On The Princess's Press Release List : Good, Bad, or Ridiculous?

One of the signs of becoming a "name" in the SL press world (and a "name" is very different from a "SLebrity") is to measure the frequency and spread of press releases that you receive. Tragically, I am still something of a bottom feeder in the virtual Fourth Estate but these things take time.

So imagine my surprise when the e-mail appeared in my gmail box from no less than the Press Secretary of the Royal Press Office to the Palace of Yaximixche. The 2009 Knighthoods have been announced and, although I am not amongst them, I am obviously on the press list.


Far be it for me to point out that of the four awards, three are either current or previous employees of the Princess, but there is no mention of a party. Being unashamedly English, my expectation of a royal is that once the Knighthoods have been handed out, it's all hands to the pumps and the drinking starts, usually in a huge marquee festooned in ribbons and swarming with new nobles and booze-serving penguins.

However, the press release has no invite to a shindig, which is something of a disappointment.

It also seems that I can't drop her an IM to suggest a booze up. Here are "the rules" for talking to Her Royal Highness:

"Under no circumstances it is permitted the publication or posting of conversation extracts or logs without written permission from the Royal Household of HRH The Princess of Yaximixche. In order to respect Linden Labs "Terms of Service and Second Life Community Standards"(1) you will have to formally request in advance the publication of any extract of the text conversation by sending a "texture letter". You must include your name, organisation, name of the newspaper, magazine or website, expected date of publication, and making reference to the text conversation that you would like to publish (this texture letter can be created in power point and then uploaded to SL).

"You are kindly advised to address your request to The Private Secretary to Her Royal Highness The Princess of Yaximixche (IM: Aaaa Thor). Three days later after sending your request for the conversation log publication, you will receive an answer in a "texture letter" from The Private Secretary. In case of unauthorised publication of HRH The Princess of Yaximixche conversation logs, her Royal Household will follow the procedures suggested by Linden Labs to resolve this situation."

Bummer! The last time I chatted with a royal (Princess Alexandra many years back) I didn't have to get permission or send questions in advance. And she's a real royal!

So I'm not going to make much of the Princess and her retinue. If there's no beer and no IMs, why should I even bother.

On the other hand, Sir Sigmund Leominster sounds so... right!