Kate Middleton is known for her sweet curtsies to King Charles and Queen Camilla, but she didn’t dip while greeting them during the official welcome for U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump’s state visit.
The Trumps arrived in Windsor on Wednesday, Sept. 17, with Prince William and Princess Kate being the first members of the royal family to greet them by walking out to their helicopter. Moments later, the two couples walked a short distance, where the Trumps were welcomed by King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Since King Charles’ accession to the throne in 2022, William and Kate have often been the ones to officially welcome foreign guests to U.K. state visits. They then travel with the guests to greet the King and Queen, where Kate is often seen dipping into a curtsy to greet the monarch and his wife.
However, the arrangements for the Trumps’ visit at Windsor Castle meant that the Prince and Princess of Wales were with the King and Queen before their guests’ arrival. Kate likely didn’t curtsy publicly because she had already greeted King Charles and Queen Camilla that day.
Princess Kate, 43, was seen doing a curtsy for her father-in-law, 76, just one day prior at the funeral of Katharine, the Duchess of Kent. Just before King Charles got into a car to leave the service, Princess Kate said goodbye to him with a kiss on each cheek before dipping into a quick curtsy, giving a public look at their close bond.
READ: A Rare Duo: Princess Kate Joins Melania Trump During State Visit
Just as public citizens may choose to do when meeting a member of the royal family, it’s common to see royals showing respect while greeting each other, with men bowing their heads while women curtsy. All members of the royal family, including those with His/Her Royal Highness (HRH) titles such as Princess Kate, bow or curtsy to the monarch and his wife when greeting them for the first time in a while — even his own children!
President Trump, 79, and his wife, 55, greeted the royals with handshakes but not bows or curtsies. However, they did not break any protocol. The royal family’s official website states, “There are no obligatory codes of behaviour when meeting a member of the Royal Family, but many people wish to observe the traditional forms.”
“For men this is a neck bow (from the head only) whilst women do a small curtsy,” it continues. “Other people prefer simply to shake hands in the usual way.”
English