Personal Royal Experiences

[FarahJoy]

you...

1) ...thought "I must be having an hallucination or it is his/her look-alike"...

2) ...remained 100% natural, thinking that this Royal person might appreciate you remaining yourself and having a normal conversation instead of bowing straight all the time...

3) ...felt totally stupid and petrified and tried to use what you thought were the appropiate respecful words if the Royal person addressed to you...

4) ...felt your stomach went up to your ears and then ppppfffffff.... vanished...

5) ...prefered to "play ghost" and chose to hide somewhere hoping that person doesn't notice your presence...

 

[sorsara]

I have met Queen Rania, and Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourgk, Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum of Dubai and his sons, Princess Haya and Prince Al waleed Bin Talal, and many more Saudi and UAE royals.

 

[ptolemy]

i saw prince fredrick when he was in melbourne pushing his son in a pram..
he is MUCH better looking up close than in pics! he was strolling past our yacht club watching the kids sailing lessons..

i couldn't help but stare, then i felt like an idiot and tried to pretend that i didn't know who he was.. i'm conviced that he felt the stares..

 

[FarahJoy]

Thank you for answering, Sorsara. My Goodness ! You met many Royal people ! And what was your reaction, if you don't mind ?

 

[FarahJoy]

i saw prince fredrick when he was in melbourne pushing his son in a pram..
he is MUCH better looking up close than in pics! he was strolling past our yacht club watching the kids sailing lessons..

i couldn't help but stare, then i felt like an idiot and tried to pretend that i didn't know who he was.. i'm conviced that he felt the stares..

Hi, Ptolemy !

Yes, usually famous people (of any kind) are looking much better in 3D ! Their human side animates them more than in flat magazines or TV screens where they are not always at their advantage.

As for me I saw "live"...

- HRH Sarah Ferguson in LA with her husband (she was pregnant of her first child at that time)...

- Queen Sofia in a department store (but I prefered to stay away because she impressed me. She was looking very serious and surounded with securities.

- Doña Pilar de Borbon (in the street of my city). I bought a bunch of flowers, stoped her on the street and asked her politely (well, is it polite ?!!) if she wa HRH Doña Pilar de Borbon and she said "Yes ! I am !" She accepted the flowers with her wide frank smile and exchanged a few friendly word. I told her that I appreciate her and the whole Spanish Royal Family because of their great attitude as a model for people. She seemed quite surprised to be recognized and to learn that even outside of Spain the Royal family is so appreciated !

- And I met another Lady whom I do not want to mention because I prefer to protect her anonymity. I spent about 45 mn with her and she will stay in the deapest of my heart for ever. I remember her answers always appropriate, her silences, her simplicity, her exemplary attitude, her smiles of encouragment and lots of things about her. This day I discovered what a Queen really is, way beyond the glitter and glamour of magazinesAnd I was shared between numbers 1,2,3,4 and 5 !

 

[sorsara]

well seing Al Waleed bin Talal was the most surprising and exciting, i never thought that i would see him by chance but i did, so ofcourse i was starring alot... but then i saw him the next day and the day after.. it turns out that he goes to the Champs Elysees in Paris almost every night end of the summer, around then end of August begining of september.

 

[Chimene]

I literally bumped into King Abdullah of Jordan while exiting a Washington, DC bookstore 5 years ago. He's very short, but much better looking in person. He has perfect skin and a golden complexion. He was impeccably, but casually dressed with very little entourage. I gave him a glance/stare when I realized who he was, and he returned the stare knowing that I recognized who he was. We both smiled and went on our merry way.

 

[NotAPretender]

I met the Prince of Wales, in college. I attended William and Mary, and he paid a visit there. I worked for the college at the time and women were not allowed to wait at table for his luncheon at the Great Hall, nor to be present in a supervisory capacity. We put together a team of male college students who waited in the Colonial Williamsburg restaurants for the dining hall. They were nervous wrecks.

I was managing the "back of the house" of the event. We were all lounging around after the luncheon was over, trying to figure out if we could hear the various speeches, etc. Not paying much attention but unable to leave until the Prince had left (and thus security released us,) we were flabbergasted when he strolled into the kitchen to say "hello." Evidently someone had informed him that many college students had worked on his lunch but were not able to be present in the Great Hall.

I about fell over. He smiled - ah, a charming one - said something insubstantial to one of the women closest to the door. Waved politely and nodded his head, a few more greetings, two handshakes, then ducked back out again. About 30 seconds, total, if that.

