Would you bow or curtsy to royalty in a social setting?

[WhatWouldGinDo]

If you met a member of the RF in a social situation where you are there in the same capacity (e.g. you're another mum watching your DC play sport, or you're at a private house as you have mutual friends), should you bow/curtsy? And should you address them as YM /YRH when you're introduced.

It's not happened to me yet (only met them when they're working and therefore did curtsy/YRH them) but I've always been intrigued what people if they end up sitting next to them at the school concert.

In a ceremonial context, yes. In a social context, no.

Not that either are remotely likely for me!

Certainly not, in either context. Are you on glue?

Definitely not!!!

Not in a social or any other context.

Ok, so according to the RF website, apparently curtseys/bows are not required (in a formal situation). But do you Ma'am/Sir them? Or switch to Anne/Charles/Will?

Appreciate that many will say "never in any circumstances" but my query is because I'm intrigued by what the correct etiquette would be (not people's personal moral position).

No, of course not. It’s 2026.

i'm always intrigued when I see videos of the RF together, e.g. y'day at Ascot when Zara curtseied to the King and then went in for a kiss (and Mike bowed and dropped his phone!). Do you think she calls him Uncle Charles? Your Maj?

No, so I actually met Prince Charles (before he was king) and we just shook hands there was no expectations to curtsy.

Absolutely not in either setting.

No.

Sums it up

A school I worked in 20 odd years ago had a senior royal open the new library. People were dispatched from the palace a few days beforehand to instruct the staff how to bow/ curtsey. I think the Head was the only one who did this on the day. I met said royal, he was polite , I was polite no curtsey no problem

No, I think that would be a very strange thing to do.

I saw Kate and the children once, on a day out with her parents. Granted, she wasn’t meeting people as such, just milling around the playground, but no one curtsied or bowed to her.

I have met a few royals through my work over the years.

As far as I'm concerned, they are human beings like me. They deserve to be treated with the same level respect and dignity that I would show to any other human being. No more, no less.

I do not bow or curtsey. I do not use honorific titles that have not been earned. I am, however, polite and professional, as I would be towards anyone else that I was meeting in a work context.

I imagine if you met Prince william on the school run you wouldn't be expected to bow no, I have met some Royals at official events I did a little nod thing , I don't have the balance to curtsey.

As a foreigner, if I was in some ceremonial situation between our two countries (unlikely) then out of respect for the State I would do so. Not otherwise because I think the whole royalty concept is totally bonkers

I bobbed to Princess Anne at my degree ceremony and she nodded her head back to me.
Mind you, that was in the late 80s and my mother would have been embarrassed if I hadn't, as everyone else either bowed or curtseyed as far as I saw.
Didn't seem a big deal at the time.

I wouldn't.

I remember a video of Diana's grandmother curtseying to her at a social event, which looked odd. How times have changed, and in this case, for the better.

I rather like the royals but, no, I would not bow or curtsey under any circumstances.

If you were presented to the King for whatever reason how would you greet him?

Your question wasn't addressed to me, but I would greet the king like I would greet any other person.

Hello/good morning/good afternoon etc. Nice to meet you. Perhaps a handshake.

They are just people at the end of the day.

I quite like a royal and have no issues with them, but outside of the most ceremonial of occassions, I wouldn't dream of curtseying. So, if, for some reason, I was invited to the funderal of the monarch, I might curtsey as the coffin came past on the basis that it's sort of a specific ceremonial thing - like crossing yourself at the end of the Lord's Prayer - but I wouldn't in any sort of day to day life.

Having said that, I imagine that within the circles they move, in a social setting, on first meeting, it might well be that people would be expeted/used to doing a small bow/curtsey because I can imagine it might be seen as normal as a handshake is for me. But I dont' mix in those circles, so I couldn't tell you!

I wouldn’t bow to any of them, in any setting and certainly wouldn’t call them Sir or Ma’am or HRH.

There should be no protocol, they should be plain Mr, Mrs or Miss. They are no better than anyone else.

I would just hope I'd never have to be anywhere in close proximity to any of them. For their sakes 😊

They are forever bowing and curtseying to each other. They are completely governed by who is more important in the family and who outranks who. It's basically all they've got so they reinforce it at every opportunity. I would shake hands and be polite as I have no need to reinforce rank or status between me and them as I don't care for it.