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[Solange]

When a princess meets a queen she bows, but what happens when a princess and a grand duchess meet or a queen and a grand duchess?

[suturegeisha]

Originally Posted by Solange

When a princess meets a queen she bows, but what happens when a princess and a grand duchess meet or a queen and a grand duchess?

I do believe.....
since Luxembourg is a grand duchy, and the only one in the world, that means that the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess are heads of state, and thus entitled to the same bows and curtseys received by kings, queens, emperors, and empresses. Heads of state do not bow or curtsy to each other, so if for instance, Grand Duchess Maria-Teresa were to meet Empress Michiko of Japan or Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain, she would not curtsy, nor would Grand Duke Henri bow.
Princesses and princes bow and curtsy to heads of state because they are of a lesser rank.
Lollies!
-Kara-

[gaggleofcrazypeople]

But anyone below them must bow or curtsey.

[bad_barbarella]

wow i didnt know that

[KatieLouise]

I think I remember someone mentioning before that they saw the Infantas Elena and Cristina curtsey to GD Henri and GD Maria Teresa. It seems to me that the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess would be treated with the same deference as any other monarch.

[hillary_nugent]

How did a 'Grand Duchy' come about?

[gaggleofcrazypeople]

Beats me. There used to be alot of small monarchies, but they have all disapeared and formed larger dresses.

[hillary_nugent]

i think there is still alot of small monarchies that no one knows of, before i became interested in Royals i thought the only 'big' royals was the British Royal family but i have since learnt that there seems to be alot of people out there that claim to be a prince of princess...

[bad_barbarella]

royalty is so interesting caz im a disney girl

[gaggleofcrazypeople]

Originally Posted by hillary_nugent

i think there is still alot of small monarchies that no one knows of, before i became interested in Royals i thought the only 'big' royals was the British Royal family but i have since learnt that there seems to be alot of people out there that claim to be a prince of princess...

Yes, but many of them don't have a claim to a throne.

[KatieLouise]

Luxembourg was elevated to the status of Grand Duchy when it became a possession of the newly independent Kingdom of the Netherlands under the rule of King Willem I. (This happened in 1815 after the defeat of Napoleon and the withdrawal of French rule - type "Congress of Vienna" and "History of Luxembourg/Netherlands" into your nearest search engine for more info!)
A Grand Duke is technically lower in rank than a King - although he is higher in rank than a plain old sovereign Duke. But I would think that these days, the Grand Duke is afforded the same respect in his country as other monarch.
Just a thought, why are the Grand Ducal family styled 'Royal Highness' unlike members of other (former) Grand Ducal families who are styled 'Grand Ducal Highness'? It has something to do with Felix of Bourbon-Parma (Henri's Grandfather), right?

[suturegeisha]

Originally Posted by KatieLouise

Just a thought, why are the Grand Ducal family styled 'Royal Highness' unlike members of other (former) Grand Ducal families who are styled 'Grand Ducal Highness'? It has something to do with Felix of Bourbon-Parma (Henri's Grandfather), right?

Yes. When Grand Duchess Charlotte was young, her title was HGDH [Her Grand Ducal Highness] Princess Charlotte. Since Charlotte married Felix of Bourbon de Parma, and it is tradition that a wife takes her husband's title, I'm assuming that she was given the style of HRH for that reason.
The family is also Prince/Princess of Bourbon de Parma.
Lollies!
-Kara-

[bad_barbarella]

omg how cool

[hillary_nugent]

Originally Posted by bad_barbarella

royalty is so interesting caz im a disney girl

hahahahahaha...same here!!!...i always wished i was Belle from Beauty and the BEast as a child...hehehehe

[bad_barbarella]

omg how cute... i always wanted to be cinderella... its like when i was little i even made my parents call me our little royal highness princess alice in wonderland

[bad_barbarella]

so anyway if we ever meet the royals we curtsy right?

[semisquare]

so lets say u dont cursy or speak before spoken to or even put your hand out 1st to shake a royal hand, would they snub you or would they just play along?

[gaggleofcrazypeople]

Originally Posted by bad_barbarella

omg how cute... i always wanted to be cinderella...

Me too!!!!!!!!!!!:)
And the whole not curtseying thing, if the royals were from Luxembourg, considering how normal they are, they would probably be chill about it. But if it were someone like Queen Elizabeth of England, I believe they would get rather annoyed.

[suturegeisha]

Originally Posted by semisquare

so lets say u dont cursy or speak before spoken to or even put your hand out 1st to shake a royal hand, would they snub you or would they just play along?

Since you're from the US, I'm sure they would forgive you. ;]
In any case, I don't think that any member of the GD family would be offended. They seem pretty lax about these kinds of things- modern and forthright monarchs.
Lollies!
-Kara-

[Iain]

Originally Posted by semisquare

so lets say u dont cursy or speak before spoken to or even put your hand out 1st to shake a royal hand, would they snub you or would they just play along?

That only applies in the (so called) United Kingdom where the Windsors like to believe that they are superior to other royals. Other royal families are far more down to earth and bowing and curtying has almost disappeared.