Queen Elizabeth II bowed her head at Princess Diana's funeral to show deep respect, acknowledge her role as mother to her grandsons, and respond to the nation's immense grief, breaking royal protocol where the monarch bows to no one, signaling a moment of national unity and empathy with her people. This symbolic gesture was a poignant acknowledgment of Diana as the "People's Princess," honoring her unique connection with the public, and marked the only time she bowed to someone else during her reign.
Traditionally, the monarch never bows to anyone — it's others who bow or curtsy to the sovereign. But in that moment, the Queen set aside centuries of royal custom to honor Diana, the “People's Princess,” and to reflect the nation's grief.
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...
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.
Princess Margaret didn't bow to Princess Diana's coffin at her funeral primarily due to a deep-seated resentment stemming from Diana's 1995 tell-all Panorama interview, which Margaret saw as a severe betrayal of the Royal Family and the Queen; Margaret never forgave Diana for publicly airing grievances and challenging royal decorum, viewing her as a disloyal figure, leading to her snub during the funeral procession despite their initially warm relationship.
All royals are expected to bow or curtsy to the sovereign and his wife, King Charles and Queen Camilla. Since he ascended to the throne, Prince William and Princess Kate have been seen formally greeting the monarch with a bow and curtsy on multiple occasions.
In these moments, Diana would often keep her chin tucked and her head slightly down, making it harder for the photographers to get a clear shot. This subtle act helped her regain some control over her public image and shielded her from the overwhelming exposure that came with being part of the royal family.
I omitted obey from my vows.
Diana was wearing a ring given to her by Dodi Fayed when she died. It was a £3,000 Bulgari yellow gold band with diamonds. The diamond band set in yellow gold was not an engagement ring and was worn on the fourth finger of her right hand, where her butler Paul Burrell advised her to wear it.
Elisabeth I was very careful with her personal hygiene. Unlike others, she bathed usually once a month, " whether she needed or no" . She had a specially made hip bath , which was large enough to sit in but not to lie down).
The centrepiece of the British monarchy's crown jewels is St Edward's crown. Owing to its historical significance it is considered priceless, and therefore cannot be insured.
Prince William and Kate Middleton bowing to Queen Elizabeth II on their wedding day in 2011. Though many of the British royal family's greeting rules appear complicated at first glance, one of them is simple: basically everyone bows or curtsies to the reigning monarch.
Her last words were, In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum ("Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit"). Mary was not beheaded with a single strike. The first blow missed her neck and struck the back of her head.
She was killed by a drunken driver, but an emergency medical system that was too slow did not save her. Her chances of survival were diminished by a system that took 101 minutes to get her to a hospital that was 6 kilometers away.
According to The Associated Press, Diana referred to Prince Philip as "Dearest Pa" in letters from 1992, and the duke offers to help try to patch up her marital problems.
Diana told Morton she said, “Camilla, I would just like you to know that I know exactly what is going on. I obviously am in the way and it must be hell for both of you, but I do know what is going on. Don't treat me like an idiot.”
So what I say to you now, as your Queen and as a grandmother, I say from my heart. First, I want to pay tribute to Diana myself. She was an exceptional and gifted human being. In good times and bad, she never lost her capacity to smile and laugh, nor to inspire others with her warmth and kindness.
She loved wearing brands, which included Chanel. However, the then Princess of Wales stopped wearing Chanel following her divorce. Apparently, the label's logo, the double interlocking C's, reminded her of the betrayal she had by Prince Charles because of his then-affair with Camilla Parker Bowles.
The Prince of Wales is the most popular with a 75% approval rating and is closely followed by The Princess of Wales with a 72% 👑🇬🇧 . The latest poll was published on May 14th 2025.
Princess Diana did not have an open-casket funeral. Since she died in a car accident and was subject to an autopsy, the chances are that nobody would have wanted the princess to have been remembered in such a way, thus keeping the casket closed.
Queen Camilla experienced a chest infection, later revealed to be a form of pneumonia, which forced her to cancel engagements in late 2024, leading to ongoing post-viral fatigue requiring rest and a modified schedule, though she has since recovered from the acute illness. She confirmed the pneumonia diagnosis during a state visit, managing indoor events but avoiding strenuous outdoor activities due to tiredness.
Yes, Prince William and Kate Middleton sleep in the same bed, often with their dog Orla, a revelation Prince William shared, highlighting a more modern, relatable approach to royal life compared to past generations who sometimes used separate beds for status or privacy. While they have separate bedrooms for some downtime and might use separate beds when traveling on the royal train due to its layout, their usual arrangement at home is together, with their dog as a regular bedfellow.
Prince George and his siblings call Queen Camilla "Gaga," a sweet nickname derived from the term her own grandchildren use, opting for a unique, affectionate name rather than a formal "Grandma" or "Nanny," according to royal reports.