Diamond Jubilee Luncheon & Dinner for the World's Monarchs - 18 May 2012

[Artemisia]

Originally Posted by Jacknch

With regard to Constantine, why is he the only deposed monarch to have the ex- prefix? I've never heard ex-king Simeon or ex-King Michael. Sorry if this has been asked elsewhere.

Neither King Constantine, nor King Simeon or King Michael are to be called "Ex" or "Former"; they are still "His Majesty, King __".
However, sometimes it is necessary to distinguish between currently reigning Monarchs and former ones; in those cases, "former" is used - but strictly unofficially. King Constantine isn't the only one this applies to; the other two Kings have been called Former King Simeon and Former King Michael on numerous occasions.
it's a bit like with US Presidents. Sometimes, they say Former President Bill Clinton (especially outside the United States), although the current form of address is still President Clinton.

[LadyGabrielle]

Queen Margarethe smokes? Really? You know its funny but in my mind I have this idea that no royal smokes on the basis that smoking would not be a very royal thing to do. Hahaha. I keep forgetting that they are human too. I suppose there are some royals who have the habit.

[Masha99]

King Abdulla and queen Rania in London:
Photo from Getty Images
Photo from Getty Images
Photo from Getty Images
Photo from Reuters Pictures
Photo from Getty Images
Photo from Getty Images

[sheikah deena]

Beautiful Pics , I Like The Most Duck & Duchess Of Cambridge & King & Queen Of Jordan , Thank you for Posting Masha99

[MissByrd]

Originally Posted by Osipi

All this discussion about bobbing and dipping up and down makes me want to watch one of my favorite movies "Pride and Predjudice" again. Seems like during this era everyone bowed and dipped to everyone they met. All I know is if I had to do any kind of a curtsey ever, I'm so klutzy I'd fall over face first on someone's shoes. :)

Lots of discussion has been going on in the bowing and curtseying thread too.

One of my favorite movies, too. You might like to see this clip from the 1980 BBC version.

PRIDE & PREJUDICE (1980) Episode 4 Part 4/6 - YouTube

[semisquare]

Princess Charlene sports blonde crop as she attends Jubilee lunch at Windsor Castle with husband Albert | Mail Online
did she get a lip job...yeewwww

[semisquare]

Photo from Getty Images
Photo from Getty Images
they are all so pretty

[Iluvbertie]

Originally Posted by LadyGabrielle

Queen Margarethe smokes? Really? You know its funny but in my mind I have this idea that no royal smokes on the basis that smoking would not be a very royal thing to do. Hahaha. I keep forgetting that they are human too. I suppose there are some royals who have the habit.

William and Harry both smoke. Philip smoked until his wedding day and Camilla has also only recently given up but Margrethe is virtually a chain smoker.

[angela]

Is that the "foreign royals" section of the jubilee celebrations done now or do we know if they will attend the thanksgiving service at St. Paul's?

[Lumutqueen]

Originally Posted by angela

Is that the "foreign royals" section of the jubilee celebrations done now or do we know if they will attend the thanksgiving service at St. Paul's?

Checking the royal diaries for the crowned heads who attended the lunch & dinner shows that they all have engagements or haven't got any listed. Seeing as the event is in just under two weeks time, we probably would have heard if anybody other than the BRF are attending. Might see the Greek Royal Family again.

[EIIR]

I'd be really surprised if any foreign royals attend the service at St Pauls. The cathedral will be full of officials and representatives of some of the charities that the RF have relationships with.

[Duc de Chatres]

I guess it all comes down to personal preference and the respect one royal personage holds for another. If I remember correctly there is a video clip on ITN Source showing the Queen of Denmark curtseying to Queen Elizabeth II whilst simultaneously kissing her hand. This happened at Windsor during a ceremonial welcoming for an inward state visit from Denmark in early 2000.

Originally Posted by Artemisia

Camilla, Kate and Charlene are now very much royals, by marriage.
The protocol is actually pretty simple (for most European countries):

- Camilla has to curtsey to all those who are of higher rank than she is. That includes all Monarchs and their spouses (such as King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway), as well as Heirs Apparent to the Throne (such as Crown Princess Victoria or Prince Felipe). She doesn't have to curtsey to wives of other Crown Princess (such as Crown Princess Maxima) because they are her equals. Everyone else has to curtsey to Camilla.

- Kate has to curtsey to all those who are of higher rank. That includes all Monarchs and their spouses (such as Prince Albert and Charlene), all Crown Princes and their spouses (such as Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit), all younger sons of a Monarch and their spouses (such as Prince Laurent and Princess Claire of Belgium), the Monarch's daughters (such as Princess Anne), and sometimes the Monarch's grandsons (but not their wives).

