Refusing to bow to the Queen (or King) isn't a legal offense, as there are no mandatory rules, just traditional courtesy, but it can be seen as rude or a political statement, potentially causing awkwardness or disapproval, though you won't be arrested; you might just receive a scolding or have your choice noted as an unusual, possibly republican, stance, with a simple handshake often being an acceptable alternative.
Technically, there are no "obligatory" rules.
According to the royal family's official website, "there are no obligatory codes of behaviour" when meeting the sovereign or other royal family members.
She is a republican and reportedly chooses to handshake rather than curtsy when meeting royals, including Elizabeth II. According to the royal historian Carolyn Harris, Blair's preference for a handshake "attracted controversy as it was seen as making a statement about her republican views".
The simple answer is that there are no obligatory codes of behaviour - just courtesy. However, many people wish to observe the traditional forms of greeting. 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.
Since marriage, Ann will bow to Camilla on official Royal duties.
While "nicest" is subjective, polls consistently show Prince William and Princess Catherine (Kate) as the most popular and positively viewed royals, often praised for their warmth, dedication, and resilience, with Princess Anne frequently cited for her down-to-earth, no-nonsense, and hardworking nature, making her a strong contender for "nicest" in terms of perceived authenticity.
The Queen never bowed to anyone during her 70-year reign, except once... Decades ago at a special state funeral, the monarch broke the ultimate royal tradition and bowed her head to the coffin as it went past - but it was for a very important reason...
Prince William and Kate Middleton sleep in separate beds primarily due to the constraints of the Royal Train (which has only single beds) and as part of a long-standing aristocratic tradition of separate sleeping arrangements for better rest or privacy, though they likely share a bed at home, with their dog sometimes joining them for extra comfort, aligning with modern trends for "sleep divorce".
Because Catherine Princess of Wales is our next Queen as she married to Prince William therefore, is higher up in the line of succession. Markle is not in the line of succession but her husband Harry is 5th in line. They both have to curtsy/bow to Chathrine and William.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh (then Sophie Rhys-Jones) did not attend Princess Diana's funeral in 1997, reportedly because her strong resemblance to Diana would have been too upsetting for the grieving crowds, a decision made thoughtfully by Sophie herself. At the time, she was dating Prince Edward, but they were not yet engaged or married.
She couldn't believe that Diana would speak out so publicly and disgrace the family in such a bold way. Margaret was deeply loyal to the monarchy and saw Diana's actions as unforgivable. In fact, according to biographers, Margaret became one of Diana's harshest critics in the royal family after that interview.
Yes I know that the Queen Elizabeth said in an episode of The Crown that she only ever loved Prince Phillip and Porchey was just a friend, but had she loved Porchey he would have been 100% a better husband the Phillip. They had so much mutual respect for each other and had so much in common.
Princess Kate greeted Queen Camilla with the sweetest, most elegant curtsy - and the affection between the two was impossible to miss 🥰
The bow is an inclination of the head, not from the waist. The curtsy should be a discreet but dignified movement, with a slow rise, maintaining eye contact. It is acceptable, but less usual, to simply shake hands, especially with younger members of the Royal Family in less formal circumstances.
Any person who defames or insults the king, the queen, their ancestors or their descendants can be imprisoned for up to two years.
The "baby brain" comment refers to a widely reported incident from Prince Harry's memoir Spare, where Meghan Markle allegedly told Kate Middleton she must have "baby brain because of her hormones" following Kate's birth of Prince Louis in 2018, causing a significant rift because Kate found the comment offensive, leading to a dispute about appropriate ways to speak within the Royal Family, although Meghan viewed it as a lighthearted comment she'd use with friends.
No, King Charles and Queen Camilla generally sleep in separate bedrooms, a common practice among the British upper class and royals, including the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, as it helps maintain their relationship and allows for personal space, with both having their own rooms at residences like Clarence House and private country homes.
As Kate Middleton walked down the aisle at her wedding to Prince William, Prince Harry whispered to his brother, "She is here now," followed by, "Well, she looks beautiful, I can tell you that," according to royal author Marcia Moody. This sweet moment captured the brothers' closeness, with Harry acting as best man, before William then whispered "You look beautiful" to Kate as she reached the altar.
Diana's tendency to tilt her head and shield her face behind hats was a carefully calculated move to avoid the relentless barrage of photographers. As soon as she entered a room or walked down the street, the flashing lights from cameras would be blinding, and the media frenzy would begin.
Yes, Queen Elizabeth I(I) likely regretted the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, on a personal level, feeling conflicted about ordering the death of a fellow monarch and cousin, though she was driven by political necessity to eliminate the threat Mary posed to her throne. She showed signs of remorse, like blaming her ministers for acting too quickly after signing the death warrant, but ultimately felt it was a necessary, albeit painful, act to secure her reign.
Prince Phillip
They met at a school event. The tour guides scheduled for Elizabeth's family came down with the mumps, Phillip led the royals around, and the rest is history. She fell hard for him—she was 13 and he was 18.
It is Prince Andrew, however, who remains the least popular royal, with nine in ten Britons (89%) now seeing the Duke of York negatively.
Some say the dueling duchesses disliked one another from day one. Others say the war began when the combatants clashed over preparations for Meghan's wedding. Whatever the case, a new poll indicates that when it comes to popularity in the UK, Meghan is no contest for Kate.
Yes, a Lord (a member of the peerage, like a Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, or Baron) is a higher rank than a Sir, which is an honorific for knights or baronets (hereditary knights); the peerage title takes precedence, so a knighted peer is styled as "Lord," not "Sir".