to ask should people still be bowing/curtseying to royalty

[bringincrazyback]

...in this day and age?

And if so, why?

(Usual disclaimers apply: long-standing member, not a journo, no Daily Fail affiliations. Question inspired by something that's come up in a book I'm reading; I'm curious to know what others think. Personally I think it's an obsequious practice that should have died out decades ago.)

Sure! But not just for royalty, I think we should bring it back for everyone. Better for social distancing and a bit of thigh exercise. I'd quite like to bow and curtsey to friends and have them do the same to me rather than awkwardly having to shake hands or worse, avoid shaking hands.

Not a hope in hell I'll bow to any royal. My pro-nationalist granny would be spinning in her grave

Of course not.

No.

Of course not.

I wonder what 'the royals' think about it?
Are they pleased if something bows? Embarrassed?
I wouldn't do it but I wonder if I was in a big group of people would I just do it automatically as everyone around me was bowing??

No. And I doubt that the actual Royals could care less. The courtiers seem more intent on keeping up these old traditions.

No I think it’s outdated and odd. But if we don’t pretend they are better than us then why are they still in those positions of power without being voted in? I guess we need to keep up the pretence or else everyone will cotton on 😂

I’d curtsey for the Queen but I doubt I’d bother with anybody else.

Even weirder, they bow and curtsy to each other depending on their own hierarchy.

Do non-binary people bow or curtsy ?

I think not touching Royals is fine but bowing and curtsying is archaic.

Actually I think bowing when people applaud you at the end of a performance is perfectly fine

Unless you going to ever be presented to the Queen or a member of the Royal Family I can't honestly imagine why you would give a shit.

I'm unlikely to ever meet her. Couldn't care less if people are expected to curtsey. It seems fair enough to me. She's the Queen.

I think it should only be done for the Monarch, not for the rest of them. As I understand it though, they bow and curtsey to each other depending on their allocated place in the Royal pecking order.

No, and I probably wouldn’t. Not that I’m likely to meet one. But of all the things I could get cross about regarding the royals, curtsying is the least of it.

I think they do care less. There's a hierarchy within the royal family about who should curtsey to whom in their own family. Meghan wasnt a fan, surprisingly.

For us mere mortals is not going to affect our lives.

They won't send you to the Tower if you don't.

I’m easily lead by the majority when it comes to etiquette in a social situation so I think if everyone else was I would, and if no one else was, I wouldn’t. It doesn’t particularly bother me on principle, especially as it isn’t enforced in any way, is it? (Other than within the family where I assume they’re told to do it to each other, and by the press who I would predict would have a field day if, say, the PM didn’t do it)

I didn't when I met Prince Charles, shook hands and spoke about the topic I was presenting. Same with the other people he met, handshake and a chat.

My position is we should abolish the whole thing so bowing is really just part and parcel of abolishing an antiquated institution.

Barely anyone bows or curtsies to the royal family any more. Which makes all these ‘rumours’ that Kate and Meghan were expected to do in private quite laughable.

I absolutely think they care! They care very much. It’s part of what makes them feel superior to the plebs and keeps us in our place.

And no of course no one should bow or curtesy any more! It’s the 21st century. They’re in no way superior to any of us and have proved that in a myriad of awful ways over the last few decades.

No chance I would show them any deference at all.

I went to a pretty ordinary Catholic primary school where the girls were expected to curtesy to the staff (I think the boys saluted but may be misremembering). Vivid memories of morning assemblies with a sea of bobbing heads across the hall. 😊 no idea who thought it was a good idea and assume it stopped long ago.

Not any more! And I bet it stuck in Emily Maitlis's throat having to address the dreadful Andrew as 'Sir' during his carcrash of an interview.

@AngeloMysterioso

I’d curtsey for the Queen but I doubt I’d bother with anybody else.

That’s how I feel.

@bringincrazyback Are we meant to click YABU if we think you should be bowing to royalty, or YANBU if you think you should be bowing to royalty?

Not very clear in your post!

Absolutely not. My dad met the Queen this year. He didn’t bow. But there was lots of people who curtsied. I was embarrassed for them.