Bowing and Curtseying

[adelaide]

Originally Posted by magnik

I have a question about bowing and curtseying:
is it wrote anywhere how deep and for which leg etc. ladies should doing that?

I know that there are different kinds of curtseys due to the circunstances and the personality to curtseying, but I don't konw eactly the differencies.

[magnik]

Originally Posted by adelaide

I know that there are different kinds of curtseys due to the circunstances and the personality to curtseying, but I don't konw eactly the differencies.

I know that Wikipedia isn't quite good reference web but that's what I found there:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowing_%28social%29
and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtsey
I've hope it help.

[HRH Elizabeth]

I'm hardly an expert, but from what I've seen, it seems that daytime engagements merit shallower curtseys, while evening and particularly gala events usually are accompanied by deep curtseys. The Spanish Infantas do seem to go lower than most of the others. I think Letizia may be the outlier though, because her curtseys look deeper and somehow different than all the other royal ladies to me. Also, since the pre-wedding gala, Letizia's curtseys seem to have gotten deeper and in my opinion less elegant. I have photos, but I don't know how to post them, so if someone could tell me, I'd be happy to put them up.

[adelaide]

Since her wedding the Princess of Asturias had mad few time curtseys, at Jordan 's wedding Queen Noor, very good one; Queen Sylvia of Sueden, deep but not so deep like the Infantas; Empress of Japan very deep court's curtsey:she was right to do like, it' a question of culture( all this pics are in this thread )

As soon as it's possible to well see her curtsy to Queen sofia for the mass of Pope Jean Paul II, it's seem to me a very good one "alla españa "

If there are anothers with pics, please let us scow ! many thanks

[RoyalProtocol]

I don't think it matters what leg you use and you go deeper for more important Royals.
So for a King/Queen curtsey right to the Floor
for others Royals not so deep in a descending order.

[Iain]

Originally Posted by RoyalProtocol

I don't think that bowing and curtsying is done very much in the Netherlands, not even by the Royal Family.

And that's the way it should be. Nobody should be expected to bow or curtsy to another human being. curtsying is so undignified. In the Polynesian monarchies women do not curtsy but bow just like the men.

[fee]

I don't like Letizias very deep curtseys, they look very demure to me.
First time I saw her going down so deep, I thought she had dropped something and got down to pick it up.
I am also not too keen on those on-the-go curtseys, where the legs are rather apart as if the lady curtsied while walking towards the Queen or King.
Alas come to think of it I don't like curtseys at all. A respectful nodding with the head is so much more graceful and IMO enough to show your respect.

[HRH Elizabeth]

A few of the Crown Princesses look very graceful when they curtsey, but I agree that Letizia's are not very elegant. She appears to be crouching on the floor. In contrast, Mette Marit's curtsey to Queen Elizabeth epitomized grace (to me anyways).

[RoyalProtocol]

A curtsey is a traditional and respectful thing to do towards a sovereign or Royal, if you don't like it don't do it, but most people do like it and do do it, if that makes sense.

[pinkylou]

i have a question, as serene highness' does Prince albert have to bow to prince charles and other royal highness' even though he is head of state? and do monarch's bow to each other like for example Q elizabeth and beatrix, is this isn't the case then would prince albert of monaco have to bow?
i personally think this should be the case.

and MM could have curtseyed to camilla due to the fact that she is a visitor to the UK and thus showing respect to the british royal family

[Warren]

Prince Albert II is a reigning monarch and a sovereign Prince, and therefore bows to no other Royal. The style of HSH, HRH or HM is not relevant in this case.
Mette-Marit is the consort of an heir to the throne, as is the Duchess of Cornwall. In terms of protocol they are equals.

[RoyalProtocol]

Originally Posted by Warren

Prince Albert II is a reigning monarch and a sovereign Prince, and therefore bows to no other Royal. The style of HSH, HRH or HM is not relevant in this case.
Mette-Marit is the consort of an heir to the throne, as is the Duchess of Cornwall. In terms of protocol they are equals.

I agree, the HSH makes no difference in Alberts case, the only person he would bow to is the Pope, being a Catholic Sovereign.

Mette-Marit and Camilla are indeed equals and as such need not curtsey to each other.

[pinkylou]

then if prince albert marries, his wife wouldn't need to bow to other monarchs, or is that different?

[Margrethe II]

Originally Posted by pinkylou

then if prince albert marries, his wife wouldn't need to bow to other monarchs, or is that different?

That is correct pinkylou :)

"MII"

[Her_Majesty]

A man bowing in front of Beatrix

ANP

and
Beatrix and Henri bowing in front of the OrangeFlag

ANP

[mtbcm]

Princess Diana Curtsying to Spanish Royals - April 22, 1986
Princess Diana and Prince Charles greet Queen Sofia and King Juan Carlos of Spain upon their arrival at Heathrow Airport.



Duchess of Gloucester in Green Velvet Gown - February 9, 1989
Birgitte, the Duchess of Gloucester attends a charity banquet at the Hilton Hotel. A guest curtsies when she meets the Duchess.




Woman Greeting King Carl Gustav of Sweden - July 13, 1975
King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden shakes the hand of a woman in a London factory. The King also visited a Swedish church and retirement home during his 1975 visit to London.





Princess Martha Louise of Norway [Martha-Louise] curtsying to Queen Elizabeth II during the Queen's state visit. - May 31, 2001





(Source: CORBIS)

[Duchess]

Originally Posted by magnik

I have a question about bowing and curtseying:
is it wrote anywhere how deep and for which leg etc. ladies should doing that?

This is a quote from a gov't of Canada site, protocol section. It is in regard to meeting HM QEII so I'm not sure if it applies to other Royals.

Curtsy/bow
It is up to those meeting The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and other members of the Royal Family to choose whether or not they wish to bow/curtsy or simply shake hands.
Description of a bow/curtsy for those who choose to make it: Men: a neck bow - just a little more than a nod of the head; Women: the right foot is placed behind the left heel, and the knees bent slightly. It is quite in order to shake hands if the opportunity presents itself and a member of the Royal Family offers to do so.

[zarzuela]

All pictures from Corbis.

1) The President of the Spanish Parliament curtsies to King Juan Carlos



2) The President of the Spanish Senate



3) A woman curtsies to King Juan Carlos upon arrival in Washington