Bowing and Curtseying

[sarahedwards2]

I actually dropped a rather deep curtsy with my head bowed to one of my favourite teachers as I was entering the ballroom at my school's winter formal during my last semester of high school. I was wearing a floor-length silver formal dress with flat silver dress sandals. I didn't put one foot behind the other or anything, I just clasped my hands over my chest and curtsied.

[Baroness of Books]

Take a look at an "extreme" curtsey, aka the Texas curtsey or dip. Imagine doing this before royalty:

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/...y_1213699i.jpg

[MARG]

Are they taking the mickey? I mean, do people really do that, it's one step away from a monastic act of penitence.

Now Mette-Marit knows how to curtsey. Polite for most everyone but an absolute act of deep respect and admiration for Queen Elizabeth. I believe she defers to age more than or possibly in spite of rank

Image Upper.com - Free Image Hosting - View Image

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by Baroness of Books

Take a look at an "extreme" curtsey, aka the Texas curtsey or dip. Imagine doing this before royalty:

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/...y_1213699i.jpg

Imagine doing that at all!
How many women can get down there, - let alone up again?

[Baroness of Books]

Marg, thanks for the photo of M-M's obeisance to the Queen of England. I just cannot get enough of that image! And the Texas Dip is how the debutantes from Texas in the U.S. perform their curtsies; I think it's part of the state culture that everything is done bigger in Texas!

Here's a video of the Texas Dip in action; the debutante can make her way down solo but needs a hand on the way up (for obvious reasons)! It's right at the beginning, so you don't have to watch the whole thing:

Taking her bow... - YouTube

[Esmerelda]

So Royals still routinely bow or curtsey to foreign monarchs. Which Royal families do so among themselves?

Among European Royals, I can only think of the British, Danish and Spanish. You don't really see it in the Norwegian, Swedish and Dutch RFs. Not entirely sure about Belgium, Luxembourg, Liectenstein and Monaco, though.

[NGalitzine]

Originally Posted by Baroness of Books

Take a look at an "extreme" curtsey, aka the Texas curtsey or dip. Imagine doing this before royalty:

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/...y_1213699i.jpg

Imagine doing that 9 times in a row as you pass down a reception line, LOL.
Perhaps more appropriate for greeting the King of Thailand.

[carlota]

a picture of charlene curtsying the queen:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0yo_xLzug4.../s640/x610.jpg
the picture made me confused. seeing charlene is the wife of the head of state, i wonder if it's appropriate for her to curtsy the queen. (however, clearly charlene is a less senior royal, younger and wife of the sovereign herself, whereas the queen is sovereign in her own right. but none of the other queens would curtsy her, so i don't know why charlene does so: how protocolar is it?)

[NGalitzine]

As the wife of a head of state it would not be required, but then Philip bowed to the Emperor of Japan. Mette Marit of Norway curtsies to everyone.

[XeniaCasaraghi]

The Emperor better not bow to NO ONE!
Though I wonder how annoying and confusing it is to be in that room and if random royals drop a curtesy if someone higher walks by. They should all just give a huge bow/curtesy at once when they all walk in the room and then be done with it. : D

[MRSJ]

Originally Posted by NGalitzine

As the wife of a head of state it would not be required, but then Philip bowed to the Emperor of Japan. Mette Marit of Norway curtsies to everyone.

Charlene also curtsied to Charles which is totally not right as she is wife of a head of state so she may become the new MM

[Artemisia]

Originally Posted by XeniaCasaraghi

The Emperor better not bow to NO ONE!
Though I wonder how annoying and confusing it is to be in that room and if random royals drop a curtesy if someone higher walks by. They should all just give a huge bow/curtesy at once when they all walk in the room and then be done with it. : D

Actually, the Emperor bows to quite a few people. Not because he has to (as a reigning Emperor, he outranks pretty much everyone else), but because he chooses to as per Japanese tradition. For instance, when he was recently discharged from hospital following an operation, both he and Empress Michiko bowed to the doctors who had performed the surgery (needless to say, the royal couple got even lowers bows from them).

