Bowing and Curtseying


If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
What about the bizzare curtsies of Meghan to the king and queen of Tonga while departing from their home? Im referring to the video shot in front of the house where they were received. Cant link it now, though.
 
I saw the clip and nothing was bizzare about the curtesy. It was just a quick bob.


LaRae
 
I saw the clip and nothing was bizzare about the curtesy. It was just a quick bob.


LaRae



For a Royal curtsey it’s poor - I think foreign Sovereigns ought to be afforded the same courtesies as are afforded to Queen Elizabeth II, the Duchess of Sussex could have made slightly more of an effort, I’m not asking her to lie on the floor but she could at least bend her knees.
 
What is the custom in Tonga? Princess Angelika did the same thing when she greeted Harry and Meghan. I was surprised that she did a little curtsy to Harry and Meghan given they aren't foreign sovereign or heir. But if she was going to do it, I assume she did it right. I'm assuming given Princess Angelika's role and her previous foreign relation experience, she would not make a faux pas.

We were also surprised at the Fijian President kneeling, but turns out that's to do with local customs. We didn't know that until the clip of him kneeling and then clapping came out.
 
Last edited:
For a Royal curtsey it’s poor - I think foreign Sovereigns ought to be afforded the same courtesies as are afforded to Queen Elizabeth II, the Duchess of Sussex could have made slightly more of an effort, I’m not asking her to lie on the floor but she could at least bend her knees.

I agree, but she has been doing it(curtsying) for a short time and doesn't quite have the hang of it...yet.

If she is as perfectionist and as motivated as I suspect she is, she will one day be one of the best Royal "curtsiers" out there.;)
 
A curtsey is always an option and never a requirement. The half-hearted attempts by the Duchess of Sussex probably shows her true colours regarding the idea of going down the knees.
 
:previous: You could be right but my position is that if you are going to do it, do it well or TRY to do it well.

Or don't bother at all.

One doesn't marry into the most visible of European monarchies to make a statement of protest by making a shabby gesture of respect to another monarch during your first foreign tour.

Get it right or give it up, imo.
 
We will see how it develops. It is already on the decline anyway. Like no more curtsying at Wimbledon, no more wigs in Parliament, no more backward walking at the Court, etc. It will fade away.
 
I don't believe she is going to deliberately do anything badly..not even curtesy. It's going to take her a bit to get things sorted...she might of not been sure if she should or not and just defaulted to quick bob just in case.

Everyone needs to chill and not read any sort of ulterior motives into this.


LaRae
 
A curtsey is always an option and never a requirement. The half-hearted attempts by the Duchess of Sussex probably shows her true colours regarding the idea of going down the knees.

That's a bit harsh. We've seen her curtsy to the Queen. None are half-hearted. As I mentioned before, it's the same as Princess Angelika's curtsy. And yes, I'm well aware she shouldn't be curtsying to Harry and Meghan. But since she decided to do it, I'm assuming she did it right according to her culture.
 
A man has only to nod his head, and it’s done. No one ever criticizes how a man “bows”. Yet women, even older ones with bad knees, etc, are expected to contort themselves in a humbling fashion to show obeisance to others. Not only that, people feel free to make fun of a woman’s attempt to properly curtsey. I call BS on this particular custom; it’s the 21st century, and even royalty has had to adjust to modernity. Stand your ground, Theresa May!
 
Graceful lovely curtesy from CP Mary.


LaRae
 
:previous: I can just see Queen Margrethe nodding, smiling and saying "not bad, not bad at all!" :flowers:
 
A man has only to nod his head, and it’s done. No one ever criticizes how a man “bows”. Yet women, even older ones with bad knees, etc, are expected to contort themselves in a humbling fashion to show obeisance to others. Not only that, people feel free to make fun of a woman’s attempt to properly curtsey. I call BS on this particular custom; it’s the 21st century, and even royalty has had to adjust to modernity. Stand your ground, Theresa May!

All true and well, but let us not forget no one enforces Mrs May, or any other lady, to go through the knees. A reverence is always optional, never a requirement. So it is Mrs May's own free will to greet a royal in this way.
 
And no curtsey from Mrs May to the Duchess of Sussex :D (1:23)

 
She nodded her head, just like the female church-official did. So nothing wrong done.
 
You don't curtsey to every single royal down the line. If you choose to curtsey - and it is optional even for the Prime Minister - the norm is to curtsey to the royal born and not their partner, especially when they are together.

There is no requirement to curtsey to anyone, including the Queen.
 
You don't curtsey to every single royal down the line. If you choose to curtsey - and it is optional even for the Prime Minister - the norm is to curtsey to the royal born and not their partner, especially when they are together.

There is no requirement to curtsey to anyone, including the Queen.
I didn't know this rule about curtsey only to the royal born and not to the partner. But I noticed that Mrs May did not curtsey to Kate nor to Meghan but she did curtsey to Camilla, so I'm a bit lost.
 
You don't curtsey to every single royal down the line. If you choose to curtsey - and it is optional even for the Prime Minister - the norm is to curtsey to the royal born and not their partner, especially when they are together.

.

I am not familiar with that norm. In countries where curtsying is still observed, people tend to curtsy both to the Royal by birth and his consort, who holds the same rank and style.

Personally, I would bow to anyone with the style of Majesty or Royal Highness, either by birth or by marriage.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom