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Meghan Markle's royal curtsies have been pulled into focus in recent months after the release of the duchess' six-part Netflix docuseries and Prince Harry's record-breaking memoir.
Fans took to social media to post archive clips of the royal performing the reverential gesture to Queen Elizabeth II during her attendance at various public events, after she was criticized for saying that she thought being asked to do so by Harry was a "joke" in the early days of their relationship.
A new video, posted to TikTok by user thedianafile, shows footage of Meghan offering a deep curtsy to the queen on Christmas Day 2018, her first as a member of the royal family following her marriage that May.
The video has been viewed over 300,000 times and received in excess of 10,000 likes as well as numerous comments, many of which have praised the duchess and her respectful gesture.
"And they said the duchess can't curtsy," posted one TikTok user.
"I really don't know why ppl [people] hate her sm [so much] she's literally so perfect and her curtsy is to die for," noted another, while a further user added: "She is pure class."
Meghan's comments on her bombshell Netflix docuseries were provided in the context of describing her first meeting with Harry's grandmother, the queen, while having a Sunday lunch at the home of Prince Andrew near Windsor Castle.
"I remember in the car driving up, and he [Harry] said, 'You know how to curtsy right?' [...] And I just thought it was a joke," she said before re-enacting a deep medieval style bow which critics claimed was a mark of disrespect to British culture.
A curtsy is a traditional form of reverential gesture shown to the monarch in Britain. Female members of the royal family curtsy twice to the king or queen each day, once when they first meet and again when they say goodbye. There is no protocol that states members of the public have to curtsy, though some voluntarily choose to do so when meeting the monarch or other members of the royal family.
Contrary to popular belief, princesses do not curtsy to other princes or princesses, despite rank. So Meghan would not be expected curtsy to Prince William or Kate Middleton in a formal setting, until they become king and queen.
Despite Meghan being criticized for her re-enactment of her first curtsy, Prince Harry provided a glowing account of his future wife's effort in his 2023 memoir, Spare.
Writing about the lunch party with Prince Andrew and his wife, Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson, at which the queen decided to make an unscheduled appearance on her way from church, he said: "We entered the large front sitting room and there she was. Granny. The monarch. Queen Elizabeth II. Standing in the middle of the room. She turned slightly. Meg went straight to her and dropped a deep, flawless curtsy."
After the queen left, Harry recounted that the assembled guests "complimented Meg on her curtsy. So good! So deep!"
The duchess was last seen in public performing a curtsy in September 2022 when she marked the death of Queen Elizabeth by offering a last sign of respect as her coffin left Westminster Abbey for its final resting place at Windsor Castle.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more