Bowing Or Curtseying To Royalty

[DeeLicious]

If you were to be introduced to the Royals, how would you feel about bowing (if you're a bloke) or curtseying (if you're a lass) to them? I wouldn't mind too much if it was The Queen as I feel she's earned respect, but I don't hold most of the rest in great esteem. As for Kate and Meghan, they're basically commoners who Wills and Harry happened to fancy, so why should anyone now and scrape to them? That's my opinion anyway. What's yours?

[Jackdaw33]

I think curtsying is a little old-fashioned. Bowing should be the norm today for both men and women. It shows respect for the office, not the holder. In court people bow to magistrates and judges, not because of who they are but what they represent; the Queen's majesty which is the fount of all justice. To refuse on principle to bow is to my mind nothing short of pig ignorance.

[weecalf]

I bow to everyone I meet .Have great respect for all people so if it happened to be wan of the them aye but not acause it was wan of them .What would bother me more is I think you have to wait till they speak before you speak .would not suit me at all I am a gabbler I am .So I d be off on a rant before they got their mouth open

[Jackdaw33]

When I was young the mantra was, and it has nothing to do with royalty, 'Don't speak until you are spoken to'.

[Old_Geezer]

"Respect for the office" is a fine excuse to ward off legitimate critisism.
Go bow to the office not the person then.

[youngmafbog]

Even as a staunch Republican I wold still bow (nod of the head) to the Queen becaue I think she has earned the respect and for the reason JD says, it is the Office not the person (And the Queen represents that office OG).

I would not do so to any of the other spongers though. And when Old jug Ears ascends to the throne I would definitely not.

[Peter Pedant]

you should have taken the invite to Princess Anne
she just shook our hands

yeah Nancy Reagan made a big thing of this
refusing to bend a knee to the Queen of England....

and so they had their first meeting in a closed room without cameras

behaving according to custom goes with the invite doesnt it ?

[Jackdaw33]

I think Mrs Blair also made a big thing of it despite being a QC.

[youngmafbog]

You can take the girl out of Liverpool ........

[Peter Pedant]

// 'Don't speak until you are spoken to'.//

is still the rule - isnt it ? well done in Madness of King George - you had to wait around until the King said: I feel ill - as you were not allowed to ask - feeling a bit peeky Georgy - porgy ?
Franz Ferdie ( yup austro hungarian emperor) has an abdo emergency and the court physician was called at 2 am and attended at shortest notice - FF's first words to him thro gritted teeth were
" formal court dress!"

[aelmpvw]

as a bloke unused to such occasions i'd probably panic and curtsey

[Peter Pedant]

yeah shri QC was a stalwart principled non-curtseyer !

[DTCwordfan]

Ask Titchmarsh - he knows how to brown nose the Royals

[HansUrbancka]

Commoners Do Not have to bow or curtsy to Royalty. However, Royals do so withing their ranks. :-

http://www.thisisinsider.com/royal-family-meghan-markle-curtsy-etiquette-2017-12

Hans.

[Peter Pedant]

yeah the queen curtseyed to the queen of denmark when she visited (denmark)
as monarchs do that when they are off-soil

[Bazile]

10 Clarion Still 0615 29/5

Fascia panels
Hardly a topic of conversation
Lol

[cassa333]

I think it would be a hoot to really exaggerate a curtsy or bow.

Curtsy or bow low with a flourish of the arms. Would you be seen as very loyal or taking the pee?........

[youngmafbog]

Haha, have to suggest that one to Jezza.

It will either get us all a good laugh or he'll be off to the Tower.

Win-win.

[Kromovaracun]

I probably would, yes. I'm indifferent to the monarchy (perhaps a tiny, tiny smidge in favour of it) but I really can't say I find the idea of doing so/not doing so symbolically potent enough to give it more than a moment's thought.

[gness]

Such as, Scooping?

No, Peter.....Why?.....If she'd had to curtsey to me I still wouldn't have gone.....
As I said earlier kowtowing wasn't my only reason.....it wasn't my cup of tea and I have the luxury of choosing what I do...where I go and who I lunch with.....that sort of lunch really doesn't appeal to me...
A day at the canal with a class of children.......now that is a good day out...x

[zebo]

If you're meeting a Royal officially there's a briefing pack in which it states that bowing/curtsying is a matter of personal choice. Re Mrs Blair I recall reading that the RF used to joke about her curtsy, One could hear her knees crack in reluctance.