Why do we have to curtsy to the royal family?

Question

They are just normal people like us.
this subject really gets me ..

I once won a competition to meet princess anne.. (i didnt know what the prize was otherwise i would not have done it) and i had to curtsy to her. i just thought it was rediculous because she isnt anything special, why should i have to curtsy to this one woman when i dont have to with everyone else!!

Answer 1

It makes life easy on the royal executioner.

Answer 2

Just because it is tradition, it is not the law but it is the polite thing to do and I assure you that our royal family will always bow to the traditions of any country that they visit. In actual fact Princess Anne is very special and we should be very proud of this exceptional woman. As head of Save The Children Fund she has done a tremendous amount of good work, she is indeed the hardest working member of the 'royal family'. She doesn't manipulate the press so they capture her holding sick children Etc she just gets on with it. There are photographs of her on her hands and knees tending to starving and sick children, they never make the front pages of many newspapers because she does not court publicity and she never was a fashion icon.
I do not know Princess Anne personally but I promise you, check out all she has done for the Save The Children charity and you will be glad that you showed her some respect.
We are all equal but there will always be people that I would be proud to meet and proud to courtsey to. Mother Teresa for example, I would have been happy to lie prostrate on the floor as a mark of repect for this wonderful woman.

Answer 3

Hmmm... I'd have had to decline the 'reward'. You're right. They're just people -- pampered people with insanely privileged lives, but people just the same. A curtsy is too much like bending the knee and I wouldn't do that for any human being.

Answer 4

It’s a sign of respect.

I am and American and I would curtsy to the queen and prince(s). To me its no different than referring to them as sir and madam.

I think it would be polite of them to bow or curtsy in return, and to refer to me as madam. However, it is improper and way off base for me to ask or demand it. As I am sure the royal family would be aware of. So I have a hard time imagining the queen demanding you curtsy to her. But then again, I do not know the royal family… so I can’t comment on their practices.

I would like to add however, that though it is considered rude to ask someone to curtsy. It’s almost more improper to refuse them.

Now for my question: What’s the harm in a little curtsy? Is it that hard for you to slightly bend and bow your head?

Answer 5

Well, why would you celebrate Christmas with a Christmas tree or stockings over the fireplace? Why does one salute the flag, and not 'disrespect' it?

It all boils down to customs and traditions and your societies interpretation of them. Royalty in this day and age is more about symbols than anything else, and symbols draw their power from your own colllective perception. Just like a flag symbolising a country. Which brings to this point, and which is generally forgotten, both by commoner and Royals alike, one does not salute (or curtsy in your case) to the person, but to the position, rank, or symbol.

My own personal opinion, such symbols and traditions helps establish a collective identity of a group of people. It reminds them of who they are, of their traditions, where they come from. It defines their character, their aspirations and the virtues which they hold dear. In times of war, it becomes a rallying cry, a reason to fight on, it provides courage. Call me being plain old fashioned, but being a non Brit, I admire the sense of tradition that you lot have. I only wish we could have the same sense of pride in our own traditions.

Answer 6

Americans do not have to curtsy, bow, or show sovereign respect to any person; our traditions and laws dictate that we recognizes anyone as having a higher station than ourselves. If you are Canadian, British, or a citizen otherwise of the Commonwealth, well...sorry, tradition dictates that you must salute your Head of State and her family appropriately.

But, here's the rub: if you are in a social environment where you are expected to curtsy, even though you don't have to, you are drawing attention to yourself if you don't and may be perceived as rude. Think about it this way, if someone came to your house for a dinner party and promptly removed their shoes at the door because that is their tradition, they will stick out if the other guests keep their shoes on; you will be offended by the individual in the group, the group would be offended by the person trying to be different, and the singled-out guest will be offended by you not accommodating him by offering him slippers to put on.

So, you don't have to curtsy, but it may be in your best interest to do so anyways. Tact means a lot in polite society.

Answer 7

Well, if you are British or Commonwealth, you don't, and if you are not British, you don't. Glad we solved that.

Now that we have got the "have to cutsey" bit taken care of....you still should. Not because she is a better person or anything of the sort, but for two simple reasons.

1. It is a sign of respect, and you should do it for the same reasons that you call the Pope "His Holiness," call the American President "Mr. President,": or call a judge "your honour." Because it is a sign of respect, not to the individual - that is important to understand - you do not curtsey personally to Queen Elizabeth because you think she's swell. You are curtseying to the institution of the British Monarchy, and while you do not have to, if you choose not to, you are not failing to respect an individual, but the representative of a nation of 60 million people and a commonwealth of many many more. Just as if you were to call the Pope "dude," it is not inapproprate because Joseph Ratzinger will be offended (because in the grand scope of things, neither the Queen nor the Pope nor the President will be bothered enough to be upset that you haven't behaved correctly), it is inappropriate because he represents the over 1 billion Catholics in the world. Futhermore, at John F. Kennedy's funeral, Prince Philip came to pay his respects and Jackie Kennedy curtseyed to him. Now she was clearly not British, and furthermore until recently the wife of the American head of state, and most likely not thinking about protocol, but she understood the importance of the gesture and even in her grief managed. If it's good enough for Jackie, it's good enough for me.

2. Social codes are important, like it or not. Whether we find it fair or not, people have social codes, and when one fails to follow them, it generally hurts the maverick. For example, if you go to Ascot, and preceed to behave in a way that is not in keeping with upper-class etiquette, you will not be treated as an equal. As several of my fellow posters have pointed out, if you are the only one not curtseying, you will stand out, and fair or not, people won't be saying she stands out because she is defying the unjustness of monarchy. In all honesty, you'll stand out as having poor manners. So you can of course choose not to follow those etiquette rules, but be aware that people will judge you for it.

Answer 8

Simply a matter of respect. Over here, in the US, we don't curtsy or bow. I don't think the royal family would expect us to, when they come to visit. If it were our custom, I think that I would do it. Just respect.

Answer 9

Protocol and tradition require the appropriate form for speaking to various officials, so even if you don't like the institution or the person, you need to follow the established custom. Think of yourself as an ambassador for your country or representing your home town if this otherwise disturbs you.

------According to Amy Vanderbilt, upon introduction to the President of the United States, he [or perhaps in the near future, she] is called "Mr. President [or Ms President]", or in prolonged conversation, occasionally, "Sir [or Ma'am]".

------Similarly, the British Prime Minister is greeted as the "Prime Minister, Mr* Tony Blair".

------The Pope is "Your holiness", or "Most Holy Father".

------The Queen is addressed as "Your Majesty" and subsequently "Ma'am". British subjects curtsy.

------Diplomats are referred to as "Mr. or Ms Ambassador", or introduced as per example, "the Ambassador of Brazil, Mr. Lo Pinto".

Obviously, to quote from the American Declaration of Independence "all men [and women] are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights", but tradition dictates that when a plaintiff comes before a Judge, he or she calls him or her "Your Honor", or "Judge Jones". Of course, you can thumb your nose at the Judge, but I wouldn't recommend it. Besides life is too short to agonize over such matters. Accordingly, Emily Post and Amy Vanderbilt list in excruciating detail how to greet each person of any rank whatsoever anywhere.

------
*British usage leaves out the period before Mr, Mrs, and Ms.

Answer 10

You aren't *required* to bow or curtsy to the Royal Family, but it is considered proper and polite to.

Answer 11

It's a sign of respect. The President is just a man, but I still have to call him "Mr. President" and defer to him in an official setting. She is a princess, so she is entitled to the respect of a princess, even if you don't like her personally or anything.