Bowing and Curtseying

[MargreteI]

Of course do not curtsey to pretenders like the Greeks - or anybody else who affects a royal title when their nation is a republic, eg, Serbia, Austria, France etc. The exception would be Princess Anne-Marie as she is still a Danish princess, but I would not be saying the words "Your Majesty".

Constantine is Prince of Denmark (who married a Princess of Denmark) and all the kids inherited that title after their father, not their mother. Pavlos kids are to, but not his wife.

 

[Her_Majesty]

I've seen a photo of Princess Anne curtsying to someone, I think Queen Margrethe. Don't quote me on that, though. I'm fairly certain they do; just because they are royalty as well doesn't mean they don't have to observe protocol like we would.

Maybe you a refering to a picture I posted before of Anne curtsying to Queen Sonja...
Anne curtseying (Getty, earlier posted here)

 

[Sister Morphine]

Maybe you a refering to a picture I posted before of Anne curtsying to Queen Sonja...
Anne curtseying (Getty, earlier posted here)

That would be it. Thank you! I had the wrong Scandinavian Queen.

 

[foiegrass]

Hi,

Last year, when The Queen and Prince Philip visited Calgary, my then 87 year old mother was introduced to the Prince in a small 'walkabout'..
He held out his hand and my mother shook it and then said to him, "I want to curtsey to you".
He said it wasn't necessary but Mom said, "Hold on!" and taking his other hand, she managed a bit of a bob.
He smiled and said, "Very nice, madam".....
As he walked away, my mother said to those around her, "At least I didn't land on my ass!!"
Prince Philip (who must have heard this, as my mother is partly deaf and talks loud) turned around, smiled and gave her a thumbs up......

Larry

Awesomee story! Love it ! hahhaa. Prince Phillip giving your mom a THUMBS UP! Hee! I'm sure he heard the ass part. WHAHAHAHAHA

 

[Next Star]

Just a though has anyone ever since a mother of a princess by marriage bow or cursty to their daughter ?This would unbelieveable to me being their mother raised them and if was not for her she would be in existence. Boy this would be a site to see.

 

[Hans]

Didn't Queen Sonja of Norway made a deep curtsey to the coffin of King Boudewijn in 1993 ??

 

[fee]

Here is the picture chosen by the Danish committee for the September Picture of the Month Poll: Enjoy!

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/7317/septemberdenmarkvw7.jpg

Are you quite sure they didn't photoshop a fallen glove out of the pic, just for fun?
QMII really looks like she was picking up something....

 

[Frothy]

This came up a year or so ago on the Greek thread and I believe there is some doubt as to whether Constantine's children are still Princes of Denmark, that "Greece and Denmark" is courtesy and implies no actual Danish rank (unlike Princess Anne-Marie, a true Danish princess and genuinely royal). I think - IIRC - that questions were asked in the Danish parliament about it and "Greece and Denmark" has no standing there.

Not 100% on this, it is just what I remember.

 

[Mandy]

Are you quite sure they didn't photoshop a fallen glove out of the pic, just for fun?
QMII really looks like she was picking up something....

HM Queen Margrethe is curtseying with much difficulty probably as a result of the total left knee replacement that she had just four months prior to the Reburial of Empress Marie Feodorovna. I don't think she is picking up a glove, but rather her left knee appears to rotate or catch while she is curtseying and so she extended her hand to balance herself.

 

[MargreteI]

This came up a year or so ago on the Greek thread and I believe there is some doubt as to whether Constantine's children are still Princes of Denmark, that "Greece and Denmark" is courtesy and implies no actual Danish rank (unlike Princess Anne-Marie, a true Danish princess and genuinely royal). I think - IIRC - that questions were asked in the Danish parliament about it and "Greece and Denmark" has no standing there.

Not 100% on this, it is just what I remember.

