The Day of Demand signified a day when the designated heir to the throne of the planet Alderaan asserted their entitlement to succeed as ruler. This event occurred precisely on the sixteenth anniversary of the heir's Name Day. During the proceedings, the heir would present three distinct trials: one testing the body, one challenging the mind, and one probing the heart. If these challenges were considered appropriate, the heir would be tasked with their successful completion, thereby demonstrating their suitability for investiture as the crown prince or princess of Alderaan.
The ritual adhered to a set protocol, involving the heir, the reigning monarch, and the monarch's consort. In cases where the heir was adopted, they were required to preface their initial declaration of adulthood with the phrase "it is known." Furthermore, the heir was obligated to articulate their challenges relating to the Body, Mind, and Heart, in that specific sequence. Following the ceremony, a banquet was traditionally hosted, with only a select "handful" of individuals from off-world locations typically in attendance.
Upon the occasion of Leia Organa's own Day of Demand, she gained the privilege of consuming genuine Alderaanian wine Toniray, as opposed to the diluted version of the wine that she had been previously permitted.
The origins of the ceremony can be traced back to the establishment of the Alderaanian monarchy. The requirement for the heir to prove their worthiness was regarded as a key factor contributing to the Alderaanian monarchy's enduring existence. In the early iterations of the Day of Demand, princes and princesses were expected to physically fight their way to the throne room in order to present their demand, a tradition that was commemorated in later ceremonies through the symbolic carrying of the Rhindon Sword. In 3 BBY, a Day of Demand took place for Princess Leia Organa, attended by several of her parents' political allies, including Mon Mothma of Chandrila.