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.)

@ikeepseeingit

No I think it’s outdated and odd.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 😂

This. It's what's kept the whole shebang going. In ancient cultures, the people were given to believe their rulers were actual gods (gods in typical tubby/short/aged human forms) as this worked quite well to get the old kneeling/handing over tribute going with a swing.

If we didn't bow and scrape and call them by their special made-up titles we might forget they're ordinary people and that being "Royal" is not, actually, a Thing.

Not a chance would I bow to anybody. It's a sign of subservience and homage. The whole institution of monarchy is ridiculous and a total anachronism. How anybody in a democracy who believes in equality could eve. Contemplating bowing and scraping is beyond me. Wouldn't stand for 'God save the Queen' either.

@AngeloMysterioso

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

Technically any bow/curtesy to a royal is to acknowledge the Queen. Likewise anyone saluting a military officer isn’t saluting that specific person but the commission and thus the Queen.

Charlie keeps talking about modernising 'monarchy' - he might knock bowing and scraping in the head to start. Cringeworthy - staggering how many do it!

Absolutely no way would i curtesy to anyone

We could have a lying cheating avaricious venal politician as head of state.

They aren't all like that. I watch a talk from Mary mcaleese (ex-irish president) at work. She was really impressive. On the other hand the Queen has a homely granny-ish air. I would rather have someone of the caliber of the mary mcaleese.

You wouldn’t catch me curtsying to anyone. Honestly, if it was a choice between meeting them or not meeting them, I’d rather not meet them than curtesy. They’re no better than me. They still wipe their bums (I presume) just like the rest of us 💩 😆

They just look like they are bursting for the toilet - ridiculous behaviour!

When I saw Her Maj, about two feet away at an event, we just applauded and beamed with affection.
If I had been introduced, I would absolutely have curtsied out of respect.

Does that help at all? :D

Not a chance! I would not talk to a royal let alone bow and scrape! I think they should be abolished.

Sophie Wessex is brilliant at curtseying ! She's got a straight back and eyes up

I feel terrible seeing Princess Anne do it though - she's a venerable woman herself at her age, shouldn't be doing it - save her knees

I would absolutely have curtsied out of respect

Where would bowing out or respect end? Maybe for NHS staff, firefighters, police, prison officers - respect to them all for keeping us safe every day. Maybe to soup kitchen workers helping to keep the homeless fed. Perhaps to Carers, struggling against the odds with too little support?
Bowing isn't about showing respect - it's about deference and subservience to someone who is seen as a superior being to mere 'serfs' - it's about getting lower and not meeting eye to eye as an equal.

God no. The sooner the royalty are consigned to history books, the better, and I'm not about to play my part in keeping up the charade.

It's a privilege to have a monarch
One of the most tragic things I've ever read.

It's a privilege to have a monarch

😂funny how all the privileges go to the royals!

@Snog

It's about time that we overthrew the monarchy.

We don't have to overthrow the monarchy or guillotine them - they have no practical power over us, we just have to move them to oneside.

In other words we just have to vote to change the current system.

So you need a political party that will be prepared to hold a public referendum, followed by a plan to disentangle the institution of the monarchy from the different branches of government/military etc. plus a plan to replace the head of state with an elected head of state and how that would work.

Plus a plan to set up a new department to oversee the running and preservation of all the Crown properties and historical archives etc. and deal with the employment, reemployment / redundacy of the 450 people who work for the Crown estates. (although I assume the Queen and others would take some of the staff with them to their private residences).

The Windsor family would just pack up their stuff from the Crown properties and go and live in their various private residences. That's the simple bit.

The complicated part - like with Brexit - is agreeing on, voting on, rewriting and implementing all the laws which currently involve the Monarchy - election laws, opening of parliament, turning bills into Acts of Parliament etc. Deciding what system to use for the new head of state - President of the United Kingdom? Make the PM just double up on duties?

None of the political parties want to touch it with a barge pole - it would be like Brexit on acid trying to get all those decisions through and a lifetime of unpopular wrangling over the minutie of the whole process.

Which comes back to why they trundle on - better the devil you know.

Hell no.

Absolutely not 😁

Technically any bow/curtesy to a royal is to acknowledge the Queen. Likewise anyone saluting a military officer isn’t saluting that specific person but the commission and thus the Queen.

Huh… you learn something new every day!

@StoneofDestiny I warmly thank anyone that helps me with any part of my life.
Am quite comfortable showing deference to The Queen. Different sort of demonstrating respect.
If I ever met the current PM though, he's likely to get a piece of my mind. Possibly a right hook or milkshake in the kisser. Certainly not a curtsey.

I think anyone who uses subservience to describe showing a simple act of respect to The Queen is suffering with a bit of a chip, IMO.

@VladmirsPoutine

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

Yep, me too.

I understand why lots wouldn't, but it's tradition, so I'd definitely curtsey to the Queen, and possibly Charles / W&K.

I met Prince William and Kate - just a handshake (and I sat down before them...). They didn't care!

I feel it a much better use of my time to push for the abolition of our derisory FPTP electoral system, and it's about time we had a written constitution that can't be fudged and interpreted to suit the political aspirations of the sitting Executive.