Don’t bawl ‘Hey, Will’ and no wisecracks: A Canadian’s guide to meeting royalty
As Duke and Duchess start tour, some local advice for the inhabitants (hint: don’t pirouette like Trudeau Snr)
ONE can forgive our Canadian cousins a moment of trepidation at the prospect of encountering the planet’s most sought-after royal couple.
Should they shake hands, curtsy or kneel if they happen to meet the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during their tour of the country this week?
Would it be appropriate to scream with excitement or yell “Hey guys! How you doing?”
To help navigate royal etiquette a guide has been published for Canadians to coincide with William and Catherine’s arrival at Victoria Airport in British Columbia yesterday. Carey McBeth, a Canadian etiquette consultant, made it clear that yelling is an absolute no, no.
“The key thing is how to address them,” she said. “You’re not supposed to call them, ‘Hey Will or hey Kate.’ ”
She goes on to point out that neither the Duke nor the Duchess should be addressed as “your majesty” since that honour is reserved for the Queen. “Your royal highness” will suffice.
Once the ice has been broken it is perfectly acceptable to address them as “sir and ma’am”, she adds. She informs her readers that it is not
de rigueur to bow or curtsy when meeting a member of the Royal family, although one may do so. “It is not appropriate to extend your hand to them, but perfectly appropriate to bow or curtsy out of respect as they walk by,” she told The
Vancouver Sun newspaper. What should be avoided at all costs is the urge to pirouette. Pierre Trudeau, a former Canadian prime minister and father of Justin, the current one, performed a pirouette behind the back of the Queen after meeting her at Buckingham Palace in 1977, much to the consternation of observers.
Justin Trudeau will accompany the couple during part of the visit.
As for sharing a gag with Prince William, forget it. “Absolutely no jokes, no wisecracks,” Ms McBeth said. “They’re very inappropriate.”
Above all, she urges her fellow countrymen to greet the Duke and Duchess with traditional Canadian politeness.
“If they stop to talk to you, don’t ask personal questions, ask them how their trip has been,” Ms McBeth said. “They are the masters of small talk, it’s brilliant how they manoeuvre through a crowd and even if they’ve only talked to you for 30 seconds, they make you feel like you’re the only person there.”
One Canadian institution has gone out of its way to make the Duke and Duchess’s children feel very much welcome. The staff of British Columbia’s Government House, where the Cambridges are staying, have been child-proofing the mansion for the arrival of Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
Electrical sockets have been covered, ornaments and trinkets moved out of reach and wooden toys and snacks placed in the children’s guest rooms. It is thought a sandbox has been installed for their entertainment.
Thandi Williams, director of operations, told the local newspaper: “Trust me, we’re just trying to think what might they like to do while they’re here and what would be amusing to children of that age.”
Today, the Duke and Duchess will pay their respects at Victoria’s cenotaph and unveil a plaque marking the 158 service personnel lost by Canada during the Afghanistan conflict.
Other highlights of the tour will be a trip around the Yukon, where the Duke and Duchess will go fishing, mountain biking, sightseeing and meet First Nations communities.
‘Even if they’ve only talked to you for 30 seconds, you feel like you’re the only person there’