Loyal toast
The Loyal toast is a formal ceremonial pledge of allegiance to the reigning sovereign, customarily given as the initial toast at the conclusion of dessert during military mess dinners and other official banquets in Commonwealth countries.[1] It serves to affirm loyalty to the monarch as head of state, with participants typically rising to raise their glasses and respond with phrases such as "The King" or "The Queen," often followed by a verse of the royal anthem.[2] In naval contexts, particularly the Royal Navy and Canadian naval establishments, the toast is delivered while seated—a tradition originating from the low deckheads of wooden sailing ships, which risked causing injury to standing officers.[1][3] This practice, with origins tracing back centuries to habitual pledges of the sovereign's health, embodies a core element of Commonwealth military etiquette emphasizing monarchical fidelity without deference to republican sentiments.[4]