Oh dear, here we go again, a site apparently offering Knighthoods from the British Virgin Islands, a British territory; however, it actually has no connection with the Government of those islands and is therefore as bogus as all the others.
Just have a look at their sales material, it should be enough to put you off anyway; and they even call themselves a respected organisation!
“Prestigious and elegant gift for men, women and children of all ages made available at affordable prices.
Sorry that you weren’t “to the manor born”? Know someone who is truly a knight in shining armour? The Royal Dominion of the British Virgin Islands now offers a way for anyone to go from a pauper to a prince!
Recognised around the world as the most respected private peerage organisation offering honorary knighthood to gentlemen and ladies from all walks of life, the Royal Dominion offers noble titles to recognise personal achievement, commemorate a birthday, wedding, holiday or other significant occasion, or simply for the sheer joy of it!
ORDER HONORARY KNIGHTHOOD NOW!
While not entitling you to inherit feudal property on the Scottish highlands or lead a mounted charge against an ancient enemy, honorary knighthood from the Royal Dominion is a fun and distinctive gift that will be cherished for many years to come, and is valued highly by anyone receiving it.
Priced at only £25 (about US$45), the complete Knighthood Causa Honoris package includes a beautifully engraved parchment certificate elegantly personalised for the recipient.
‘A gift fit for a king or queen at a price even a knave can afford’ – PR Web
In addition, a letter of welcome from the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the Royal Dominion, an informational brochure about the British Virgin Islands, and a detailed fact sheet on heraldry and peerage are included.
Honorary knighthood is offered to both men (as “Sir”) and women (as “Lady”) with no age limitation, making it a perfect gift for birthdays, anniversaries, Fathers Day, graduation, job promotions and sales incentives, or any life celebration.
The Royal Dominion has offered Knighthood Causa Honoris to the public for more than a decade, with more than 200,000 recipients of the award from around the world in more than 200 countries. From everyday people to superstar celebrities, honorary knighthood is a prestigious and extraordinary award that is affordable for any budget!
Your honorary knighthood is published and recorded annually in book form in the United Kingdom Patent Office (http://www.patent.gov.uk). A portion of the proceeds earned through this programme is donated to charitable organisations in the British Virgin Islands, including the Road Town office of the British Red Cross.”
A Search on the UK Patent Office website strangely does not seem to reveal details on any Knighthoods granted by them.
Still not convinced that it isn’t a bargain? Then study the details a little more carefully and you will find all sorts of discrepancies, though their Website includes a picture of His Excellency David Peary, the Governor of the British Virgin Islands, the letter of welcome is from the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the Royal Dominion.
While if you search hard enough you will eventually find the disclaimer, right at the bottom of the page with their details on, “The Royal Dominion is not affiliated in any manner with the government of the British Virgin Islands”.
And I bet that the Governor is not too delighted about their activities! Neither is Government of the British Virgin Islands, as they have added the following statement to their official website, sadly they got the URL of Royal Dominion wrong.
“STATEMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS – 19th October 2006
It has recently come to the attention of the Government of the British Virgin Islands that a website – www.royaldominion.com – has for some time been offering to sell “honorary knighthoods” to interested buyers under the pretense that these sales are being sanctioned by the Government of the British Virgin Islands. This impression of official endorsement is reinforced by images of the British Virgin Islands flag and official seal, as well as by providing links to official Government websites.
The Government of the British Virgin Islands has absolutely no association with Royal Dominion, nor has it empowered the proprietor of the site to sell “honorary knighthoods” or any other good or service. The site does include a disclaimer in fine print at the bottom of the page acknowledging that “Royal Dominion is not affiliated in any manner with the government of the British Virgin Islands.” However, this does not materially alter the fact that a clear effort is made to create a false impression.
For this reason, the Attorney General of the British Virgin Islands will be launching an investigation into the matter. Consumers should be cautious in using this site and should avoid divulging any personal information on it including name, e-mail address, street address, phone number or financial information of any kind.
For more information, please contact the Attorney General’s Office of the British Virgin Islands at:
Attorney General’s Office
Government of the British Virgin Islands
Road Town, Tortola
British Virgin Islands
Tel: 284 494 3701
Fax: 284 494 6760”