Grand Ducal Family Protocol

[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]

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.

 

[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...

 

[gaggleofcrazypeople]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

 

[hillary_nugent]

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?

you mean you can't put your out first for a hand shake? bugger...i have this tendency to stick my hand out straight away when meeting a person and giving their hand a hard, thorough shake...well we'be got to curtsy to queens and kings how about princes and princesses do we curtsy to them? is there a different wow of curstying depending on their royal status? do we have to curtsy to all royals?

 

[Solange]

How come the presidents of the USA don't bow nor their wives curtsey to a royal??

 

[suturegeisha]

How come the presidents of the USA don't bow nor their wives curtsey to a royal??

Because they're heads of state. Heads of state do not bow or curtsey to anyone because they're of similar rank to a king or a queen.
Lollies!
-Kara-

 

[gaggleofcrazypeople]

George W. Bush or Tony Blair...King? Throw up on myself!

 

[hillary_nugent]

Because they're heads of state. Heads of state do not bow or curtsey to anyone because they're of similar rank to a king or a queen.
Lollies!
-Kara-

You are joking right??? Geroge Bush similar to a king? yeah right...

 

[grecka]

He's far more powerful than a crusty old monarch, that's for sure.

 

[suturegeisha]

You are joking right??? Geroge Bush similar to a king? yeah right...

I just meant rank-wise....Mr. Bush actually is nothing like a king in a constitutional monarchy, because he is actively involved in politics and can actually make decisions regarding laws and bills and whatnot. He can declare war and is the true head of the military. He has lots and lots of power.
Kings, on the other hand, at least nowadays, can't do that. it's left up to their Cabinet and Prime Ministers.
Lollies!
-Kara-

 

[gaggleofcrazypeople]

He's far more powerful than a crusty old monarch, that's for sure.

The Grand Duchy? Crusty and old?

 

[hillary_nugent]

I just meant rank-wise....Mr. Bush actually is nothing like a king in a constitutional monarchy, because he is actively involved in politics and can actually make decisions regarding laws and bills and whatnot. He can declare war and is the true head of the military. He has lots and lots of power.
Kings, on the other hand, at least nowadays, can't do that. it's left up to their Cabinet and Prime Ministers.
Lollies!
-Kara-

yeah i guess Bush does have ALOT more power than Royals but i can never imagine him being a King hahaha ^__^

 

[Lady Claire]

Actually the President of the United States does not have as much power as many believe. He can not declare war, only Congress can do that. Congress has the majority of the power in the United States.

 

[Menarue]

George Bush is descended from royalty by both his mother and his father. In fact his family can be traced directly back to Edward II of England as could George Washington´s - and an amazing number of US Presidents.

 

[gabys]

so would I bow or curtsey upon meeting say a royal from lux,belgium,liect,and or spain on a casual occasion?

 

[Count]

so would I bow or curtsey upon meeting say a royal from lux,belgium,liect,and or spain on a casual occasion?

I wouldn't...on casual occasions you do not need to do it.

If you meet them during holidays or in a non formal occasion or a party given by friends do not bow...

 

[Shaiya]

I wouldn't bow or curtsey to anyone. Not really trying to be rude but I feel like that's unnecessary and I don't believe that anyone is better than anyone else, espcially not the British royal family.

 

[ashelen]

i wonder how wil they react if you do not bow to them? or for that fact to any other royal? some timeS I think about Maxima, we grow up in the same neiborhood, i went to the same school, i reaally it would be funny to me! to have to bow to her1