Princess Charlene channelled the Princess of Wales on Monday as she performed an impeccable curtsy.
The royal, 48, joined her husband, Prince Albert, 68, as they reunited with King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain at exhibitions by the Royal Botanical Garden in Madrid.
The four royals formally greeted one another as part of a two-day visit by the Monaco couple to mark the 150th anniversary of the representation of the Principality in Spain.
In a video shared by Spain's royal house afterwards, former Olympian swimmer Charlene executed a flawless curtsy, with one royal fan hailing the graceful move as "perfect".
Wearing a sparkling light-blue dress and her hair styled in an elegant updo, she briefly bobbed down to greet King Felipe as a sign of ultimate respect, before exchanging an embrace.
Princess Charlene and Prince Albert have been married since 2011 and share twins Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, 11.
© Casa RealBreaking royal protocol?
However, one royal fan pointed out that, strictly speaking, as head of State, Princess Charlene shouldn't curtsy to King Felipe, as they are both of equal rank.
They said Charlene had made a "protocol error", adding: "Although the title is that of Princess, she is the consort of a head of state; therefore, she should not curtsy to the Kings. The same applies to the Grand Dukes of Luxembourg."
However, others said it was merely a symbolic sign of "respect" and "reverence" from Princess Charlene, as Monaco is a Principality and not a Kingdom. Another pointed out that Charlene previously curtsied to Queen Elizabeth.
© Europa Press via Getty ImagesOne person wrote on X/Twitter: "Although she is a head of state, they are not crowned king or queen, so they are following protocol to a crowned monarch."
Strict rules of etiquette are not officially established among European royal houses, meaning gestures such as curtsies are often used according to a royal's individual preference.
Unlike the United Kingdom, which is a monarchy ruled by King Charles, Monaco is a principality, led by Prince Albert, due to its tiny size. This means that its rulers are styled as prince and princess, not king and queen.
© Getty"Through treaties, Monaco is under the protection of France," read a 2024 article in the Monaco Tribune about the history of the principality, citing this as the reason for the difference.
Similarly, Guillaume of Luxembourg holds the title of Grand Duke rather than king.
Kate's perfect curtsies
If there's one royal who can immaculately perform the perfect curtsy every time, it's the Princess of Wales. In recent months, she's curtsied to King Charles at Easter and during the State Visit from Nigeria.
© GettyThe British royal family has clearer guidance on when to curtsy, though they emphasise that there are "no obligatory codes of behaviour".
However, "traditional" forms of greeting include a "neck bow (for men) (from the head only) whilst women do a small curtsy".
"Other people prefer simply to shake hands in the usual way," reads the family's official website.
