Throughout the
Commonwealth realms, the loyal toast is most commonly composed solely of the words "The Queen" or "The King" (as appropriate), though this may be elaborated with mention of the monarch's position as head of a particular state, such as in Canada, where the
Canadian Armed Forces codifies the loyal toast as "Ladies and gentlemen, the
King of Canada". If the sovereign holds an honorary position within a
Canadian Forces regiment, in that regiment's
mess the toast is: "Ladies and gentlemen, the King of Canada, our Captain-General", or whatever rank the monarch may hold.''' The phrase "and the People of Australia" was added in the 1990s by governor-general
Sir William Deane. As King
Charles III is recognised as the symbolic head of the
Commonwealth of Nations, at any event where the guest of honour is a dignitary from any of the fifteen Commonwealth realms, the loyal toast is adapted to be "Ladies and gentlemen, the King, Head of the Commonwealth", and should an honoured guest be from one of the other Commonwealth member-states, the loyal toast is to be recited as "Ladies and gentlemen, the King of Canada, Head of the Commonwealth". Similarly, whilst the Loyal Toast is traditionally the first given, it is often the final toast given at official debate dinners at the
Oxford Union, following those to the speakers, Committee, and Members. Members of the Royal Family may neither participate in nor respond to the loyal toast, When ambassadors or similarly senior representatives of other heads of state are present, it has become customary for a toast to be proposed after the loyal toast to "heads of state of other countries here represented". that it be the first toast given, and that a glass of any beverage other than a
cocktail be used. In the
British Army several units have special privileges, and are exempted from the usual practice of standing up for the toast. For example, the
Royal Scots Dragoon Guards are allowed to remain seated, while officers of
The Queen's Royal Hussars in their Mess have the privilege of not drinking the loyal toast and of ignoring the National Anthem when it is played at dinner.
In dispute The loyal toast was the catalyst for international friction in 1948, when the
Taoiseach (
prime minister) of
Ireland, then
John A. Costello, made an official visit to Canada. There, at a formal function,
Governor General of Canada The Viscount Alexander of Tunis steadfastly refused the directions of Irish officials to toast the
President of Ireland,
Seán T. O'Kelly, instead of the
King of Ireland,
George VI; at the time, the King fulfilled the external affairs role that normally belongs to heads of state, while the President of Ireland fulfilled an internal constitutional role. An irked Costello stated to a reporter the following day that he would prompt the Irish Parliament to repeal the
Executive Authority Act, and declare Ireland as a
republic,
which was done later that year. In 2000,
Captain Aralt Mac Giolla Chainnigh, a professor at the
Royal Military College of Canada, petitioned to be personally excused from, amongst other displays of loyalty, having to stand and participate in the loyal toast. The Canadian Forces Grievance Board, the
Chief of the Defence Staff, and the
Federal Court of Canada all upheld the Canadian Forces' requirements that members respect the Canadian head of state and
Commander-in-Chief. In Scottish
Jacobite circles, special very fine glassware engraved with Jacobite symbols was made to toast
Charles Edward Stuart, known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, the
pretender to the thrones of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland; very little remains due to the tradition of smashing glasses after the toast so that they could not be used for a lesser toast. Because of this, for many years,
finger bowls were not used on British royal tables, as some people would pass the glass over the bowl. King
Edward VII authorised the use of finger bowls during his reign, deeming his dynasty to be sufficiently secure. ==Spain==