The Duke of Cambridge is set to be the next king after Prince Charles. When he takes over the throne, his wife must follow one rule like the rest of the members of the royal family.
The royal tradition dictates that the British sovereign is bowed by all those who meet them including royal family members. The male members of the family will have to bow their heads while the female members have to curtsy, Express reported.
Middleton has to follow the royal etiquette especially when Prince William is wearing his crown. However, the practice is only observed in formal public occasions or ceremonies.
Prince Philip, who retired in 2017, hasn’t been visible in public. The Duke of Edinburgh is rarely seen bowing to Her Majesty. However, during Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953, Prince Philip had to kneel before his wife to pay fealty and homage to the Crown.
Middleton has been seen over the years making a curtsy to the Queen. In 2018, both Middleton and Meghan Markle curtsied to Her Majesty when she arrived for a Christmas service. According to body language expert Judi James, the Duchess of Cambridge has already mastered it.
“Kate’s more relaxed curtsy involves eye contact and a broad smile that makes it a greeting ritual as much as an act of obeisance,” James said.
“This could be down to practice making perfect in terms of her ability to be more relaxed and confident or it could imply a different protocol when a future Queen meets the current.”
She noted how Middleton held her head straight as she stepped back and kept her weight on the right leg while slightly bending both knees. She added that Middleton’s act was complementary to Prince William’s act of submission to the monarch.
Meanwhile, former royal butler Grant Harrold compared Markle and Middleton’s curtsies. According to him, Middleton did it right while Markle’s curtsy was too low and she bowed her head. He also commented on the Duchess of Sussex’s hand because she failed to keep it.