The royal families (the British and those of other crowns as well) have a series of formalities and traditions that, at times, seem impossible to learn, memorize and remember. And it is that the formal greetings include a series of bows, movements, gestures and even attitudes that are part of the inevitable protocols. And it seems that they require a whole tutorial to put them into practice.
Yes of the british crown As we speak, there are a number of moves and considerations to take into account. They have been repeated and transmitted from generation to generation, although now -already during the reign of Charles III– they seem to be accommodating to the times that run. Of course, within the routine of the rebel Meghan Markle -wife Harry– everything seems too strange. And she herself has recognized it!
The bows and protocols in the greetings that must be respected in the Royal Families and that Meghan Markle does not respect
The investiture of the king or queen has always been quite remarkable, so much so that not everyone has within their reach the possibility of greeting them face to face. But those who can or have been able to do so, know that there are endless formalities to respect when greeting and paying homage. Many of these protocols are even respected among the members of the Royal family and there is even a line of hierarchy that establishes how they should greet each other.
In the British Royal Family, for example, bows that include bending part of the legs are the most common. And there is a succession line of hierarchies that establishes who bows or curtsies to whom, based on their title. In the case of duchesses like Kate Middleton -wife of prince william-, she must bow to the princesses of the blood (direct descendants of Queen Elizabeth II). And it is something that, according to sources close to royalty, is kept indoors and even if they are not in public.
If we talk about bowing, the ladies are the ones who should practice them by protocol. It consists of a slight bending of the knees before the king, the queen or -as already said- towards the “princesses of the blood”. If the respect is deeper, for example, the bow consists of bending the knees out.
The handshake is something that began to be styled recently, as part of the update of bowing and the idea of demonstrating an attempt to get closer. However, it usually connotes a bit more trust and is not recommended unless members of the Royal family extend your hand first.
In men, meanwhile, the protocol establishes another form of reverence, simpler. It consists simply of a handshake and a slight inclination of the neck. King Charles III It has also incorporated the custom of greeting royal women with a kiss on their hands (inside and outside the British Crown). It is also increasingly common for members of royal families to greet each other with a kiss on the cheek. According to nobility-association.com, the proper way to kiss on the cheek is to place your right cheek against your right cheek, but without kissing or making a kissing noise.
Meghan Markle’s discomfort with bowing
So much Meghan Markle -wife of Harry- as Kate Middleton -wife of prince william– they must bow before the “princesses of the blood”. Unlike Kate, however, Meghan has already shown herself to be rebellious and wayward towards matters related to the british crown. This is why she herself has recognized the discomfort that bowing causes her.
“I remember we were in the car and we were driving and he (Harry) said, ‘You know how to bow, right?’ And I thought it was a joke,” he said. Meghan Markle in a fragment of the Netflix documentary “Harry & Meghan”, where the intimacy of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is reviewed- “How do you explain that to people? How do you explain that you bow to your grandmother and that you should ask her a curtsy? Especially to an American. That’s weird,” Harry added at the time.
So much Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton they must bow to the princesses of the blood when they meet them, unless Harry or William are in the same space. In that case, women are exempted from curtsying, as their husbands rank higher than those of Princesses Ana, Beatriz, and Eugenia.