{"id":444106,"date":"2025-09-22T21:02:32","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T21:02:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/444106\/"},"modified":"2025-09-22T21:02:32","modified_gmt":"2025-09-22T21:02:32","slug":"princess-charlottes-curtsy-mistake-resurfaces-after","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/444106\/","title":{"rendered":"Princess Charlotte\u2019s Curtsy Mistake Resurfaces After\u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

The rules of etiquette<\/b> surrounding the British royal family, such as bows, curtsies, and subtle gestures, have once again come under scrutiny, as two recent incidents are compared with an older but telling moment involving Princess Charlotte<\/b>.
At King Charles\u2019s Coronation Concert<\/b> in Windsor in May 2023, Princess Charlotte attempted to curtsy to her grandfather as he entered the royal box. In doing so, she turned away<\/b> from Queen Camilla<\/b>, leaving no chance to offer the same gesture to her step-grandmother.<\/p>\n

The moment has now resurfaced following Queen Camilla\u2019s hand gesture to Kate Middleton at Windsor, and Melania Trump\u2019s decision to forgo a curtsy, two more incidents that reignited debate over how rigidly royal etiquette should be observed.<\/p>\n

Image credits: Aaron Chown \u2013 WPA Pool\/Getty Images<\/a><\/p>\n

Camilla quickly eased the awkwardness. As she walked past, she placed a hand on Charlotte\u2019s shoulder, prompting the young royal to smile back. The clip circulated widely, framed both as a breach of protocol, and as evidence of Camilla\u2019s effort to reassure a child in the spotlight.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor a young princess who was definitely up past her bedtime, royal protocol was likely the last thing on her mind,\u201d one commentator observed at the time.<\/p>\n

Image credits: queen_meghan14<\/a><\/p>\n

The concert had already been a long day for the Wales children, who played central roles throughout the Coronation weekend.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Charlotte later asked her mother for help adjusting a wristband, showing how easily moments of childhood can clash with the rigid expectations of monarchy.<\/p>\n

Footage showing Camilla gesturing for Kate Middleton to step aside went viral, with many seeing the Queen\u2019s act as disrespectful<\/b>
\nImage credits: queen_meghan14<\/a><\/p>\n

Years later, Windsor again became the stage for an alleged breach of conduct<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

During Donald and Melania Trump\u2019s recent state visit, Queen Camilla turned to speak with the First Lady while King Charles and Prince William spoke with the President. <\/p>\n

Kate Middleton joined the conversation, but within seconds cameras caught Camilla motioning with her hand as if to signal Kate to step aside.<\/p>\n

\n

Kate thought she was doing something by running Meghan out of the country and now she\u2019s getting scolded by Camilla like a child. pic.twitter.com\/K6S5GIu6tG<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Hannah (@queen_meghan14) September 17, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Kate immediately walked back to her husband\u2019s side. The gesture set off speculation online. Some claimed Camilla was \u201cscolding\u201d her daughter-in-law. Others argued it was a practical move as the ceremonial carriages approached.<\/p>\n

\u201cI get that Catherine tends to talk a lot and the carriages were already approaching,\u201d one viewer wrote. \u201cBut still, I feel Camilla could\u2019ve been a bit more discreet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Image credits: Anthem In Time<\/a><\/p>\n

Others regarded the Queen\u2019s reaction as cold, and embarrassing for the Princess of Wales.<\/p>\n

The incident also reopened old debates about treatment within the royal household.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThey expect you to believe biracial Meghan Markle was welcomed with open arms when their Queen consort treats their future queen consort Kate like this in public,\u201d a commenter noted.<\/p>\n

Melania Trump was criticized for not curtsying to the royals, and offering a handshake instead<\/b>
\nImage credits: RoyallyBelle_<\/a><\/p>\n

The same visit also placed the First Lady of the United States under a microscope. When greeting King Charles and Queen Camilla, Melania Trump chose a handshake instead of a curtsy. <\/p>\n

The decision proved divisive.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe has zero class, she has no idea how to act,\u201d one critic wrote. \u201cThey should\u2019ve bowed and curtseyed to both sets of royals!\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

The King and Queen have arrived!<\/p>\n

The Prince and Princess of Wales have been joined by George and Charlotte for the #CoronationConcert<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/12nn0eFnXW<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Belle (@RoyallyBelle_) May 7, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

But defenders pushed back, pointing to America\u2019s history and the monarchy\u2019s own guidance.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are the President and First Lady of the United States of America. Perhaps you still feel subjugated to jolly old England. We obliterated them in a war that won our freedom of subjugation,\u201d a reader commented.<\/p>\n

Image credits: The Royal Family Channel<\/a><\/p>\n

In fact, the royal family\u2019s official website clarifies that gestures such as bows or curtsies are not mandatory:<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are no obligatory codes of behavior when meeting a member of the Royal Family, but many people wish to observe the traditional forms. For women this can mean a curtsy, but a handshake is equally appropriate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Netizens believe moments like these are just a preview of the intense attention Charlotte will face as she grows<\/b>
\nImage credits: The Royal Family Channel<\/a><\/p>\n

Taken together, Charlotte\u2019s missed curtsy, Kate\u2019s Windsor moment, and Melania Trump\u2019s handshake show how rigid yet unofficial customs continue to create controversy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

These gestures are not enforced by law or protocol, but their absence, or the way they are performed, becomes magnified.<\/p>\n

As one netizen summed it up during the Trump visit: \u201cFolks go bonkers over the simplest of things nowadays.\u201d<\/p>\n

And yet, whether from an eight-year-old in the royal box, a Princess of Wales caught on camera, or a First Lady declining to curtsy, the smallest gestures still carry outsized weight when royalty is involved.<\/p>\n

Image credits: Leon Neal\/Getty Images<\/a><\/p>\n

For Princess Charlotte, this is only a taste of the scrutiny that will follow her as she grows into a more prominent role.<\/p>\n

\u201cImagine the pressure of having your every move dissected from childhood,\u201d a viewer warned.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019ll never be able to do anything without people turning it into a debate.\u201d<\/p>\n

People took the chance to express how much they like Princess Charlotte
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