What is it with the Windsors?

She is fifth in the female order. Outranked by ER Cammilla, Sophi and Anne

The updating of the who takes precedence/curtsying to each other shows how ridiculous the whole thing is.

If most of the royal family dropped dead and only Beatrice or Eugenie survived either of them could become monarch - imagine that!

Camilla, Kate and Sophie couldn't.

They are like Cinderellas ugly sisters !

I agree with Riverwalk - it's farcical that in a supposedly modern country we have all these archaic rules and customs which serve to entrench notions of entitlement and privilege.

*gillybob" - I think that's rather unkind.

I also come from respectable line of unchristened. Nice baby though don't you think. Pretty.

Didn't Cherie Blair refuse to curtsey? If so, good for her. Nobody should bend the knee to another person.

Yes, but increasingly I wonder if they'd be replaced by anything better, come the revolution. I confess I love the pagentry, all the Queens horses and all the Queen's men. Since Helen Mirren became Queen I've like the actual queen more. All this, and enjoying the oven cleaning thread - am I a lost cause? Can anyone name an already famous individual we'd prefer as president to her may?

There's always Boris. [ducks for cover]

Camila Batmanghelidjh?

Iam64 The Queen was just a film and Helen Mirren is an actress. If the queen were depicted as, for instance, an ill-tempered, partisan and emotionally stunted person it wouldn't have been a very engaging film would it? And anyway everybody would have been too scared to make it, such is the power of the royal family. As it stood, it was a great PR exercise.

If the queen has just a symbolic role and carries no real power, presumably anyone can be chosen to do the job. Mary Robinson was admired and respected by many people.

Only just seen your comment Scarlet21 You are quite right it really shouldn't have made that much difference. The situation wasn't helped by the fact that we lived out in the country, miles from either a C of E or RC church, I couldn't drive and the only reachable church was a Methodist chapel which didn't suit either of us. Both children have grown up to be devout atheists - whether this is down to the lack of christening I have no idea.

When my DS2 was quite ill after he was born, and had to stay in SCBU, one of my friends came round and asked if we had had him christened. As we hadn't had his older brother christened and neither of us was a believer, we didn't think it was relevant, but she was quite shocked that a sick child hadn't been christened. Superstition!

I think the new (clarified) precedence protocols following Prince William's marriage boiled down to The Duchess of Cambridge having to curtsey to all blood royal princes/princesses, including Ps Beatrice and Eugenie when she is not accompanied by her husband and to the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh and Prince and Princess of Wales (Duchess of Cornwall, Duchess of Rothesay, Countess of Chester, Countess of Carrick, etc.) Load of old nonsense of course.

To bow or curtesy to anyone! Why would anyone be willing to do this?

I'm sure curtseying will die out with the Queen and when there are no cameras present how do we know whether or not they are actually doing it?

Curtesy? Spellcheck Grrrrr

I have just logged into GN at this unearthly hour.

On the subject of the royal christening robe.We had a family heirloom one that my grandmother was given by an old lady when my mother was born in 1919.My mother, her brother, then myself and my four siblings were all baptised wearing it-not altogether of course!
I wanted it for my two sons, but by that time it, like the original royal family one had got too fragile and was also much too small, babies in my family were baptised shortly after birth and my first son, at three months when he was baptised was far too big to wear it.
None of my siblings had their children baptised, and I still have the robe, well wrapped up.My three oldest grandchildren are unbaptised, I made a christening robe for my youngest grandaughter and my only grandson wore a white romper suit.
My DH remarked on the photo of the baby looking miserable ''So would I be if I was forced to wear a long lace dress''

Eloethan - my comment was an attempt at humour and irony really. Yes, Mary Robinson is someone I'd be happy to have as president. Anno - I'm afraid that much as I don't trust him, Boris does make me laugh. Scarlet, Camilla B is something of a hero of mine, but not sure she'd be the best president. In the heady 70's and 80's, I felt we may move to a republic by consent, but that no longer seems likely in my lifetime.

Iam64 Sorry for being slow on the uptake - I thought you were being serious!

If Prince Charles things that being king will be like being in a prison perhaps the first thing he should do will be to get rid of all this bowing and curtseying. But someone did tell me years ago that he was very much a one for wanting to be treated correctly [I'm not saying they were telling the truth mind you] and he does seem to be a stickler for tradition. I don't have a fondness for him the way I do for his son but do actually respect his tree hugging ideas.

I must be in a minority (of one) because I do have a fondness for Charles. Don't know why but I've always felt it. I also like Anne, and Harry more than William. I feel sorry for him having to grow up with all the speculation about his paternity.

I hope I see Charles become king, I am interested in how he will do it. I think the monarchy will die out before William becomes king, but I may not be around long enough to see it.

I love Zara; even more so after she jokingly mentioned he 'dodgy family' in an interview a couple of years back. OMG; made another typo just now; I'm begining to write like that bloke in Allo Allo talks.

I don't see why there should be any question about Harry's paternity. You only have to look at a photograph of Diana's brother, to know that he is more of a Spencer than a Windsor.

Also his mother did not take up with the speculative father until after her two heirs were safely born.

I agree, but the speculation and gossip continue in the press and amongst the general public. Not very nice for Harry.