for example the Visitor Manager at Balmoral was another MVO grantee). In my profession MVOs have usually been granted to junior diplomats involved in state visits overseas. Mr Sellar can only hope that he will be up-graded sometime soon!

Chris Green wrote:I note that William David Hamilton Sellar, Lord Lyon King of Arms and Secretary of the Order of the Thistle, was granted an MVO in the New Year's Honours List.

An MVO is usually the level which junior members of the Royal Household are granted (for example the Visitor Manager at Balmoral was another MVO grantee). In my profession MVOs have usually been granted to junior diplomats involved in state visits overseas. Mr Sellar can only hope that he will be up-graded sometime soon!

Given that the award comes as a "retirement present" which sees Mr. Sellars demitting his briefly held office it is difficult to see any likely advancement.

Are members of an Order "granted" entry? I alwyas thought they were appointed or admitted.

John Jones wrote:Are members of an Order "granted" entry? I alwyas thought they were appointed or admitted.

Dunno. It wasn't meant to be a technical term.

John Jones wrote:Are members of an Order "granted" entry? I alwyas thought they were appointed or admitted.

From the examples I have seen, the letters patent of appointment to a British order include the phrase, "We do by these presents grant unto you the dignity of a [degree] of Our said Order and hereby authorize you to have, hold and enjoy the said dignity and rank..." Here's an example:



So it would seem entirely proper to refer to Lyon Sellar's honor as both an appointment and a grant. (And, for that matter, a nomination.)

Probably a semantic point.
I don't think one can be 'granted an order', because that is like being given the Order (which is made up of all the members).
I see the wording is 'grant unto you the dignity', which seems ok.
Perhaps it is the usage, where 'order' (small case) is understood diffrrently from 'Order" (upper case).
John Jones