How King Charles III will be addressed by fellow royals
Following the death of the Queen, major changes will be made to the way fellow royals, including his sons, Princes William and Harry and their spouses, the Duchess’ of Cambridge and Sussex, will address King Charles III and the Queen Consort.
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Camilla will no longer have to curtsy to anyone in her family, but will continue to do so for monarchs across the world. The special tradition is an age-old mark of respect and is performed by royal women upon the first meeting with a monarch. If the gesture is not performed it would have meant that the monarch has already been greeted in private.
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As for talking to His Royal Highness, those met by the King will first refer to him as “Your Royal Highness,” followed by ‘Sir’.
His children, Princes William and Harry, and their wives will now alter the way they greet the King. Kate and Meghan will no curtsy for their father-in-law, while William and Harry will bow.
According to the British Monarchy website, there are “no obligatory codes of behaviour”, but it notes that many people prefer to “observe the traditional forms”. As previously mentioned, for ladies, that includes a small curtsy while for the men it is a “neck bow”, from the head only. Alternatively, it notes, some opt to shake her hand.
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The gestures don’t need to be long or exaggerated – a subtle bow or curtsey is adequate.
Camilla will only have to curtsy to the monarch
Other ‘do’s’ for a royal meeting are; only speak when you are spoken to and do not sit or begin to start eating until the monarch has done so. One should also be early for an appointment with a royal – guests should always arrive first.
Of course, there are also some things you should never do when meeting royalty. Arguably the most important thing to remember is that one should never touch the Monarch, and only shake hands if they offer it first. Michelle Obama famously breached traditional protocol back in 2009, when she was spotted with her arm around the Queen.
Duchess’ Kate and Meghan will have to greet King Charles III and Queen Consort with a curtsy
If one was invited to dine with the leading royal, it is important to note which side of the monarch you were sitting on. It was customary for the guest of honour to sit to the right of the Queen, and it followed that she would speak to that person during the first course of the dinner.
She would then switch her attention to the person on her left for the following course. Formula One star Lewis Hamilton fell foul of this rule at one function, and was politely told: “No, you speak that way first and I’ll speak this way, and then I’ll come back to you.”
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