Well, I am 100% sure. They are descrendants of Georg I of Greece (Prince Vilhelm) who took over the less then stabile throne in Greece. Recognizing this King Christian IX (his father) made sure the title "Prince of Denmark" would follow his descrendants once Vilhelm took over the unstabile throne in Greece. Constantine is a descrendant of King Christian IX and therefore he is Prince of Denmark in his own right, though he does not have a claim to the throne.

They also carry danish diplomat passports without being danish citizens. That is unusual and requires some sort of rank.

 

[le soleil]

bowing and curtseying and other court protocols define manners! in this ways manners can be accorded to someone very gracefully and delicately! manners is the epitoime of courtly life! manners can be beautiful very beautiful indeed! thanks for the picture!

 

[Lady Marmalade]

Whether or not they are royal in the sense of no longer having a country in which they reign, the Greek children of the former King and Queen are BLOOD ROYAL which means their blood is bluer than many of the current heirs to thrones of many of the current monarchies in Europe (which have been mixed with commoners' blood). Look at their bloodlines on BOTH side from Constantine and Anne-Marie. They are still Prince/Princess with accordance of bowing and curtseying should one choose to do so.

 

[le soleil]

can u post pictures of thje belgian royals being curtsied!i love more pictures of people curtseying royals!thanks!

 

[RubyPrincess168]

As a foreigner could you be selctive to whom you bow/curtsey? For instance I wouldn't mind curtseying to QEII, Princess Anne, or the Countess of Wessex but I wouldn't bend my knee for the Duchess of Cornwall.

 

[Madame Royale]

As a foreigner could you be selctive to whom you bow/curtsey? For instance I wouldn't mind curtseying to QEII, Princess Anne, or the Countess of Wessex but I wouldn't bend my knee for the Duchess of Cornwall.

Of course you can. It is entirely up to an indavidual if they wish to curtsy or bow.

Though it would of course be the 'norm' (or so I would imagine) that if you show the appropriate reverence to a lesser ranking royal, then why would you not show it to a personage of higher precedence? That in itself would be a very clear expression of ones disfavour and not at all diplomatic

 

[MARG]

As a foreigner could you be selctive to whom you bow/curtsey? For instance I wouldn't mind curtseying to QEII, Princess Anne, or the Countess of Wessex but I wouldn't bend my knee for the Duchess of Cornwall.

OK. I'll bite. Why would you not bend your knee to the Duchess of Cornwell

 

[cath]

I have to say I do find these comments along the lines of, "We're Americans; we don't have to bow/curtsey to anyone", rather arrogant. We're all human beings, and every nation (including the USA) has its strengths and its failings. A bow or curtsey is simply respecting the traditions of the country the Royal in question comes from, as well as showing respect to the person themselves. To find that demeaning does suggest a certain insecurity?

 

[MARG]

.......A bow or curtsey is simply respecting the traditions of the country the Royal in question comes from, as well as showing respect to the person themselves. To find that demeaning does suggest a certain insecurity?

I remember when I jointed the Military (many moons ago) that we all resented having to 'pay compliments' to commissioned officers, especially when the officer was a pillock of the first order.

That is when we learnt what it really meant. One dosn't salute the person, one salutes the Queen's commission!

The same thing applys to bowing and curtseying. You respect the position and tradition of the recipient. That being the case, it is in no way demeaning and it certainly does suggest a degree of insecurity should one feel that it did.

 

[rop81]

Dont know if anyone mentioned this earlier, but I watched a film about the Swedish RF. There was a scene in which they met a sports team of some kind (don't speak Swedish)- and the team members didnt bow, even to the king. They just walked by and shook the RF's hands. I thought it was very informal. Is this usual??

Accourding to what i have heard and read King Carl-Gustav announced when he became king that it wasn´t nessisary with the curtsey, or in swedish "den stora hovnigningen", but some peopble still curtsey to the king - but it is not something that one is recuired to do. In the Swedish society we have abolished almost all of these formal titels and things such as for instance to adress someone by their last name: as Mr Andersson, we just say the first name or possibly their first and last name like for instance: Johan Andersson.

