{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}} {{Use British English|date=December 2010}} '''Collar days''' are designated days on which the collar forming part of the insignia of certain members of British orders of knighthood may be worn.
Collars are special large and elaborate ceremonial metal chains worn over the shoulders, hanging equally over the front and back, often tied with a bow at the shoulders, with a distinctive pendant attached to the front.
==Collar days in the United Kingdom== Collars are worn by Knights and Ladies Companion of the Order of the Garter, Knights and Ladies of the Order of the Thistle, and Knights and Dames Grand Cross of other orders. Of the last mentioned, the only currently active orders are the Order of the Bath, the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, the Royal Victorian Order and the Order of the British Empire; the Order of Saint Patrick, the Order of the Star of India and the Order of the Indian Empire are now in abeyance. The collar can be worn on specific collar days throughout the year.
Collar days, in accordance with instructions of the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, are:<ref name=BRD81>{{cite web|id=BRD81|work=Naval Service Uniform Regulations|title=Chapter 8: Orders and Decorations, Medals and Medal Ribbons|url=http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/upload/package/66/brd81book/ch08.pdf|publisher=Royal Navy|access-date=11 June 2010|page=8-3|date=May 2009}}</ref><ref name="HMCourt">{{Cite book|author=Lord Chamberlain's Office|title=Dress and Insignia Worn at His Majesty's Court, Issued with the Authority of the Lord Chamberlain|date=May 2009|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MKOXX62qJlEC&pg=PA135|publisher=BiblioLife LLC|access-date=12 June 2010|page=135|isbn=9781110350919|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=18798|date=26 April 1831|page=793}}<!--Lord Chamberlain's Office Collar Days 25 April 1831--></ref> {|class="wikitable sortable" !date!!day!!status |- |variable||Easter Sunday||current<ref name=BRD81/> |- |variable||Easter Monday||abeyance<ref name=BRD81/><ref name="HMCourt"/> |- |variable||Easter Tuesday||abeyance<ref name=BRD81/><ref name="HMCourt"/> |- |variable||Ascension Day||current<ref name=BRD81/> |- |variable||Whit Sunday||current<ref name=BRD81/> |- |variable||Whit Monday||abeyance<ref name=BRD81/><ref name="HMCourt"/> |- |variable||Whit Tuesday||abeyance<ref name=BRD81/><ref name="HMCourt"/> |- |variable||Trinity Sunday||current<ref name=BRD81/> |- |1 January||New Year's Day||current<ref name=BRD81/> |- |6 January||Epiphany||current<ref name=BRD81/> |- |25 January||Conversion of St Paul||current<ref name=BRD81/> |- |2 February||Presentation of Christ in the Temple (also called Candlemas)||current<ref name=BRD81/> |- |24 February||St Matthias' Day||current<ref name=BRD81/> |- |1 March||St David's Day||current<ref name=BRD81/> |- |17 March||St Patrick's Day||abeyance<ref name=BRD81/><ref name="HMCourt"/> |- |25 March||Lady Day (also called Annunciation Day)||current<ref name=BRD81/> |- |23 April||St George's Day||current<ref name=BRD81/> |- |25 April||St Mark's Day||abeyance<ref name=BRD81/><ref name="HMCourt"/> |- |1 May||St Philip and St James' Day||abeyance<ref name=BRD81/><ref name="HMCourt"/> |- |6 May||The King's Coronation||current<ref name=BRD81/> |- |29 May||Restoration of the Royal Family||current<ref name=BRD81/> |- |24 June||St John the Baptist's Day||current<ref name=BRD81/> |- |29 June||St Peter's Day||abeyance<ref name=BRD81/><ref name="HMCourt"/> |- |25 July||St James' Day||abeyance<ref name=BRD81/><ref name="HMCourt"/> |- |6 August||Transfiguration Day||current<ref name=BRD81/> |- |24 August||St Bartholomew's Day||abeyance<ref name=BRD81/><ref name="HMCourt"/> |- |8 September||The King's Accession||current<ref name=BRD81/> |- |21 September||St Matthew's Day||current<ref name=BRD81/> |- |29 September||St Michael and All Angels' Day||current<ref name=BRD81/> |- |18 October||St Luke's Day||abeyance<ref name=BRD81/><ref name="HMCourt"/> |- |28 October||St Simon and St Jude's Day||abeyance<ref name=BRD81/><ref name="HMCourt"/> |- |1 November||All Saints' Day||current<ref name=BRD81/> |- |14 November||The King's Birthday||current<ref name=BRD81/> |- |30 November||St Andrew's Day||current<ref name=BRD81/> |- |21 December||St Thomas' Day||abeyance<ref name=BRD81/><ref name="HMCourt"/> |- |25 December||Christmas Day||current<ref name=BRD81/> |- |26 December||St Stephen's Day||current<ref name=BRD81/> |- |28 December||Holy Innocents' Day||current<ref name=BRD81/> |}
Collars are also worn when the King opens or prorogues Parliament, and for a few other observances, including religious services of the various orders, and by those taking part in the ceremony of introduction of a peer in the House of Lords.<ref name=BRD81/><ref name="HMCourt"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Feast, Collar and Red Letter Days |url=http://www.cam.ac.uk/societies/cuhags/info/days.htm |publisher=Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society |access-date=12 June 2010 |year=2007 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060925040501/http://www.cam.ac.uk/societies/cuhags/info/days.htm |archivedate=25 September 2006 |df=dmy }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}} {{refbegin}} *{{cite book|last=De la Bere|first=Ivan|title=The Queen's Orders of Chivalry|year=1964|publisher=Spring Books|location=London}} {{refend}}
==External links== * https://web.archive.org/web/20060925040501/http://www.cam.ac.uk/societies/cuhags/info/days.htm
{{Orders and phaleristics}}
Category:Orders of chivalry of the United Kingdom Category:Chivalry