Bowing and Curtseying


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Mary is such a graceful woman! I have huge admiration for her!
 
It's interesting to see Victoria curtsying to her former peers and people who are clearly close friends. I loved that Maxima was determined to get her double buss even if there was a curtsey in between them.

I also noticed the degree of curtseys for all the royals was case-specific in that the friends meeting in the hallways prior to the formal reception were all over the place (eg Max) and the kind of curtsey to the new Emperor and Empress as exemplified by the photo of the formal curtsey as shown by Mary in the reception line.

Actually, I like the way the Japanese Imperial House handle a Formal royal reception line to the Emperor and Empress. The formal announcement, the bow and curtsey to them and time to move on as the next announcement. When everyone is lined up it looks messy and sometimes the formalities are rushed and the curtsey reduced to a bob and a bow can even be imperceptible.
 
The Prince of Wales bowing to Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako.




Prince Charles has now attended two Dutch royal inaugurations (Beatrix's and Willem-Alexander's) and two Japanese enthronements (Akihito's and Naruhito's).



Crown Princess Victoria curtsying twice to Empress Masako. I guess she forgot she had already done it or it was just pure instinct.




It is nice that Mary, Letizia, Victoria, Máxima and Mathilde all warmly kissed/hugged Masako, something that would be unthinkable in the rigid Japanese protocol of ages past, I suppose. Of course, they all know what Masako has gone through since she got married and are genuinely happy for her.
 
countess felicitas said:
The one thing I was wondering - I saw CP Victoria curtsying to the now Japanese CP Kiko. Being a CP herself - why would she need to curtsey?
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There is never a need to curtsy. It is always and ever optional. That Victoria did it is probably because it came out of herself to do so. Let me say: like Mette-Marit curtsied to Camilla. Victoria even curtsied twice to Masako in one greeting...
 
Japanese are talking about curtseying and how to curtsey. Since Japanese do not curtsey at all, this etiquette seems be quite interesting to them. In this video, you can see princesses curtseyed to HM The Empress of Japan.

There is a lot of news about Crown Princess Mary curtseyed after cheek-kissing. They wondered why she did that.
 
Duc_et_Pair said:
There is never a need to curtsy. It is always and ever optional. That Victoria did it is probably because it came out of herself to do so. Let me say: like Mette-Marit curtsied to Camilla. Victoria even curtsied twice to Masako in one greeting...
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Is there a picture of Victoria & Kiko? It's very odd that Victoria would do this. I have never understood Mette-Marit's curtsey to Camilla.
 
:previous: Mette-Marit got it wrong, that's all. HSH Princess Charlene of Monaco, the actual wife of a Head of State, made the same error.

Back in the old days they had a lady-in-waiting or a protocol person to instruct them to avoid faux-pas like those.

But it's not a big deal, imo.

Better a too polite error than an impolite one.:whistling:
 
I think Victoria was maybe just so curtsey mad after doing so many in such a short space of time she saw a foreign royal and kissed and bobbed as she has been doing a lot that night.
 
tommy100 said:
I think Victoria was maybe just so curtsey mad after doing so many in such a short space of time she saw a foreign royal and kissed and bobbed as she has been doing a lot that night.
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Yes I can see why that could happen:ROFLMAO:
 
Moonmaiden23 said:
:previous: Mette-Marit got it wrong, that's all. HSH Princess Charlene of Monaco, the actual wife of a Head of State, made the same error.
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I am actually on the fence about Charlene having made a mistake or not.


As an HSH, I think it is proper that she curtsies to an HRH. As I think it is proper that GD Maria Teresa, as an HRH, curtsies to HM The Queen.


But then, there is the complication that Charlene and Maria Teresa are both wives of a Head of State. Personally I don't think that exempts them from curstying in the aforementioned situations, but I agree it is controversial. Mme Macron, the wife of the Head of State of France, curtsied to Queen Margrethe II and I believe Mme Chirac curtsied to Queen Elizabeth II.
 
