NBA’s ‘King’ LeBron James caused an eye-brow raising
moment when met real royalty.
Daily Mail reports the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met LeBron James
after an NBA game in Brooklyn, New York. The 6ft 8in Cleveland Cavaliers player put
his arm around the Duchess as they posed for pictures. 'It's an American being too touchy feely and
he shouldn't have done it,' etiquette expert William Hanson said
The
6ft 8in basketball star also appeared alongside the royals in a sweaty top,
which some may regard as bad form.
Mr
Hanson added: 'A shower would have been preferable but he had just finished a
game – so even more reason for him not have opened his pits by lifting his arm
and placing it around Her Royal Highness!'
HOW
TO GREET A MEMBER OF THE ROYAL FAMILY
The
Buckingham Palace website says: 'There are no obligatory codes of behaviour
when meeting The Queen or a member of the Royal Family, but many people wish to
observe the traditional forms.
'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 Queen, the correct formal address is "Your
Majesty" and subsequently "Ma'am".
'For
male members of the Royal Family the same rules apply, with the title used in
the first instance being "Your Royal Highness" and subsequently
"Sir".
'For
other female members of the Royal Family the first address is conventionally
"Your Royal Highness" followed by "Ma'am" in later conversation.'
Mr
Hanson explained that as an American citizen LeBron James, when greeting the
Duke or Duchess of Cambridge would not have to bow 'as he is not one of their
subjects'.
But
he added: 'Many Americans, and other non-Brits, do like to still bow or curtsy
out of respect for the institution or the people, but it is personal choice.'
'The
ideal royal bow is from the neck, not the waist. Ideal curtsy is just one foot
behind the other to perform a small bob, dipping the head at the same time,
hands by the side - no need to pull out the skirt!'
Eyebrows
were also raised in 2012 when centuries-long protocol was broken by Michelle
Obama putting her arm around the Queen at a Buckingham Palace G20 reception.
Finding
herself next to Mrs Obama, the Queen remarked on their height difference. As
she did so, her hand edged towards the small of Mrs Obama's back. Mrs Obama
responded - and even rubbed the Queen's shoulder - before both women moved
gently apart after about ten seconds.
The
sight of the Queen publicly hugging another woman astonished other guests. An
onlooker said: 'It was a pretty simultaneous gesture. We couldn't believe what
we were seeing.'
'A
mutual and spontaneous display of affection and appreciation,' was how a
Buckingham Palace spokesman hastened to describe it.
But
the protocol concerning the sovereign has been set in stone for generations.
'Whatever you do,' courtiers are apt to warn, 'don't touch the Queen.'
There
was furore in 1992 when the then Australian prime minister, Paul Keating, put
his arm round the Queen's waist at Canberra's Parliament House, and found
himself lampooned as 'the Lizard of Oz' for his faux-pas.
And
everyone remembers the expression of frozen distaste on the Queen's face at the
opening of the Millennium Dome when Tony Blair seized hold of the royal hand
and shook it up and down during the singing of Auld Lang Syne.
A
royal source, however, denied that royal protocol exists.
He
said: 'When members of the royal family meet people they want them to feel as
comfortable as possible. There's no such thing as royal protocol.'
But
despite this the Buckingham Palace website offers instructions for greeting
members of the royal family.
It
says: 'There are no obligatory codes of behaviour when meeting The Queen or a
member of the Royal Family, but many people wish to observe the traditional
forms.
'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.'
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