How LOW can they GO?
As Fergie and the PM sink to extravagant new depths curtseying to royals...
SHE’S never been known for her keen observance of royal etiquette, so it was no wonder the Duchess of York, performed the most awkward of curtseys when greeting her former mother-in-law recently.
Dipping low as the Queen arrived at the Parade Ring at Royal Ascot, the 58-year-old former wife of Prince Andrew looked precariously like she might not make it up again.
Prime Minister Theresa May, meanwhile, when greeting Prince William this week, performed a very elegant and athletic curtsey, which ended barely ten inches from the floor. Not bad for a 61-year-old!
But in these modern times, is the curtsey still necessary? Who curtseys to whom? And when? How low do they go? Etiquette expert Jean Broke-Smith and Adam Partridge, spokesman for the Debretts A To Z Of Modern Manners, talk us through . . .
THE HISTORY
THE curtsey is a traditional gesture of greeting by a girl or a woman to someone more senior in social rank, and dates back to at least the Middle Ages. It is derived from a ‘courtesy’ and is simply a mark of respect. It became gender specific in the 17th century, with men adopting the bow, and women the curtsey.
It really took off in Victorian times. Women’s dresses were so large that a little bob would hardly have been noticeable. Instead, women began to curtsey with more depth. Later, when Edwardian dress came in, some women started holding up the material of their skirts or dresses as part of the curtsey.
HOWTODOIT...
‘A cuRTSEY should be a discreet, brief movement and not a ballet plié, or a grand, sweeping descent to the ground,’ says Adam Partridge.
‘From a standing position, transfer your weight to one foot (usually the left). Place the ball of your other foot behind and slightly to the outside of your standing ankle. Bend your front knee while keeping your torso upright and your hands relaxed at your sides. There is no need to hold your skirt or dress.
To come up, slowly straighten your knees, bringing your feet back into a parallel position. The whole motion should take only a few seconds.’
...AND WHEN
‘IF YOu’RE meeting the Queen, she will always put her hand out to you and that is your cue to curtsey,’ says Jean Broke-Smith. ‘You should not look at her as you curtsey, but keep your eyes lowered. Only as you come back up should you meet her eyes and if she is offering you her hand you can shake it. Otherwise, keep your hands to yourself.’
INCH PERFECT
cHANgINg fashions have affected the curtsey (long skirts facilitated a deep plunge, while shorter hemlines require a more modest dip), and now we see everything from deep, deferential curtsey (Theresa May) to the slight, barely-see-it bob (Angelina Jolie).
‘There’s no rule as to how many inches from the ground you must go — it depends on how flexible you are and how good you are with your core strength and balance,’ says Jean. ‘The Duchess of York’s recent curtsey at Ascot was a little over the top, however.’
WHO TO WHOM?
‘MEMBERS of the public are not bound to the traditions and protocols of the Royal Family, although they can choose to curtsey if they wish,’ says Adam, which makes for some awkward moments when people bump into the royals when they’re off duty.
‘I remember when my son was at Eton with the two princes and Diana would visit,’ says Jean. ‘For some of the parents, she was simply “another school mum”, but I noticed others gave a little curtsey or nod when she walked into the room — I thought that was a nice touch. Diana didn’t seem to mind either way.’
Within the Royal Family, however, there are explicit rules as to who curtsies to whom. And yes, it’s complicated. Obviously, everyone should curtsey to the Queen and Prince Philip.
‘Even in private I would hope that other female royals perform a slight bob to Her Majesty when she walks into a room. In public, her daughter Princess Anne will always curtsey before giving her mother a kiss,’ says Jean. It is
more of a minefield when it comes to the minor royals, particularly for Kate and Meghan who are not of royal blood and hold no senior position — yet.
If Kate and Meghan are accompanied by their husbands, William or Harry, then royals such as Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie or even the older Countess of Wessex would have to curtsey to them. But if they’re unaccompanied, they would have to curtsey to Beatrice and Eugenie because they are of royal blood. When Kate becomes Queen, everyone will have to curtsey to her.
‘It’s been tricky for both Kate and Meghan and I’ve been fascinated to watch them both learning about who they should — and should not — curtsey to,’ says Jean.
As for the public, it’s up to the individual as to whether you curtsey to any royal. ‘The Queen herself has said she does not expect people to curtsey, and Buckingham Palace reflects this in its protocol advice,’ says Adam.
CAN’T DO IT?
CLEARLY, something Fergie should be thinking about if her knees are playing her up. If you’re in a wheelchair or simply too old, then a nice alternative is to lower your head in a small bob without making eye contact. ‘Once you raise your head and the member of the Royal Family is looking at you, you can reciprocate, says Adam Partridge.
OTHER ROYALS
THEY should curtsey to the Queen, certainly as a mark of respect. Even members of foreign royal families normally curtsey and bow to our Queen — she has been on the throne for 65 years, surely placing her higher in rank than most other royals in the world. Of course, it’s open to interpretation but one would hope that, say, the Queen of Spain would curtsey to our Queen.
AND FOREIGNERS
THE rules are the same. It is up to the individual as to whether they curtsey or not. Actress Susan Sarandon broke every royal protocol on meeting the Queen at the Royal Windsor Cup Polo in June, when she marched up to our bemused monarch and shook her hand. Royal protocol states that guests should wait to be introduced to the Queen before speaking to her — and should never touch her uninvited.
‘I got it all wrong,’ Sarandon said afterwards. ‘I guess being among film makers makes you more confident.’
When former First Lady Michelle Obama met the Queen, she gave a small curtsey. Not so Melania Trump, however, during her visit last month.