Although old fashioned, royal women are expected to bow and curtsy to one another, based on a document the late Queen produced back in 2005. Called the Precedence of the Royal Family to be Observed Court, it listed the royal women and their seniority to one another.
Since Charles has taken to the throne, the tradition has changed so that now, in the Royal order, Camilla has outranked Princess Anne - meaning all the royal women in the family must (and will) curtsy to her.
There are no obligatory codes of behaviour when meeting The Queen or a member of the Royal Family, but many people wish to observe the traditional forms. For men this is a neck bow (from the head only) whilst women do a small curtsy. Other people prefer simply to shake hands in the usual way.
Because George and Charlotte are children, they are not required by custom to bow or curtsy to the King and Queen Consort. Kate's second annual Christmas concert was dedicated to Queen Elizabeth, and touches in her honor were woven throughout the service.
According to protocol, Meghan is supposed to curtsy to those who outrank her. This includes the Queen, Prince Phillip, Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla. Because William is due to be the future King of England, he also receives a curtsy, and by extension so does Kate Middleton.
Meghan Markle curtseys to Prince Charles during service
When Kate Middleton entered the Royal Family in 2011, due to her position in the pecking order, she had to drop to one knee before Princess Anne and Camilla, the then Duchess of Cornwall. However, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie had to curtsy to Kate.
Now that Kate is the Princess of Wales — and Camilla is queen consort — the greeting rules have changed among the royal women. All must curtsy to Camilla. And, since Kate is Princess of Wales, Meghan must curtsy to both Kate and Camilla, per Page Six.
Some reports insist that, upon marrying into the family, Kate Middleton had to curtsy to all "blood" princesses, such as Beatrice and Eugenie, as well as her own children (except when accompanied by Prince William—duh).
WATCH as Princess Charlotte appears to mimic mom's curtsy to the queen as the family left a church service on Christmas. This is the first time the little princess and her brother Prince George have attended the annual Christmas church service with the rest of the royal family.
To prevent her feet from slipping out of her heels, Meier said Middleton wears non-slip tights from John Lewis, a high-end department store in the United Kingdom. The sheer stockings retail for £6, or around US$6.50, and feature gel strips on the bottom of each foot that grip to the soles of shoes.
They have to bow to their step-mother, Queen Consort Camilla. And they're not alone. Sources tell Page Six that everyone in the royal family will be expected to bow to Camilla. “The personal impact is likely the protocol changes that roll into action almost immediately," the source says.
Princess Anne curtseys to the coffin of Queen Elizabeth. As pallbearers carried Queen Elizabeth's coffin into the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Princess Anne dropped into a deep curtsy—a sign of respect for her late mother.
Experts said while it would have been normal to bow when meeting Queen Elizabeth II, younger royals like William and Kate don't expect that level of deference — especially since the couple will be visiting the United States, where “we do not curtsy or bow,” Meier said.
The queen had four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward. Although Anne is older than two of her brothers, she is farther down the line of succession because of an old law that allowed men to skip over women in the line.
Women who have famously refused to curtsy to the Royal Family include Cherie Blair, when husband Tony Blair was Prime Minister.
Essentially, it's good manners. She went on: "You bow or curtsy the first time you see the sovereign and then again when you leave. "At Christmas at church, we saw the Cambridges and Prince Harry and Meghan curtsy and bow when the Queen arrived and left.
According to protocol, Meghan is supposed to curtsy to those who outrank her. This includes the Queen, Prince Phillip, Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla.
There are no obligatory codes of behaviour when meeting The Queen or a member of the Royal Family, but many people wish to observe the traditional forms.
At the Palace of Westminster, the royals stood for a short service, and as they exited, Meghan, Kate, and other royal women curtsied to the Queen's coffin. Viewers of the service of the royal family noted Meghan's deep curtsy, in particular. Prince Harry bowed his head in respect. This content is imported from twitter.
What Kate called the Queen. While the rest of the world is required to address Queen Elizabeth as Ma'am or your majesty, those closest to her are allowed to refer to her as Mama, according to Ingrid Seward, the editor of Majesty magazine. Sign up to British Heritage Travel's daily newsletter here!
One thing Prince Harry and Prince William have in common these days? They have to bow to their stepmother, Queen Consort Camilla. And they're not alone. Sources tell Page Six that everyone in the royal family will be expected to bow to Camilla.
The queen stood with her family, and as Diana's funeral cortege passed by, she bowed her head. It was not a quick bow, nor a shallow one. The woman accustomed to being bowed by the world now lowered her head and humbly honored the princess.
The only person they will curtsy or bow to is the sovereign. A royal highness does not curtsy to another royal highness,” she told Hello! Magazine in a 2018 interview.
2. Will Kate Middleton be Called 'Queen'? Not really. If everything goes as planned, the Princess of Wales will likely receive the title of queen consort.
For female members of The Royal Family who hold the title Her Royal Highness: "Your Royal Highness" on the first occasion, and then "Ma'am." For male members of The Royal Family who hold the title His Royal Highness: "Your Royal Highness" on the first occasion and "Sir" thereafter.