Does Princess Catherine have to curtsey to Queen Camilla? Decoding the royal etiquette when it comes to curtseying

Here is what you need to know about the royal etiquette when it comes to curtseying, including whether Catherine has to curtsey to Camilla

Does Princess Catherine have to curtsey to Queen Camilla
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Does Princess Catherine have to curtsey to Queen Camilla? Here's what we know about which royal women have to curtsey and who to...


When the late Queen Elizabeth II died, the order of seniority within the Royal Family shifted and changed which meant that certain royals would now need to change their behavior when it comes to greeting other members of their family.

As the highest-ranking woman in the Royal Family, Camilla does not need to curtsey to anyone. Previously as a Duchess, she was required to curtsey to the Queen and to blood Princesses unless she was accompanied by her husband Charles, who at the time was the Prince of Wales.

This meant that she was required to curtsey to Princess Anne, Princess Beatrice, and Princess Eugenie, who were all Princesses that were born into royalty. This is no longer the case, and instead, these Princesses must curtsey to Camilla as she outranks them. This of course means that Princess Anne is forced to ignore her 'blood Princess' title when it comes to greeting Camilla.

Queen Camilla

(Image credit: Getty Images)

After Prince William and Catherine got married in 2011, it was reported that the Queen updated the Order of Precedence document. This meant that the women marrying into the family would still curtsey to 'blood Princesses' if their husbands are not present.

This means that Catherine, the Princess of Wales, Meghan, the Duchess of Cambridge, and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, are still required to curtsey to the Princesses in the family who were born royal. 

So Catherine must curtsey to Queen Camilla, and if William is not present she must also curtsey to her cousins-in-law Beatrice and Eugenie, and her aunt-in-law, the Princess Royal.

Kate Middleton

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The Princess of Wales was snapped curtseying on camera to the Queen and King during the coronation concert. often these moments do not take place on camera as the royals will greet each other off-camera before they step into the spotlight or are in a position to be photographed.

Princess Charlotte's also perfected her curtseying at the Coronation Concert and the Princess was snapped curtseying to her grandfather the King and Queen Camilla as they passed her to get to their seats. The royals do not encourage people to curtsey to children so although she is a 'blood Princess' as she has been a member of the Royal Family since birth, we won't be seeing any other royals curtseying to Charlotte for some time.

Laura Harman

Laura is the Entertainment Editor for woman&home who primarily covers television, film, and celebrity news. Laura loves drinking and eating and can often be found trying to get reservations at London's trendiest restaurants. When she's not wining and dining, Laura can also be found travelling, baking, and hiking with her dog.