I didn't think MT has curtsied to HM The Queen (I assume you mean Queen Elizabeth II), nor has she curtsied to The Queen of Denmark, The Queen of Sweden, The Queen of Norway, The Queen of The Netherlands (Maxima or Beatrix), The Queen of Spain and any others I've forgotten (and I mean since becoming Grand Duchess)

It seems pretty accepted by most that Heads of State and their spouses do not bow/curtsey to other Heads of State and in a royal context that includes Emperors, Kings, Princes, Grand Duke's not bowing / curtseying to others who are Heads of State with different titles. The only exception seems to be Monaco and IMO they are hardly the best at keeping up with strict protocol.
 
A deep curtsey from The Queen of Thailand to the Pope Francis. (4:33)

 
Princess Charlotte copied her mother the Duchess of Cambridge by curtsying to the Queen as she departed St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham for the Christmas day service.

 
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I don't think she did, she just took another step down the stairs.
 
I think Kate had her all teed up and was encouraging her but no, little Miss Charlotte had other plans.
 
I have a question if you dont mind. Charlotte is, as we all know, four.
Does she HAVE to curtsey already, or, maybe better said, should she already?
 
SLV said:
I don't think she did, she just took another step down the stairs.
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She kind of did - there was a better photo, but I can't find it now - look here: https://66.media.tumblr.com/a17c849...835679fc72f709aa49cd4c5eb1a7c50f56c0c2e2.gifv

First, she puts her leg back and curtsies, and then takes step down the stairs. Blink and you miss it moment, but she's so young it doesn't really matter that much. It seems like she did it a bit later than everyone and Catherine was already walking down the stairs, so it looks weird and funny, but I'd count that as a curtsey.
 
Fem said:
She kind of did - there was a better photo, but I can't find it now - look here: https://66.media.tumblr.com/a17c849...835679fc72f709aa49cd4c5eb1a7c50f56c0c2e2.gifv

First, she puts her leg back and curtsies, and then takes step down the stairs. Blink and you miss it moment, but she's so young it doesn't really matter that much. It seems like she did it a bit later than everyone and Catherine was already walking down the stairs, so it looks weird and funny, but I'd count that as a curtsey.
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I'm curious as to how young female Royals normally are when they learn how to curtsy?
 
That is interesting.. I wonder if this will be the new normal. Since the couple no longer will be using their HRH status they be curtsying to everyone who is actively using their HRH?

Anyone it is a nice gesture to see. The Prince of Wales has shown tremendous generosity and kindness to Meghan since she joined the family.

Pranter said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1237043000032800772

Meghan's curtesy to Prince Charles at the Commonwealth Services
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Alisa said:
That is interesting.. I wonder if this will be the new normal. Since the couple no longer will be using their HRH status they be curtsying to everyone who is actively using their HRH?

Anyone it is a nice gesture to see. The Prince of Wales has shown tremendous generosity and kindness to Meghan since she joined the family.
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She's always made a curtesy to Charles when required...along with Camilla, The Queen etc. William/Kate have bowed and made a curtesy to them as well.

They may not be using their HRH in commercial venues but they are still HRH so I expect no change in who they give a bow/nod/curtesy to.


LaRae
 
Alisa said:
That is interesting.. I wonder if this will be the new normal. Since the couple no longer will be using their HRH status they be curtsying to everyone who is actively using their HRH?
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Nah, I don't think so. Zara and Peter don't have titles or HRHs and they don't, so I'd say that's just not required. To the Queen and Prince Philip, for sure, the rest of the BRF, doubtful.


Pranter said:
She's always made a curtesy to Charles when required...along with Camilla, The Queen etc. William/Kate have bowed and made a curtesy to them as well.

They may not be using their HRH in commercial venues but they are still HRH so I expect no change in who they give a bow/nod/curtesy to.


LaRae
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Could you - or someone else - point me to an example of Meghan curtseying to Prince Charles or Camilla? (Other than this, of course?) I find it a bit weird, first I thought her timing was just off and she was curtseying to HMQ, but then I went back and we clearly see her doing it twice. I don't remember any other occasion when she - or Harry - did that.
 
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