Bowing and Curtseying


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I firmly believe that Queen Elizbeth is an inspiration to many women who have worked hard to get where they are. When they actually meet her they are a little overwhelmed and I think a lot of them attempt a curtsey to show their personal admiration and respect.

On the other hand, it could just be that they feel the urge to look her in the eye when they shake hands.

But my money is on the first option for both Angelina Jolie and the President of Kosovo.
 
Perhaps she has back-problems.
 
A Lady who courtsey must bow her head or may she look an smile to the important Royal ?
 
Mbruno said:
Nonetheless, they have been personal friends to Mathilde for quite some time.

Personally, what I get from the picture is not so much a sense of "friendship", but rather that they are all slightly amused with the situation.
Click to expand...

Same here. They all seem to be suppressing giggles!:lol:
 
:previous: Having been in the position of pulling off possibly the most inelegant of curtseys, I give them props for trying. Mine really was a close call!
 
:previous: Having been in the position of pulling off possibly the most inelegant of curtseys, I give them props for trying. Mine really was a close call (at least I thought so)! :eek:
 
President's of Kosovo tight skirt makes it impossible to gracefully curtsy.
 
MARG said:
:previous: Having been in the position of pulling off possibly the most inelegant of curtseys, I give them props for trying. Mine really was a close call (at least I thought so)! :eek:
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YOURs? Do explain...:w00t:
 
I do not think that the President of Kosovo had to curtsey to the Queen, protocolary speaking. They are both heads of State. Nevertheless since she choose to do so at least she should know how to curtsey.
I have now another question which came to me when I watched yesterday and short film of wedding of Princess Alexia of Greece. She curtseyd to the Queen but what about prince Philip? Does she have to do it?
 
fandesacs2003 said:
I do not think that the President of Kosovo had to curtsey to the Queen, protocolary speaking. They are both heads of State. Nevertheless since she choose to do so at least she should know how to curtsey.
I have now another question which came to me when I watched yesterday and short film of wedding of Princess Alexia of Greece. She curtseyd to the Queen but what about prince Philip? Does she have to do it?
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She doesn't have to but since he's both older and higher in rank she should do it according to the old etiquette


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community mobile app
 
JR76 said:
She doesn't have to but since he's both older and higher in rank she should do it according to the old etiquette


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community mobile app
Click to expand...

This was my question in fact. Out of the age matter, she is the daughter of a King who used to rule. He is the granson of a ruler King, but he is married to a ruling Queen. So what is higher? The blood connection or the marriage connexion?
Apparently the blood one, because she did not curtsey to Prince Philip, only to the Queen. Carlos Morales bowed to both.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=02zeGsvuJyg
 
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fandesacs2003 said:
This was my question in fact. Out of the age matter, she is the daughter of a King who used to rule. He is the granson of a ruler King, but he is married to a ruling Queen. So what is higher? The blood connection or the marriage connexion?
Apparently the blood one, because she did not curtsey to Prince Philip, only to the Queen. Carlos Morales bowed to both.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=02zeGsvuJyg
Click to expand...

I remember Princess Diana and Princess Anne curtsying to Queen Beatrix, but not curtsying to Prince Claus. I would say Princess Alexia followed proper protocol then.

Frankly, as a male myself, i find it unfair that a female Consort of a monarch is curtsied to and a male Consort is not. It is as if gender equality is only selectively invoked when it suits one side and not the other.
 
My understanding is that consorts are curtsied to...as long as their rank requires it.

For example male/female consorts who hold the rank of Prince or Princess would not expect a reverence from another prince/princess.

A lower ranking of the nobility such as earl, countess, etc would indeed curtsey to them.
 
Moonmaiden23 said:
My understanding is that consorts are curtsied to...as long as their rank requires it.

For example male/female consorts who hold the rank of Prince or Princess would not expect a reverence from another prince/princess.

A lower ranking of the nobility such as earl, countess, etc would indeed curtsey to them.
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Yes, i understand that. My point was though that it is unfair that a female consort is raísed to the rank of HM (even when there is no provision for that in law, see e,g. Máxima), while a male consort becomes an HRH at best.
 
Mbruno said:
Yes, i understand that. My point was though that it is unfair that a female consort is raísed to the rank of HM (even when there is no provision for that in law, see e,g. Máxima), while a male consort becomes an HRH at best.
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Agree. Nevertheless, while the royal male groom if raised to HM rank, he will be called King, and being called King automatically recalls a Ruler, and this could be mind mixing. King Henrik of Denmark but NOT a ruler, King Philip of UK but NOT ruler. Complicated.
Then opposite is easier, as historically existed much more male rulers than female ones.
 
As a Newbie I wonder if anyone has a comment on the curtsey of Princess Sofia to the King on her wedding day. I thought it was beautiful and wondered if it was a special tribute to her father-in-law. There seems to be quite an affectionate bond with Sofia and her parents in law.
 
:previous: Actually, I found the curtsey very strange: it was an half-way between a curtsey and a bow... but think that tiara really didn't help!
 
princess maggie said:
As a Newbie I wonder if anyone has a comment on the curtsey of Princess Sofia to the King on her wedding day. I thought it was beautiful and wondered if it was a special tribute to her father-in-law. There seems to be quite an affectionate bond with Sofia and her parents in law.
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I think every new princess puts her own 'spin' on a curtsey. Sofia was very poised on her wedding day and her curtsey was elegant.
 
Is there a picture or video of her curtsey?
 
Marty91charmed said:
:previous: Actually, I found the curtsey very strange: it was an half-way between a curtsey and a bow... but think that tiara really didn't help!
Click to expand...

It looked more a bow than a révérence indeed, as if the bride has not been properly instructed on beforehand and lost it a bit.
 
Everyone does their own thing when it comes to bowing and curtseying.

In Britain royals usually just bow at the neck, not the waist and woman usually curtsey with a short bob and not a dramatic sweeping motion. Exceptions exist of course.

I've seen royals on the continent bow their necks and their waist. Sometimes it looks awkward and other times its fine.

Some royal ladies try and do such a dramatic curtsey it ends up looking comical.

I think Sofia's curtsey was beautifully done, given there is no right and wrong way of doing it.
 
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Rudolph said:
Everyone does their own thing when it comes to bowing and curtseying.

In Britain royals usually just bow at the neck, not the waist and woman usually curtsey with a short bob and not a dramatic sweeping motion. Exceptions exist of course.

I've seen royals on the continent bow their necks and their waist. Sometimes it looks awkward and other times its fine.

Some royal ladies try and do such a dramatic curtsey it ends up looking comical.

I think Sofia's curtsey was beautifully done, given there is no right and wrong way of doing it.
Click to expand...
I agree. And I quite took "offence" (for lack of a better word in my vocabulary) on people commenting on the curtsey of the Kosovo president. I mean, isn't curtsies supposed to be a sign of reverence and respect? In that case I think the thought and effort is what counts, not that you win a contest in "most beautiful curtsey". She was in a tight skirt and for all we know she could have knee, hip, back problems or ear problems affecting her balance or none of the above, just an awkward curtsy.
 
Duc_et_Pair said:
It looked more a bow than a révérence indeed, as if the bride has not been properly instructed on beforehand and lost it a bit.
Click to expand...

She (Sofia) wouldn't be the first. :cool:I've only seen them done gracefully and well by about two or three of the new crop of Royal women, if even that many.

It's become such a lost art that I think the practice will gradually go extinct.
 
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