 

[RoyalProtocol]

I ahve attended multiple Royal occasions and The Queen (Uk) is usually afforded a very deep curtsey by the majority of women present however I was at an event with The Duchess of Cornwall last year and she only received one curtsey from c.200 people, The Queen got almost 200 with the odd exception.

Accourding to what i have heard and read King Carl-Gustav announced when he became king that it wasn´t nessisary with the curtsey, or in swedish "den stora hovnigningen", but some peopble still curtsey to the king - but it is not something that one is recuired to do. In the Swedish society we have abolished almost all of these formal titels and things such as for instance to adress someone by their last name: as Mr Andersson, we just say the first name or possibly their first and last name like for instance: Johan Andersson.

There are a few pictures of the Swedish RF being curtsied too, especially by foreign Royals e.g. Anne, The Princess Royal

 

[Iain]

Just a though has anyone ever since a mother of a princess by marriage bow or cursty to their daughter ?This would unbelieveable to me being their mother raised them and if was not for her she would be in existence. Boy this would be a site to see.

Queen Mary insisted on giving her grandaughter Elizabeth a curty when she became Queen.

 

[RoyalProtocol]

Queen Mary insisted on giving her grandaughter Elizabeth a curty when she became Queen.

It is reported that Queen Mary insisted on being the first to curtsy and kiss the hand of her new Sovereign on the accession of The Queen, it is alos reported that The Queen was horrified, but still it was very gracious of Queen Mary.

 

[le soleil]

can i see the pic of queen mary curtsying queen elizabeth?

 

[ulik]

did princess margarethe (then) and princess benedikte ever curtseying to their sister queen anne-marie?

 

[Cissan]

Accourding to what i have heard and read King Carl-Gustav announced when he became king that it wasn´t nessisary with the curtsey, or in swedish "den stora hovnigningen", but some peopble still curtsey to the king - but it is not something that one is recuired to do. In the Swedish society we have abolished almost all of these formal titels and things such as for instance to adress someone by their last name: as Mr Andersson, we just say the first name or possibly their first and last name like for instance: Johan Andersson.

Yes, I remember that some big newspapers were outraged when Letizia curtsied to the Swedish King and Queen since "we don't do that in Sweden".

 

[RoyalProtocol]

can i see the pic of queen mary curtsying queen elizabeth?

This happened in Private at Clarence House, as far as I am aware there were no public curtsies.

 

[le soleil]

the king of thailand is revered as demi god so people would be kneeling 0n the streets when he pass!is this true?u have pics showing them?

 

[Alison20]

Monarchs do not bow or curtsey - they are in the same situation as Presidents, as Heads of State. (Some Presidents are also Head of Government, but in a constitutional monarchy the Monarch is not.) They embody the country and will usually only make a reverence (as Queen Elizabeth does) at War Memorials at services of remembrance. This is because they are embodying the country's respect for those who died for it.

A Queen Consort (and possibly Prince Consorts like Prince Phillip) will be bowed/courtseyed to by everyone except a Monarch, and they will only bow to Monarchs. This was why Queen Mary (a Queen Consort) insisted on courtseying to her granddaughter, who was a Monarch. It was absolutely correct.

Princes and Princesses who are sons and daughters of Monarchs can expect to be bowed/courtseyed to by everyone except Monarchs and their husbands/wives. Those who are heirs to thrones have more precedence than their younger siblings. So, strictly speaking, Princess Madeleine of Sweden should courtesy to Prince Philippe, D of Brabant, while Pr Laurent would bow to Pss Victoria of Sweden.

As someone has already mentioned, it is the position held that is being honoured rather than the individual. That is why it would be sheer bad manners to courtsey to The Queen, The Princess Royal, etc., but not to the Duchess of Cornwall, if they were all at the same event. The Duchess of Cornwall is HRH and wife of the Heir to the Throne. It would be rather as if you shook the hand of the President, and then 'blew a raspberry' in the face of the Vice President.

 

[rchainho]

what? Inside swedish palace there aren't curtseings?

 

[magnik]

When they're private why should they curtsey to each other?