The surprisingly casual way members of the British royal family greet other royals around the world (2024)

Touching a royal is off-limits for commoners.
When members of the British royal family meet royals from other countries, they can be more relaxed.
They're all distantly related, anyway.
They often embrace and kiss each other on the cheeks.

Touching a member of the royal family is off-limits for commoners, both for security reasons and out of respect for their position. Bowing and curtsying are the traditional greetings, and perhaps a handshake if they offer one. But when British royals meet royals from other countries, they can be much more relaxed.

Photos from Prince William and Kate Middleton's recent royal tour to Sweden and Norway show them greeting the countries' royal families with warm hugs and kisses on the cheek like old friends.

The surprisingly casual way members of the British royal family greet other royals around the world (1)

According to royal expert Victoria Arbiter, that's because they are.

"They've all known each other for a million years," she told INSIDER. "These royal families are all connected one way or another — when you look at the family tree they all go way back. They've all interacted a fair bit and there is much more of a familiarity."

Because they're all royal, they can interact as equals.

"They're all royal, so there's allowed to be a slightly more familial approach than if they were meeting the head of a charity or somebody that wasn't royal," Arbiter said. "These are extended family members and everybody's on a level playing field, so that's why you see that slightly more relaxed approach."

Of course, this all depends on how well they know said other heads of state, and that head of state's culture, but generally rules can be a little more lax from royal to royal.

FAQs

The surprisingly casual way members of the British royal family greet other royals around the world? ›

They often embrace and kiss each other on the cheeks.

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How do royals address other royals? ›

References to other members of the Royal Family are made to 'His (or Her) Royal Highness' or the appropriate title, such as The Princess Royal.

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How do royals greet other royals? ›

And the rule for greeting the monarch with a bow or bend applies even on a royal bride or royal groom's wedding day! From then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana to Prince William and Kate to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, they all stopped on their wedding day to greet Queen Elizabeth with a bow or curtsy.

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How do you greet British royalty? ›

For men this is a neck bow (from the head only) whilst women do a small curtsy. Other people prefer simply to shake hands in the usual way. On presentation to The King or Queen, the correct formal address is 'Your Majesty' and subsequently 'Sir' or 'Ma'am,' pronounced with a short 'a,' as in 'jam'.

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How do royals speak to each other? ›

When presented to the Queen you should call her “Your Majesty”, and “Ma'am” on subsequent mentions (“with a short 'a', as in 'jam'”). For other members of the Royal Family, it is “Your Royal Highness” at first mention, then “Sir” or “Ma'am”.

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Does Prince William have to bow to Camilla? ›

According to the royal family's website, there are no "obligatory codes of behaviour" when meeting the King and Queen or a member of the Royal Family, but many people wish to observe the traditional forms, which for men is a small bow and for women, a curtsey.

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Do royals curtsy to foreign royals? ›

They are equals so they wouldn't bow to each other at all. The only reason one would bow, if it were out of respect. For instance if Queen Letizia, bowed to Queen Elizabeth II because she's been on the throne for longer.

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Does Meghan Markle have to curtsy to Kate Middleton? ›

Royal Highnesses bow and curtsy only to majesties, so Meghan Markle would only have to do so to Kate Middleton once the princess becomes Queen.

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Does Kate have to curtsy to William? ›

Originally Answered: Does Catherine, The duch*ess of Cambridge have to curtsy to Prince William? Yes, whoever Kate is, she would have to curtsey to Prince William and his wife Catherine.

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Why did The Queen bow to Diana? ›

"She spontaneously bowed her head as Diana's coffin went past, which is not the traditional thing for the Queen to do, and very quickly support did bounce back," remembers Gristwood. It was a clear break of royal protocol, but one which the public welcomed as a way of paying respect to Princess Diana.

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How do you greet Kate Middleton? ›

Formally you address her as 'Your Royal Highness' the first time and thereafter a “Ma'am” (to rhyme with ham). However it is known that William and Catherine are more informal so they are not like to stand on ceremony as long as you are respectful to them.

How do you greet Prince William? ›

You only need to use "Your Majesty" and "Your Royal Highness" when addressing a royal for the first time. If you address them after the first time, call them “Ma'am” if addressing a woman (it rhymes with “jam”) or “Sir” if addressing a man.