I thought him exceedingly polite to have taken that time to acknowledge us, and I remember thinking "wow, his skin is perfect!" I also remember being amazed at the clear blue of his eyes - he was about 4 feet from me at most.

And then he was gone.

(I also remember being embarassed for our elected head of the student body, a female at the time. She had stuffed herself into a too-small suit that she bought before she realized no one could lose 30 pounds in two weeks, and made goo-goo eyes at him at each stop on the visit. I'm sure he was used to it, but what an example of the modern empowered female. The press mercifully cropped her out of most shots.)

 

[FarahJoy]

It is interesting to read that most "Royals" each of you met noticed your embarassment and tried to put you at ease with a smile, a joke or a friendly gesture. What a good education !

It seems to me that they are often bored to remain in their closed circle and eager to make contacts "outside" with "normal" people. But it is difficult for those people to remain "normal" in their presence because most of the time they are just petrified and do not know how to react or address to Royal persons ! Should I say "Majesty" ? "Your Majesty" ?????? Arggghhh

See I'll be looking for "etiquette courses" to feel at ease next time I meet a Royal !

The problem is that around here the only person who gives politeness courses is Mrs. Nadine de Rothschild and I'm not ready to undergo such a hard time...

 

[ladyfizzle101]

omg...i met princess benedikte the day of my prom....she gives money to the jacob riis community center where i live and i was getting ready to get into the limo when i saw all these cars pull up and out step the princess and like a fool i yelled "your highness" and she looked and walked over to her and she said hi and shook my hand...i got picture with her i'll post it up...she's really sweet

 

[BeatrixFan]

I'd love to see that pic ladyfizzle. She sounds fab!

 

[fläderträ]

I met the whole Swedish Royal Family more than one time in Stockholm City. It is very usual to meet them: doing their shopping, etc.

 

[paola]

About two years ago I walked -a little bit in a hurry - through the "Hubertus Galerij" in Brussels. Frome the opposite direction came a group of people also walking in a straight tempo when my eye fell on a woman in the middle and I wondered: " Huh? I think I know that woman, but how???" [As I do know a lot of people rather superficial that happens more often, but not living in Brussels, not even living in Belgium it occurred to me as rather strange.] At the moment the group and I passed each other I realised that it was Princess Mathilde. We all just followed our way minding our own businesses.

A few years before I was present at the opening of an exhibition, wich was opened with a [private] visit of Queen Beatrix, but that was on invitation [as public] because of the official function I had at that time.

And years before that I visited a concert and surprise, surprise we had to wait a short time till Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus had arrived also. Prince Claus was patron of the choir. It was rather a long way from the entrance of the church to the first row and because of the flashlights the first five minutes I could only see little stars.

 

[cdm]

I saw Willem-Alexander in Lech about 10 years ago.
I didn't recognise him untill he was gone. He's a very fast skier!

 

[PrincessofEurope]

i met Lady Nicholas Windsor with her son Albert at traffic lights

 

[Russophile]

Well not European Royalty, but JFK Jr. came to my school (which was, surprise, surprise! JFK Jr. High) once. Though I wasn't impressed. . .

 

[lallettac]

I was in London with some friends and we were going to cross the road when a policeman stopped all the cars and we saw Prince Charles and Camilla. It was totally unexpected for me !!

 

[Menarue]

My mother who was very small was walking in London and almost literally bumped into another petite lady, her security just stopped my mother in time but she was amazed to see that Princess Margaret was even more beautiful close up than in her pictures.
That was the only unexpected incident I can remember, I have seen many royals but in places where they were expected to be.

 

[zinzen]

unexpectedly and expectedly

Expectedly

I unfortunately forgot the date (1964, 1965 or 1966), I was introduced together with my colleagues, at the official residence of the ambassador, to Queen Elizabeth II and to the Duke of Edinburgh. We had to curtsy to the Queen, could not speak to the queen if we were not addressed, the Duke of Edinburgh spoke to one of our local colleagues because he had a lot of World War II medals, but James (that was his name) would not end talking about the war. I thought it was very funny. On the other hand I found this introduction to the Queen and her husband very impressive.

In 1967 during the British Week in Brussels in the Embassy premises we were briefly introduced to Princess Margareth and Lord Snowdon. She was a VERY beautiful lady.

Unexpectedly

Many years ago, (between 1976 and 1980) I met King Baudouin at an of Paul Delvaux's exhibition, it was in a very small room of the National Museum of Fine Arts in Brussels. He was talking with the painter. He had no bodyguard, he seemed to be a very nice gentleman. I was there with a colleague, and he smiled to us.

