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Celebrity

06th Oct 2019

This is the one thing you should NEVER do when meeting Queen Elizabeth

Rebecca O'Keeffe

queen codename

Well, now we know.

It is such an honour to come face to face with royalty (trust us, we’d love nothing more.)

However, as exciting as it would be, there are also a number of rules that go with meeting a reigning monarch.

Naturally, you can’t just rock up to Queen Elizabeth and give her a hug.

There’s protocol to be followed, with certain things you can and can’t do.

One thing you absolutely can’t do when meeting Queen Elizabeth? Start chatting first.

Oh, we’re serious.

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You should wait until the Queen speaks to you, and let her lead the conversation.

And, if there is a lull in the chat or an awkward silence, you should fall back on small talk.

But don’t ask any personal questions, of course.

That’s not all though, there are a number of other things to note if you’re meeting the Queen.

A big one is not to unnecessarily touch her (or any member of the royal family, for that matter).

queen elizabeth

However, in 2009, Michelle Obama put her arm around Queen Elizabeth, and Her Majesty responded in kind, so maybe those barriers are breaking down.

When you greet the Queen, don’t just stand there. You must do a small curtsy as a mark of respect to the monarch.

If you’re speaking with the Queen, you should initially refer to her as “Your Majesty” and “Ma’am” after that.

Phew, so much to remember.