- Charlene only has to curtsey to Monarchs (such as Queen Elizabeth) but not their spouses (such as Prince Philip) who are her equals.


I am completely at a loss why would Charlene curtsey to Charles and Camilla, why Camilla wouldn't curtsey to Charlene and Albert, but would curtsey to Crown Princesses of Romania and Thailand, and why Kate curtseyed to the Duke of Gloucester. Basically, as someone mentioned in this thread, those rules aren't carved in stone and royals have relative freedom of choice. Mostly, they are guided by common sense and respect; it would be quite preposterous, for example, to expect Kate to curtsey to Prince Christian of Denmark should they meet antimony soon, although the boy does outrank Kate at this point.

Charlene chose to curtsey to Charles and Camilla out of respect, same as Kate and Duke of Gloucester, or Camilla and Crown Princess of Thailand.
Alternatively, there might have been so many royals around that female royals got a bit confused and just decided to curtsey to everyone to be on the safe side.

[Artemisia]

Originally Posted by Duc de Chatres

I guess it all comes down to personal preference and the respect one royal personage holds for another. If I remember correctly there is a video clip on ITN Source showing the Queen of Denmark curtseying to Queen Elizabeth II whilst simultaneously kissing her hand. This happened at Windsor during a ceremonial welcoming for an inward state visit from Denmark in early 2000.

I agree that sometimes personal preference is the crucial factor, although royals do try to follow protocol rules, at least between themselves.
However, it would surprise me no end if Margrethe II of Denmark - a Queen Regnant - would curtsey to Elizabeth II, and especially kiss her hand (unless it was meant as a joke). I might have understood if another Queen - a Queen Consort - did that (it would actually be in line with protocol since a Queen Regnant outranks a Queen Consort), but Margrethe?

[NGalitzine]

^^^^^
What might have looked like a curtsey may have been the result of their difference in height.

[flora]

Originally Posted by Artemisia

I agree that sometimes personal preference is the crucial factor, although royals do try to follow protocol rules, at least between themselves.
However, it would surprise me no end if Margrethe II of Denmark - a Queen Regnant - would curtsey to Elizabeth II, and especially kiss her hand (unless it was meant as a joke). I might have understood if another Queen - a Queen Consort - did that (it would actually be in line with protocol since a Queen Regnant outranks a Queen Consort), but Margrethe?

A newbie question - would Queen Margarethe have curtsied to QEII because of Queen Elizabeth's seniority (even though they are both Queen Regnant - the kiss of the hand would signify that, perhaps ) or as NGalitzine said - it's got nothing to do with protocol but differences in height

[Lumutqueen]

Originally Posted by flora

A newbie question - would Queen Margarethe have curtsied to QEII because of Queen Elizabeth's seniority (even though they are both Queen Regnant - the kiss of the hand would signify that, perhaps ) or as NGalitzine said - it's got nothing to do with protocol but differences in height

What seniority does Queen Elizabeth have over Margrethe? Other than 20 years more of service that is.

If she curtseyed it was out of respect perhaps, but I think it was height difference.

[Jacknch]

As far as I can remember, Queen Margrethe has never curtseyed to Queen Elizabeth. Clearly, whenever they have met, QM has had to bend down to kiss QE because of the obvious height difference and bending down in such a way cannot possibly be miscontrude as being a curtsey.

[Artemisia]

Originally Posted by flora

A newbie question - would Queen Margarethe have curtsied to QEII because of Queen Elizabeth's seniority (even though they are both Queen Regnant - the kiss of the hand would signify that, perhaps ) or as NGalitzine said - it's got nothing to do with protocol but differences in height

Since international protocol holds that Heads of State rank in the order that they took office, Queen Elizabeth does hold a precedence over Queen Margrethe. In fact, Queen Elizabeth holds precedence over all Heads of State but one - King Bhumibol of Thailand, who ascended to the Throne 6 years earlier. However, that precedence would only manifest itself in sitting arrangements, and similar situations.

Woman to woman, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Margrethe have equal ranks. Protocol rules dictate that Heads of States, whether elected or hereditary, do not bow or curtsey to each other. Sometimes, male Heads of State chose to bow to female ones out of respect, but that's about it. I am inclined to agree with NGalitzine and Lumutqueen; what appeared to be a bow was just Queen Margrethe leaning to Queen Elizabeth because of their height difference.