While she may be an ultra-modern royal - the first to appear in public with a stud in her tongue - Zara Phillips has been looking to the past by speaking out about the way in which many women no longer afford
the Queen a respectful curtsey.
Interviewed for the latest edition of Majesty magazine, the Princess Royal’s
27-year-old daughter says of the Queen: "I curtsey to her every time I see her.
She is still my grandmother and she’s very approachable, but she’s also from an
era when that was how it was done."
However, as Zara acknowledges: "But there aren’t
many people who know how it’s done. I know because I have grown up with it."
In recent years the curtsey itself has been surrounded by some
controversy due to the clear desire of the likes of Cherie Blair not to
extend such respect to the monarch.
As the Queen herself said when privately discussing the behaviour of Tony Blair's notoriously anti-monarchist wife: "Her knees seem to stiffen".
Before the couple split, the behaviour in royal company of another Prime Minister's wife - Australian republican
Paul Keating - was similarly closely watched, the curtsey taking on
heightened significance, almost becoming at times something akin to a
symbol of defiance.
In contrast, much was made last November when Sarah Brown, the wife of
the new British Prime Minister, extended a deep curtsey to the Duchess
of Cornwall when the two met during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
This prompted at least one newspaper to cheekily try to stir emotions by asking: 'Would you curtsey to Camilla?'.
While it would seem the curtsey has caused problems for many ladies -
not least those who fear that once they've got down they may not be
able to get back up! - it's also been a bone of contention for some men.
In a move which is known to greatly amuse Prince Philip, it's been known
for many men to become so befuddled by the appearance of the Queen that
they curtsey rather than bow!
Comment: I am an American and therefore not even required to curtsey. However, if ever given the chance to meet the Queen it would be an honor to me to show such respect to a person who has always shown such grace to the entire world. People are honoring their own integrity when they bow down by showing that they have not lost enough values and are still able to recognize and uphold respect.
Name: exploora
Comment: It seems to be a big trend now where a small number of women personally attack other women in public for being rude.
Of course they are the one's being rude, but this sets up a no win conflict for the person, and then the response is not to speak, or not to courtesy then there is a form of social breakdown.
If a person was greeted with a smile it would be much easier to respond back with a smile, resulting in a feeling of connection and engagement.
Whether courtesying to the Queen actually makes the world a better place, is not for me to say of course.
If we ever forget to give each other smiles, or worse yet substitute smiles for scoldings, we won't only grow a lot of hatred we will also slow down progress and possibly even slow down the economy.
