Royal Ascot: ‘Rule’ Zara Tindall ‘must follow’ after executing perfect curtsy to King Charles!
Zara and husband Mike attended Royal Ascot this week
Zara Tindall delighted fans at Royal Ascot this week with her poised and elegant curtsy to King Charles.
But even as one of the most down-to-earth royals, there’s still one important rule she must always follow.
Zara, 44, and her husband Mike Tindall, 46, made a return to the high-society racing event this week after missing Trooping the Colour last weekend, and she was seen greeting her uncle, King Charles, with an affectionate kiss on the cheek.
While it may have looked informal to some, royal insiders confirm this was entirely within protocol, with one key detail making all the difference.
Zara and Mike attended Royal Ascot this week (Credit: Cover Images)
Zara Tindall ‘follows rule with perfect curtsy’
According to former royal butler Grant Harrold, public displays of affection like Zara’s kiss are totally acceptable among the royals, as long as they’re paired with a traditional gesture of respect.
“It’s completely normal to see public displays of affection like that, especially with the nieces and the in-laws,” Grant told BoyleSports. “But what they always do after that first greeting is to bow or curtsy. That’s how it is done behind the scenes and in public.”
And Zara didn’t miss a beat. She paired the kiss with a graceful and perfectly timed curtsy.
Harrold added that something similar used to occur with the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Zara gave her uncle Charles a kiss as she greeted him at Royal Ascot (Credit: Photo by James Veysey/Shutterstock)
“Even the late queen, quite often all her children, you’d normally see them kiss on the cheek and then they would bow their heads to her,” he said.
Despite the soaring temperatures during the heatwave gripping the UK this week, the royals are also expected to maintain composure while in the public eye.
What they always do after that first greeting is to bow or curtsy.
This means no visible use of electric fans or sipping from water bottles during official appearances.
“Camilla will have one of those fans,” Harrold explained. “But when they are in view, never in a million years would she use it and let the media see it.”
The same goes for all senior royals. Keeping cool is usually done discreetly, out of sight from the cameras and onlookers.
Zara greeted King Charles with a perfect curtsy (Credit: Cover Images)
How the royal family stays cool during heatwave at Royal Ascot
Fortunately, it seems the air-conditioned Royal Box at Ascot provides some respite from the heat and the gaze of the crowd.
“It’s not really a problem for them when they are on the course. Other than when they go out onto the terrace,” Harrold added. “But everybody else down below, they are less fortunate and just have to deal with it.”
Elsewhere during Ascot, royal observers noted that Zara stepped in to gently adjust the hat of Harriet Sperling, girlfriend of her brother Peter Phillips, ensuring it sat at the perfect angle.
Zara adjusted Harriet’s hat at Ascot this week (Credit: Cover Images)
Notably absent from the ceremonial royal carriage procession, Zara and Mike watched the opening parades from the stands.
Meanwhile, on day one of Ascot, Zara’s mother Princess Anne experienced a minor hiccup when her carriage reportedly had technical issues. However, the issue was fixed and she quickly resumed her duties.
Kate, Princess of Wales, didn’t attend Royal Ascot on Wednesday. She was due to attend, but pulled out at the last minute. It comes as she continues to prioritise her health after her cancer battle.
