Princess Diana was a beloved figure around the world for her kindness, compassion, and humanitarian efforts. However, within the royal family, there were some who did not approve of her more modern approach and refused to bow fully to her status and position. In this article, we will explore who refused to bow to Diana within the royal family and examine the reasons behind this rebellion against protocol and tradition.
The Queen
As the ruling monarch, Queen Elizabeth II occupied the top position within the royal family hierarchy. According to protocol, male and female members of the royal family are expected to bow or curtsy to those higher than them in the order of precedence. However, the Queen made an exception when it came to Princess Diana.
When Diana married Prince Charles in 1981, she was required to curtsy to the Queen and address her as “Your Majesty.” However, the Queen did not return the gesture by bowing or curtsying to Diana. As the reigning sovereign, the Queen bows to no one, not even a new member of the royal family. This was the Queen’s way of maintaining her supreme rank above all others in the royal family. By refusing to bow to Diana, the Queen demonstrated that there was still protocol separating her from even the wife of the heir to the throne.
Prince Philip
As the Queen’s husband, Prince Philip occupied a high status as the Duke of Edinburgh. However, he still bowed to the Queen as his ruling sovereign. Yet when it came to Diana, Philip refused to bow. As a male royal, Philip would be expected to bow his head to Diana after she married into the family. But Philip resisted this tradition and maintained a more detached relationship with his new daughter-in-law.
There are a few reasons Philip may have refused to bow to Diana. He was known for his belief in traditional royal values and the importance of hierarchy. By bowing, he may have felt he was showing too much deference to the wife of the heir, rather than the future King himself. Some also speculate there was a personality clash between Philip and Diana.
Princess Anne
Queen Elizabeth’s only daughter, Princess Anne, was also known to avoid bowing to Diana. As a princess of the blood royal, Anne’s curtsy would have been necessary when greeting Diana. However, Anne resistant this expectation.
Part of Anne’s reasoning stemmed from the fact that she was older than Diana and had been a working royal longer. She may have felt it inappropriate to have to bow to someone younger and less experienced. Additionally, Anne was known for her firm belief that you had to earn respect rather than have it automatically granted by marriage. This was likely part of her motivation for refusing to show deference to Diana based on Diana’s role as Princess of Wales alone.
The Queen Mother
Interestingly, there was one senior royal who did bow to Diana – the Queen Mother. As the Queen’s mother and the widow of King George VI, the Queen Mother occupied a very high royal status. Despite this, she always bowed her head to Diana when greeting her. Many saw this as the Queen Mother showing warmth and respect to the new, young member of the family.
The Queen Mother was known for being less strict about protocol and hierarchy compared to other royals like Philip and Anne. She was also very fond of Diana and saw the value in welcoming her properly into the inner circle of the family. By bowing to Diana, in contrast to the actions of other royals, the Queen Mother demonstrated early approval and affection for the Princess of Wales.
Reasons for Refusing to Bow
The contrast between the royals who did and did not bow to Diana highlights the different perspectives at play. While the Queen Mother saw the value of warmly welcoming Diana, others saw bowing to her as an unnecessary break from tradition or sign of undue respect. There are a few key factors that influenced their decisions.
Royal Protocol and Tradition
As discussed, the Queen, Philip, and Anne were all strong believers in the importance of royal hierarchy and protocol. Bowing to Diana may have felt like she was being elevated in status and power above her proper position. They did not want protocol relaxed simply because of Diana’s popularity.
Personality Clashes
There is also speculation that personality differences played a role. Diana represented a more modern, informal approach to royalty that clashed with the older generation’s formal attitudes. Philip and Anne in particular were known for being tough and stubborn – qualities that would not mesh well with Diana’s sensitive personality.
Resentment Toward Charles
Some experts claim the royals’ feelings about Charles also factored in. Relations had been strained between the Queen and her eldest son prior to his marriage. By resisting bowing to Diana, some saw it as an indirect snub to Charles by refusing to fully welcome his new bride.
Protection of the Monarchy
Finally, the motivation may have been to protect the supremacy of the crown. Granting Diana special honors could be seen as giving too much status and sway to the Princess of Wales, which could undermine the Queen’s absolute authority.
Impact on Diana
Being denied the traditional bows from senior members of the family took an emotional toll on Diana. She was highly sensitive, and this rejection likely made Diana feel isolated and unwelcome by the royals she had just joined. The lack of bowing fueled existing tensions between Diana and the old guard of the family.
It was also humiliating for Diana to be ignored in this way in public. For instance, at an event in 1982, Anne refused to curtsy to Diana as she greeted her in front of the cameras. Moments like these caused embarrassment and made Diana’s stressful transition into royal life even harder.
Lasting Effect on the Monarchy
The resistance to bowing to Diana had far-reaching consequences. It contributed to the erosion of public confidence in the royals, as people sympathized with Diana’s treatment. Her humane, charismatic approach was seen as a refreshing modernization, making the denial of protocol and deference seem petty and old-fashioned.
This foreshadowed greater conflicts ahead between Diana and the family establishment. The tensions over bowing in these early years symbolized the larger clashing of values that would lead to Diana’s isolation and eventual separation from Charles. In a sad irony, the royals’ refusal to bow fueled Diana’s global stardom and cast a shadow over the monarchy.
Conclusion
Princess Diana was denied one of royal family’s highest signs of respect by the Queen, Prince Philip, and Princess Anne – who all refused to bow to her after her marriage. Their rejection of this tradition revealed the clash between Diana’s modernizing approach and their conservative belief in protocol. While the Queen Mother embraced Diana, the lack of deference from other royals contributed to Diana’s traumatic entry into royal life. It was an early sign of troubles ahead that would alter the monarchy’s standing. The complicated story of who refused to bow to Diana provides insight into the cultural upheaval of Britain’s most famous modern royal era.