As you have rightly noted, Heads of State do not bow or curtsey to each other. Their spouses, however must bow to other Heads of State by protocol. Thus, while Queen Elizabeth and King Harald of Norway don't have to curtsey/bow to each other, Prince Philip can bow to King Harald, and Queen Sonja - to Queen Elizabeth. In addition, male royals (whether monarchs or consorts) usually slightly bow in front of female consorts of fellow royals as well, although they are certainly not required to by protocol.

Princess Charlene had to curtsey to Queen Elizabeth and chose to curtsey to Prince Philip as well; both were correct by protocol rules. However, her decision to curtsey to Prince Charles is purely mark of respect; she most certainly didn't have to as consort of a Head of State.

[Iluvbertie]

Originally Posted by carlota

a picture of charlene curtsying the queen:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0yo_xLzug4.../s640/x610.jpg
the picture made me confused. seeing charlene is the wife of the head of state, i wonder if it's appropriate for her to curtsy the queen. (however, clearly charlene is a less senior royal, younger and wife of the sovereign herself, whereas the queen is sovereign in her own right. but none of the other queens would curtsy her, so i don't know why charlene does so: how protocolar is it?)

Consorts to curtsey to Heads of State - they aren't of the same rank. Charlene would therefore be correct in curtseying to The Queen just as Philip would bow to the various monarchs who are Heads of State but also to those who are crowned as Queens' Consort. He would regularly be seen giving a bow to the Queen Mother - a crowned Queen while he is only a Prince. It isn't only position but also title that matters.

[Madame Royale]

It would appear Philip did so (after his wife's accession) out of respect for his mother in-law.

We don't see the Duke bow his head to Sonja, Silvia or Sofia so I don't believe that theory proven.

Charlene, whilst holding a lesser style, is still the wife of a reigning sovereign so curtseying to either Prince Philip and indeed the Prince of Wales is just not necessary. But, she evidently feels it appropriate for whatever reason.

As for the Queen, we don't see any other consorts curtsey to her so I do find it rather odd that Charlene should, however, given the difference in age and perhaps the dispersion of HM position as Queen of 16 indapendant realms may further explain the Princess of Monaco's decision to do so. At one time including her very own and beloved South Africa, although she herself was not born for another 17 years after an Indapendant SA was proclaimed, so it's not as though there would be any personal reconciliation to the notion.

[GrammaSueSue]

Originally Posted by Madame Royale

It would appear Philip did so (after his wife's accession) out of respect for his mother in-law.

We don't see the Duke bow his head to Sonja, Silvia or Sofia so I don't believe that theory proven.

Charlene, whilst holding a lesser style, is still the wife of a reigning sovereign so curtseying to either Prince Philip and indeed the Prince of Wales is just not necessary. But, she evidently feels it appropriate for whatever reason.

As for the Queen, we don't see any other consorts curtsey to her so I do find it rather odd that Charlene should, however, given the difference in age and perhaps the dispersion of HM position as Queen of 16 indapendant realms may further explain the Princess of Monaco's decision to do so.

Lalla Meryem, GDMaria Theresa and CP of Thailand (possibly others) curtsied to the Queen.

[Alexey 1904]

What would MM's curtsey to Camilla be classified as?

[Madame Royale]

Originally Posted by GrammaSueSue

Lalla Meryem, GDMaria Theresa and CP of Thailand (possibly others) curtsied to the Queen.

You would expect Lalla Meryem, the Crown Princely couple and others to do so. They are princes' and princess'.

Maria Teresa surpirses me as I've before just seen her shake hands and kiss cheeks with the Queen. No curtsey in sight.

The traditional norms (amongst themselves) appear to vary on occasion and thus can lead to confusion for those of us observing.

What would MM's curtsey to Camilla be classified as?

Unnecessary and rediculous. They are equals.

[CanRoyal]

Being relatively new, I'm not sure that this has been posted in this thread, but at just past the 1 minute mark in this video, Queen Elizabeth bows her head as Diana's casket goes by Buckingham Palace.

Princess Diana's Funeral Part 9: Buckingham Palace & The Queen - YouTube

[Madame Royale]

I believe it has been posted somewhere in this thread, and signified her respect for the dead. In this case, the mother of her two grandchildren.

You'll note that other members of the royal family also bowed their heads in respect.

[CanRoyal]

Thanks for bringing me up to speed that this little clip had been posted. I appreciate it.