http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1334261/Kate-Middleton-Will-Camilla-curtsey-wife-future-king.html
The Table of Precedence has nothing to do with who curtseys to whom. Precedence involves who comes into a room or sits at a table. In the UK, there are two Tables of Precedence, one for men and one for women. The Sovereign makes the decision regarding precedence.
Wilson believes the future Princess William of Wales will become the second lady of the land, after the Queen. This is utter nonsense. Following her marriage to the Prince of Wales, the former Lady Diana Spencer became the third lady in the land, following the Queen and the Queen Mother. The Queen changed the order of precedence following the Prince of Wales' second marriage, putting the sovereign's daughter and her first cousin, Princess Alexandra, ahead of the wife of the Heir Apparent and the wife of the Younger Son. Wilson intimates that this was done because Anne and Alexandra were upset with Charles's marriage, and did not want Camilla to have precedence ahead of them.
Princess Alexandra is a close friend of the Duchess of Cornwall. Anne is more ambivalent, but, it must be remembered that she dated Andrew Parker Bowles before Camilla (and remained a good friend), but it would have been impossible for marriage, as Andrew is Roman Catholic. I think the Queen based her decision on advisement from numerous people, especially the grey men. The decision was not based on traditional precedence. The wife of the Heir Apparent is usually placed before the Sovereign's daughters, but it seems the Queen may not have wanted to court controversy (from the press) regarding Camilla's precedence.
Thus, at an official function where only the royal ladies are present, the Queen's only daughter and her first cousin would come in ahead of Camilla. But, at an event where the Prince of Wales is present, Camilla shares his precedence.
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie of York also have higher precedence as granddaughters of the Queen.
Curtseying is not involved. Royal Highnesses. DO NOT curtsey or bow to each other. The only person in the UK that gets a curtsey or a bow from family members is the Sovereign.
Near the end of the wedding, after the bride and groom and other members of the Royal Family and the Middletons sign the registrar, Prince William and Princess William will turn to leave the Abbey but will pause in front of Her Majesty. William will bow his head, and Catherine will curtesy.
The rest of us mere mortals can bow or curtsey to a member of the Royal family, whether it be Queen or Princess Michael. This applies to William's fiancee until she marries.
When Kate marries William, she will become HRH and a Princess of the United Kingdom, joining nine other women who have the rank of Princess of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, and the style of royal highness.
The women are the Princess Royal, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie of York, the Countess of Wessex, Princess Alexandra, the Duchesses of Gloucester and Kent, and Princess Michael. Whether royal by birth or by marriage, all these women have the same rank. They do not curtsey to each other.
The Queen's most recent Table of Precedence favors the natural-born royals over those who acquired royal status through marriage.
In 1906, the Precedence for Ladies was as follows:
The Queen (as in the Consort)
The Princess of Wales
The Princess Royal
The Younger Daughters of the Sovereign
Wives of the Sovereign's Younger Sons
Granddaughters of the Sovereign
Wives of the Sovereign's grandsons
Sisters of the Sovereign
Wives of the Sovereign's brothers
Aunts of the Sovereign
Wives of the Sovereign's uncles
Nieces of the Sovereign
Wives of the Sovereign's nephews.
When Charles comes to the throne, I expect the new Table of Precedence will revert to something more traditional. As the Queen Consort or the Princess Consort, Camilla will head the Ladies List and will be followed by the new Duchess of Cornwall.
In 1937, King George VI issued a new Order of Precedence, placing his older brother, the Duke of Windsor, after his youngest brother, the Duke of Kent. Queen Elizabeth topped the list for the Ladies followed by Queen Mary, Princess Elizabeth, Princess Margaret, the Princess Royal, and the wives of the younger sons of the Sovereign.
In 1906, the Precedence for Ladies was as follows:
The Queen (as in the Consort)
The Princess of Wales
The Princess Royal
The Younger Daughters of the Sovereign
Wives of the Sovereign's Younger Sons
Granddaughters of the Sovereign
Wives of the Sovereign's grandsons
Sisters of the Sovereign
Wives of the Sovereign's brothers
Aunts of the Sovereign
Wives of the Sovereign's uncles
Nieces of the Sovereign
Wives of the Sovereign's nephews.
When Charles comes to the throne, I expect the new Table of Precedence will revert to something more traditional. As the Queen Consort or the Princess Consort, Camilla will head the Ladies List and will be followed by the new Duchess of Cornwall.
In 1937, King George VI issued a new Order of Precedence, placing his older brother, the Duke of Windsor, after his youngest brother, the Duke of Kent. Queen Elizabeth topped the list for the Ladies followed by Queen Mary, Princess Elizabeth, Princess Margaret, the Princess Royal, and the wives of the younger sons of the Sovereign.
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