Greeting The King and Queen

The King and Queen meet thousands of people each year in the UK and overseas. Before meeting Their Majesties, many people ask how they should behave. The simple answer is that there are no obligatory codes of behaviour - just courtesy.

However, many people wish to observe the traditional forms of greeting.

For men this is a neck bow (from the head only) whilst women do a small curtsy. Other people prefer simply to shake hands in the usual way.

On presentation to The King or Queen, the correct formal address is 'Your Majesty' and subsequently 'Sir' or 'Ma'am,' pronounced with a short 'a,' as in 'jam'.

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