Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine released some etiquette tips for Americans in advance of the royal visit by Queen Elizabeth. Among the admonishments:
Don’t try to shake Her Majesty’s hand unless she offers it to you.
Don’t wear a hat in her presence after 6:30 p.m.
Don’t remove gloves, women, before meeting the queen.
Women may curtsy, but no bowing is required.
No bowing required. Well, thanks for that.
All these rules sound like a royal pain in the you know what. Sure, the queen’s a nice gal, but she puts her knickers on the same as anyone else.
There’s something disagreeably subservient about the sight of Americans going gaga over these royal anachronisms.
Didn’t we fight a couple of wars with the mother country so we wouldn’t have to bow to royalty?
Mind your manners, yes. But please, no genuflecting.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
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17 Comments
Nobody has to go see Queen Elizabeth but if you do it is my feeling that she should be shown the respect that the Royal Family would get in England or any other country- which might include bowing and bringing a gift if appropriate. Just because we are Americans does not mean we should look like total slobs to the rest of the world. I mean, if you cannot mind your manners, you should stay home and watch the Queen on TV as I do.
Anachronistic figurehead. Glad we don’t have to support their lavish lifestyle.
It always cracks me up when I read about Prince Charles being on vacation somewhere. Vacation from WHAT? Hunting? Polo matches? Oh well…England loves ‘em, England can have them.
There’s nothing rude in shaking hands,if it bothers the queen so much then stay in your palace. There’s a reason our founding fathers were republicans and not monarchists.
You do the customs of other countries as a courtesy- to make them feel welcome.
Just as it was proper for Bush to kiss that Sheik on the cheek. Just as ritzy hotel clerks turn Dick Cheney’s TV onto Fox News.
Mr. Schofield,First, you genuflect for the Pope, not the Queen.Second, there are a number of similar expectations when you meet the POTUS and the First Lady. We have a whole part of the State Department devoted to protocol.The War for Independence was fought to give us the freedom to decide our own way in the world. I think you can make your own way in the world and show leaders respect.BTW-Your blog made me thing about the Queen in knickers … must go, happy place ….
What’s wrong with showing respect?
Oh yeah,The founding fathers were Federalist and Anti-Federalists. The formation of the the “first” Republican party occurs late in Washington’s second term. The “second” Republican incarnation comes prior to the Civil War with the dissolution of the Free Soil Party.
Come on Randy,
This isnt about kissing the ass of the queen.
The people of England still value the queen and she is still a part of thier country.
It is a matter of respect. It is a matter of honoring the customs and traditions of another.
My Commanding Officer puts his pants on like me too, but I still salute him and render him honors and call him sir.
Sheesh…
Nathan,
As an active member of the Armed Forces, calling your CO “sir” and delivering a snappy salute is your duty and your job. As a civilian, I’d greet your CO with a firm handshake and a friendly “hello.”
British citizens may need to jump through all kinds of hoops to show proper obeisance to their monarch, but since I’m not one of her subjects, a firm handshake and a friendly “hello” is about the best she’d ever get from me.
If the Queen is so fragile, then maybe she should stay home?
If she had a day with me, she would be eating barbeque ribs with her fingers and drinking beer out of the can.As far as the respect thing that works both ways.
What Tom said.
You know, if it were 150 years ago or so, I might have felt different about deferential treatment of royalty. Now, it is just quaint custom that is just fine with me.
But we have our own royalty over here. We fawn over Paris Hilton, or Beniffer, or movie stars and celebrities who have no clue. We will allow the fools to even testify before Congress or take them seriously as spokespeople for a cause. Global warming comes to mind.
Our founding fathers were not Republicans. The stinking Republican Party was not arounf then. Hopefully it won’t be around in the future either. As for the Queen, if you make the CHOICE to go and see her then show the respect and manners that the people of England show.
So the prevalent opinion here is you shouldn’t insult your royal guest, by perhaps suggesting she’s over 200 years old?
The United States was founded as a Republic the vast majority of the founding fathers were republicans in that they advocated a Republican form of government, new monarchy or other form of government. And yes it is true that the Republican party didn’t exist until the 1850’s
Steve – So you saw her dig at Bush for his faux pas?