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  "path": "/royal/royal-fans-divided-princess-charlene-curtsy",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-02T10:40:21.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Palace confirms last-minute outing for Catherine in surprise engagement with King and Queen",
    "Diana hoped William and Harry would learn from her Panorama interview",
    "Peter Mandelson called King's Canada speech 'pretty political', files reveal",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nRoyal watchers have been left split after Princess Charlene of Monaco was seen curtsying to King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain during an official visit marking 150 years of diplomatic relations between Monaco and Spain.\n\nThe visit, held in Madrid, saw Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene welcomed at the Palace of Zarzuela by King Felipe VI.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe meeting focused on bilateral relations, international cooperation and shared priorities, followed by a private lunch hosted by the Spanish monarch.\n\nThe couple’s trip forms part of wider commemorations marking the establishment of Monaco’s diplomatic mission in Spain in 1876.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nLater in the programme, the royal couples, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene, alongside King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, attended engagements at Madrid’s Royal Botanical Garden, including an exhibition highlighting five centuries of shared history between the two nations.\n\nThe visit marked Charlene’s first official appearance in Spain in her capacity as Princess of Monaco, which she became in 2011.\n\nFootage shared on social media showed Princess Charlene curtsying to both King Felipe and Queen Letizia.\n\nThe gesture prompted debate among royal watchers about whether it aligned with modern royal protocol.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nSome critics argued that the curtsy was unnecessary given Charlene’s position as consort of a sovereign prince.\n\nOne royal fan wrote on social media: “Princess Charlène's protocol error: Although the title is that of Princess, she is the consort of a head of state, therefore, she should not curtsy to the Kings.”\n\nOthers disagreed, suggesting that differences in royal style still carry weight in formal settings. One supporter said: “It’s not the same to be ‘His/Her Serene Highness’ as to be ‘Majesty’; it’s a higher rank.”\n\nThey added that even Princess Grace of Monaco was known to observe similar courtesies when meeting monarchs of higher status.\n\n### LATEST ROYAL DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * Palace confirms last-minute outing for Catherine in surprise engagement with King and Queen\n  * Diana hoped William and Harry would learn from her Panorama interview\n  * Peter Mandelson called King's Canada speech 'pretty political', files reveal\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nA further response framed the gesture as a matter of tradition rather than strict protocol, writing: “They are serenissimus highnesses and the king's majesties.\n\n“They are neither royal highnesses; therefore, Charlene's reverence is perfect.”\n\nA Serenissimus Highness is a formal honorific style of address used for members of sovereign, princely families, of which Monaco belongs.\n\nUnlike the United Kingdom, which is a monarchy under King Charles III, Monaco is a principality, ruled by Prince Albert II.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nAnother commenter added: “It is not a breach of protocol, as out of respect, one can bow to a Royal House older than the one to which you belong.”\n\nThe debate reflects the broader ambiguity surrounding European royal etiquette, where rules are not formally standardised and customs vary between households.\n\nWhile some observers view such gestures as outdated hierarchy, others see them as symbolic courtesy between dynasties.\n\nThe Madrid visit itself has been widely viewed as a successful reaffirmation of relations between Monaco and Spain, with both sides highlighting cooperation in diplomacy, culture, environmental initiatives and scientific exchange.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "Royal fans left divided over Princess Charlene of Monaco’s curtsy"
}