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.

I might if they did it to me first

It's not happened to me yet

Of all the things that have played on my mind so far today, whether I would curtsey or not if I bumped into someone from the Royal Family in the freezer aisle in Sainsburys is not one of them.

As we are all only who we are through an accident of birth, and as the King represents the nation, yes I would curtsey (or at least give a little bob - knees are not what they used to be!) to Charles and Camilla. William is a future King so yes to him, too, and Kate if she was with him.

Nope. I was in a restaurant eating dinner on the next table to Sophie and Edward. They were there on a date basically, private capacity. No one was bowing.

And they were very loved up.

I was introduced to His Majesty King Charles at an event and I did curtsy which is the custom. I doubt I’d ever meet a member of the RF down the pub or at the park so that’s a non issue!

Funny that there are so many republicans and yet, here you all are, on a thread in a chat room about the RF.

Absolutely I would, maybe not if they were at sports day but any other context yes

i don’t get all the drama about it on this thread

Nope, not in a social setting. In a formal setting, if I were introduced, at most I'd bob my head very slightly and shake hands. No way would I curtsey. There are some I like more than others (eg Princess Anne). I couldn't bring myself to acknowledge the 'hangers on' like the York women.

If you do you are acknowledging the role of the Crown. And those that are part of it. And they do so in the family dependant of where they are in the scheme of things. Basically, you bow to the Crown. Not the person.
Which is why there was a fuss at Meghan’s wedding. When the bride comes out from signing traditionally they curtsey to the Crown. Acknowledging they have not only joined the family but joined the Monarchy.
The TV did not show any curtsey. And quickly cameras turned elsewhere. And the general thinking was this was because none happened.

As Queen, they’d have to curtsy to Camilla whether Charles was there or not.
I think some like Beatrice or Eugenie would have to curtsy to Kate if she was with William, but not if she wasn’t, because they are princesses by birth and therefore outrank her unless with William, when she comes under his rank.

I don't know how any of them can take it seriously. Pretending that their father-in-law or cousin or however they are related is a person separate from their role and bowing to them. I completely sympathise with Meghan not knowing she would be expected to curtsey to her boyfriend's gran when meeting her.

It doesn't matter if you agree with them or not, that's their title. It would be disrespectful to call them something else. If i called you Mr FallenNight, you'd probably say "Oh that's not my name, its Mrs FallenNight" "Well, i dodn;t agree with women having Mrs as a title so i shall call you Mr FallenNight wheter you like it or not"

No-one is expecting you to bow down or tug forelocks or express reverence.... just call people by their names and title.

if you're born and raised in that - if course it's easy.

Just like its easy for your to make sure your nan gets her cherry blossom mug becuase you know she likes it, or your mum gets to sit in the front passenger seat, or whenever you have sausages for inner DH shouts "SOSSIDGES" like the dog from the old advert... or whatever odd customs you have in your family don't seem odd if that's what you've done all your lie

As Monty63 said if you bow or curtsy you are showing respect to the crown, the institution not the person. Likewise, using titles that only exist because of the crown means that by using them you are acknowledging and showing respect for the crown and the monarchy. If you fundamentally disagree with the concept of monarchy then not using the titles is a sensible act of protest. Much better than booing at children in a procession.

If i called you Mr FallenNight, you'd probably say "Oh that's not my name, its Mrs FallenNight" "Well, i dodn;t agree with women having Mrs as a title so i shall call you Mr FallenNight wheter you like it or not"

That's your prerogative, I would probably think you were a little dotty, but I wouldn't feel disrespected because you disagree with Mrs, plenty of feminists prefer not to use that title. But I would think you were a little odd wanting to call me Mr.

Not all of them are raised in it though. They have to take lessons in protocol. So at some point someone had to sit Kate down and say "sometimes you have to treat your future FIL like he's an entity separate from himself and curtsey to him even though he is actually your boyfriend's dad" and she manages to do that without finding it too preposterous for words. I mean fair play, she's bought into the whole shebang and wants the world to know she has but I wouldn't be able to take it seriously.

I wouldn’t bow or curtsy to them, I don’t agree with anything about them really. In terms of titles, if there was any reason I needed to address them, I’d just use their name. I did have to deal with a Lord once as part of my job, he was a client. I just didn’t use his name, I would have felt a bit ridiculous calling someone Lord. Even more ridiculous calling yourself Lord though, unless you can turn water into wine etc.

Charles was always addressed as sir when he was PoW, even by very close friends (according to the friends). Madness. I wouldn’t do it then or now he’s king.

Nope.

I would not bow the head or bend the knee to any man or woman.

Er no!
They aren’t a better human than me!

So what?

It's just like marrying into any other family and adopting their quirky ways 🤷

I HOW to curtsey (i was taught at school some 40 years ago. We had a tradition involving receiving a coin from the Lady Mayoress and had to do it to acknowledge it. We also had a visit from Princess Anne during my time there).
As to WHEN a curtesy is appropriate I'm not so sure.

So nothing? I would find it too daft to take seriously. You wouldn't, Kate and Sophie clearly don't. No skin off my nose. Not sure why you are put out by the difference in opinion.

The closest equivalent life experience I have is encountering someone very famous doing something very mundane with me. It used to happen fairly often for me because of where I lived. In those scenarios, we all just treated the person exactly the same as everyone else. So if everyone else was first names, they were also addressed by first name.

I always looked at it as they weren’t actually at work. There is the work persona and then the person who just wants to enjoy the local breakfast spot or do the school run like everyone else.

Neither, not least because I'd probably fall over. But just no, I don't care about etiquette or tradition, this is the 21st century.

No bloody chance! I met a high ranking member of the RF once. We were given a list as long as your arm of what to say and do. When I met him I said hello.

They're just bloody human beings so I'm not engaging with all that silliness!