What are the rules of protocol for interviewing Queen Elizabeth?
Meeting Queen Elizabeth II in person is not something that happens every day, so those who visit her have to follow strict rules.
A few days ago, the Queen of England, Elizabeth II, turned 94 years old and celebrated it by maintaining quarantine and social distancing. However, when you are before her majesty you have to follow certain rules.
1. You cannot touch her. The greatest physical contact you can have with her is a formal handshake when greeting her. This rule dates back to medieval times, when it was believed that monarchs were appointed directly by God, therefore they were treated differently.
2. Do not arrive empty-handed. That is why they usually give her a small bouquet of flowers during her official commitments. It does not necessarily have to be a gift that you have to keep, it is only enough that the protocol is followed. When you visit a foreign country, your hosts should give you something that represents where you are.
3. Stand when receiving it. This rule is almost usual and basic, and not only when we refer to the queen, but to this it is added that a person cannot sit down until she has done it before.
4. Curtsy. For the British it is an obligation to bow a little before shaking hands, and as long as she has extended her hand before, the greeting should never be advanced. In case she doesn't reach out, she just smiles and bows her head.
5. Clothing. The clothing that is required is during the day, women must wear a dress or jacket suit with two fingers below the knee, closed shoes with a heel of five to seven centimeters and have their hair collected, and at night a long dress, and preferably that is not black, unless it is combined with another shade.
6. Only talk to him when he talks to you. This is so the queen can be the one to control the conversation. She chooses when it ends and when it begins. With small gestures she indicates when the meeting is going to end, such as when she changes the bag in her hand, and if she puts it on the table, she is indicating that she wants to leave in five minutes.
7. Don't eat before her. So the plate is served, and once at the table, Queen Elizabeth is the one who must eat the first bite. In the same way, in the end, she is the one who decides when the dishes should be removed.
8. Never call you by your first name. Queen Elizabeth should be called "Your Majesty" when greeting and saying goodbye. In the interval of the conversation you can say 'ma'am', but never like Lilibeth, which is how her family knows her.
