Protocol
Call me old-fashioned but I thought it was disrespectful of Michelle Obama not to curtsey to the Queen. The First Lady was meeting the Queen at and accepting hospitality from Buckingham Palace and therefore she should adhere to the customs of our country, not her country.
posted by Whispering Walls at 8:48 am
10 Comments:
Sorry, WW, have to disagree. I see no reason why I would EVER bow to the Queen, so why should anyone else? A handshake, a kiss on the cheek, a thank-you-for-having-me is all that's required.
You're old-fashioned.
Quite right, WW.
Also I saw her put her arm round the Queen in a BBC News video and taking the Queen's hand in both her hands.
I am with you on this all the way, WW.
Agreed - far too much familiarity ( eg I don't think "Gordon" and Obama are mates at all....
Hi Mopsa - don't bows and curtseys come with the title of monarch? That is an ancient custom of our country which foreigners should adhere to (in my view)if they have been invited to visit the Queen in her own home. If a foreign dignitary has problems with this custom, he or she should make his or her views known in advance and then the Queen could withdraw the invitation or meet them in their own embassy (ie their own country) instead or at least insist on no cameras being there to film the meeting. As it was, she was insulted in her own home in front of her own people.
Thank you, Our Man.
Bonjour ED - I haven't followed all the hugging details but there seems to be some controversy about whom put her arm around whom first. Anyway, most unusual for HM.
Yes KL - has GB referred to BO as "Barack" in a public speech yet? I notice that he's still going on about "billionS". What's wrong with "billion"?
WW- he can only think in terms of billions. It's like title inflation. Noone wants to be a roadsweeper anymore, no politician wants to talk about a million when a billion sounds as if its really something. On the other hand, noone has a real concept of what these sums are. Politicians should say " Its a Mars Bar the size of London" or whatever...
And in respect of bowing or handshaking, its a bit like when an adult first asks you to call him/her by their Christian name. I always call people Mr. Miss or Mrs. until they say "call me Barack".On the other hand, Prince Charles has never asked me to call him Charley....
WW, I can't stomach traditions just because they are ancient, I'm afraid. Bows and curtseys? Not in my world. Obeisiance from one human to another just because of birth? The Queen shouldn't expect it, but just be pleased when someone feels they'd like to do a bit of olde worlde play acting. I might feel differently if I'd been the one wearing the crown from the dressing up box, of course!
Hmm.. Would you honestly prefer the Cherie Blair approach where she did 'tick the box' by a 'curtsey' but did it in such a strained and less than enthusiastic way it was clear she was adhering only to the 'letter' of the law, rather than the 'spirit' ?
Anyway, anyone who thinks anything Michelle Obama does is wrong, from dress choice to protocol is likely to find themselves in a minority of public opinion, from what I can gather.
Hi Mopsa - let's see if Prince Charles abolishes the custom when he's King. I saw Sarah Brown curtseying to Camilla the other day so suspect it's unlikely.
Hi Anon - yes it was surprising that Cherie, an avowed Republican, made any attempt at curtseying. I thought she refused on her first meeting?
I don't know - I don't think I'd bow and I couldn't manage a curtsey!
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