 

[sgl]

This thread is very interesting! I used to live in Los Angeles, and would see celebrities all the time. I was usually disappointed when I saw them in person (they weren't as attractive as they were on the screen, or they seemed rude). I think that it is nice that so many of the posters in this thread were impressed with their royal sightings/meetings. Based on some of these accounts, they seem to be genuinely nice people.

 

[tan_berry]

Alfonso de Borbón y Dampierre

I met this royal prince when he was married to María del Carmen Martínez Bordíu, the mother of his two sons. They visited here and the government offered a reception, so it was not unexpectedly. Handsome, elegant, royal appearance, and nice. A normal shake of hands with a nice smile. There was a "lady" in the entourage advancing the tip of the fingers and in her face it was possible to read she was afraid of dirtiness. I did the same when I had to greet her, because she was in the reception line. But the princes were very nice.

He was Alfonso XIII´s grandson. An unfortunate man.

 

[Ducii]

Met Danish royals? Tell your story...

Hello! I think that tihs thread is a good idea. Tell your story...

 

[Ducii]

Met Monaco royals? Tell your story...

You met prince Albert, Pierre Casiraghi, princess Caroline or someone else? Tell your story

 

[dee4855]

My parents, husband and I met the Queen Mother in the early 80's. My parents were in England visiting us. We were touring London and at the Abbey. A "Bobby" told us if we would wait the Queen Mother would be there in a few moments for the Remembrance Service. We were lucky enough to shake hands with her and speak with her. She was so very tiny. She had on a beautiful black suit and hat. A gorgeous bow pin that I have seen in many pictures before. It was a thrill of a lifetime.

 

[Nico]

I work in a big museum in Paris, so i had the chance to met several royals :

- The Queen and the Duke of Edimburgh during their State visit to France in 2004.
- The Queen of the Belgians, some months ago for the opening of an exhibition.
- The Princess Napoleon (a thruly majestic dowager i must say)
- The Princess Chantal of France, Daughter of the late count of Paris
- The Prince Jean de France, son of the actual count of Paris

And unexpectedly (twice!) : the Empress Farah, walking along the Seine in Paris with a bodygard and , i presume, a lady in waiting.

 

[RoyalProtocol]

I can't find this topic anywhere else, do forgive me if it does exist!

What experiences have TRF members had with Royalty?

Have you ever met a Royal, been to a Royal Event or seen a Royal on a local visit?

I would appreciate if you could share your experiences.

Thank you!!!

 

[RoyalProtocol]

So I'll begin

I've seen all the current UK Royal Family and have attended the following events

The 2002 Golden Jubilee
The Thistle Service in 2006
Trooping The Colour in 2007
Garter Day in 2007
The Royal Maundy Service in 2008
The Thistle Service in 2008
A Duke of Edinburgh's Presentation in 2007
and lots of local and general public events

 

[PrincessofEurope]

I have only seen a few royals and most of them minor british ones
Queen
Prince Philip
Prince William (include Kate Middleton saying i can see them getting married)
Prince Harry
Princess Beatrice
Princess Eugenie
Prince Edward
Duchess of Gloucester
Peter and Autumn Phillips
Zara Phillips (i will include Mike Tindall there saying they are practically engaged)
Lady Rose Gilman
Lady Davina Lewis
Lady Nicholas Windsor and her baby son Albert - a chance meeting standing beside the pair at traffic lights in London! still it was a meeting!!



On a different note (saying i wasnt even born) my grandmother went to Princess Elizabeth whilst she attended the private christening of her godchild in a small town a few miles from where we live in about 1946

 

[RoyalProtocol]

I have only seen a few royals and most of them minor british ones
Queen
Prince Philip
Prince William (include Kate Middleton saying i can see them getting married)
Prince Harry
Princess Beatrice
Princess Eugenie
Prince Edward
Duchess of Gloucester
Peter and Autumn Phillips
Zara Phillips (i will include Mike Tindall there saying they are practically engaged)
Lady Rose Gilman
Lady Davina Lewis
Lady Nicholas Windsor and her baby son Albert - a chance meeting standing beside the pair at traffic lights in London! still it was a meeting!!



On a different note (saying i wasnt even born) my grandmother went to Princess Elizabeth whilst she attended the private christening of her godchild in a small town a few miles from where we live in about 1946

Thanks PoE. It's interesting to hear your Grandmother saw The Queen in the 40s

 

[RoyalProtocol]

Has anyone else had any expeirences with any other Royal Family?