Although Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’s overly dramatic curtsy which has caused such controversy in the recent Netflix documentary about Prince Harry and her is clearly done for comedic effect, there’s no denying it’s a skill the duchess would have had to become familiar with when she married into the royal family.
“I didn’t know I was going to meet [the queen] until moments before,” Meghan said in the docuseries. “We were in the car and we were going to Royal Lodge for lunch. And Harry was like, ‘Oh, my grandmother is here. She’s going to be there after church.’ I remember we were in the car, driving, and he’s like, ‘You know how to curtsy, right?’ And I just thought it was a joke.
“Now I’m starting to realise this is a big deal. I mean, Americans would understand this.”
With many rules in place as to who curtsies to whom, the act, which is the female equivalent of bowing, has evolved over the centuries.
How to curtsy
Deriving its name from the word “courtesy”, the motions of the curtsy and the bow used to be very similar up until the 17th century in Britain, when delineation between the genders became more pronounced.
In the Victorian era, due to the floor-length skirts women wore, a ballet-style plie movement — otherwise known as “second position” — was the common way of curtsying with feet and knees pointing outward and the back straight.
When it comes to the modern curtsy, the weight is transferred to one foot, usually the left, while the ball of your other foot is placed behind and just to the outside of the standing ankle. Eye contact should be maintained as the front knee is bent, the torso kept upright and hands remain at your sides.
“Guests should try to be empty-handed, having put down any drinks or bags,” says British etiquette and behaviour company Debrett’s. “Women should curtsy and men should bow from the neck.”
Rules about who the royal women curtsy to and when
Although a curtsy is seen as a mark of respect, traditionally, the curtsy is to the crown as a whole rather than the individual person. Foreign dignitaries, such as world leaders, as well as British commoners are not required to curtsy, even though some choose to do so.
The rules of curtsying within the royal family are quite complicated and depend on the setting and who is present, which decide who curtsies to whom.
Kate was obliged to curtsy to every member of the royal family, including Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie who outranked her as “blood princesses”. However, if Prince William was present, the York princesses would curtsy to Kate as she then outranked them.
Since the change in her title from Duchess of Cambridge to Princess of Wales, Kate no longer curtsies to Beatrice and Eugenie.
The rules, which in classic British royal family style, were observed but largely unspoken, were officially documented in the Precedence Of The Royal Family To Be Observed At Court, which was drawn up by the queen's private secretary in 2005 following then Prince Charles’s marriage to Camilla in order to ascertain who should curtsy to her.
According to The Telegraph, the document was updated in 2012 following Prince William and Kate’s wedding in order to make it clear that she should curtsy to Prince Andrew’s daughters.
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
SPECS
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Profile of RentSher
Started: October 2015 in India, November 2016 in UAE
Founders: Harsh Dhand; Vaibhav and Purvashi Doshi
Based: Bangalore, India and Dubai, UAE
Sector: Online rental marketplace
Size: 40 employees
Investment: $2 million
Essentials
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.
Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.
In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
UAE squad to face Ireland
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri (vice-captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmad, Zawar Farid, CP Rizwaan, Aryan Lakra, Karthik Meiyappan, Alishan Sharafu, Basil Hameed, Kashif Daud, Adithya Shetty, Vriitya Aravind
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet