No Curtsy, No Courtesy: How Princess Anne and Zara Quietly Humiliated Camilla

 

In the glittering but often unforgiving world of royal protocol, every gesture — or lack thereof — speaks volumes. And once again, Princess Anne, the indomitable Princess Royal, made her message unmistakably clear: Queen Camilla would receive no curtsy from her.

The latest incident unfolded at the Commonwealth Day service, a ceremonial occasion steeped in tradition and formality. As dignitaries and royals gathered at Westminster Abbey, the cameras caught a telling exchange — or rather, the absence of one.

Camilla, wearing a practiced smile as she prepared to receive the formal greetings of her fellow royals, spotted Princess Anne approaching. The Queen’s smile faltered, replaced by a tight expression as she readied herself for the expected curtsy. But Anne, ever the master of controlled indifference, breezed past as if Camilla were invisible. She did not pause. She did not bend. Instead, she greeted King Charles directly, engaging him in conversation while Camilla stood awkwardly to the side.

The slight was not a slip of etiquette — it was a deliberate choice, rooted in history.

A Refusal Years in the Making

Even during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, Anne’s stance on Camilla was clear. According to insiders, she went so far as to request her mother’s permission never to curtsy to Camilla, even if Charles married her. For Anne, the issue was not merely personal, but principled.

To Anne, Camilla would always be the woman who had been her brother’s mistress — the catalyst for the breakdown of his marriage to Princess Diana, and by extension, a source of immense pain for the family. Tradition or not, Anne saw no reason to bestow the outward marks of royal respect on someone she did not truly respect.

Queen Elizabeth, ever pragmatic, is said to have allowed her daughter this quiet act of dissent. And Anne has honored that decision consistently.

An Old Grudge, Publicly Displayed

If the Commonwealth Day frost seemed pointed, it was nothing compared to what happened more recently at one of Britain’s most cherished social events: the horse racing festival. The races are a royal family favorite — a place where tradition, sport, and society mingle in a heady mix of champagne and spectacle.

Camilla arrived at the festival with her daughter, Laura Lopes, by her side. The move was widely interpreted as a subtle bid to boost Laura’s social profile, perhaps even integrating her more deeply into royal circles.

But Princess Anne’s daughter, Zara Tindall, was also at the event — and her warmth toward nearly everyone else in attendance only made her coolness toward Camilla and Laura more noticeable. Zara, known for her friendly and approachable manner, was seen laughing and chatting with fellow guests. Yet when it came to Camilla and her daughter, she kept her distance, offering no acknowledgment beyond the barest nod, if that.

It was an echo of her mother’s stance — the next generation continuing the silent rebuke.

The Grace of a Swan, the Bluntness of a Boar

Among royal watchers, the comparison is almost too easy. Princess Anne, like her late father Prince Philip, has little patience for those she sees as self-serving. Her public demeanor is that of a swan — graceful, yes, but fiercely protective of her dignity. Camilla, by contrast, has long been cast by critics as someone who clawed her way into royal favor, a narrative that sticks no matter how carefully her public image is managed.

In this context, Anne’s refusal to curtsy, and Zara’s deliberate snub of Laura, are not just personal slights. They are public statements — wordless declarations that certain kinds of legitimacy cannot be earned by title alone.

The Deeper Undercurrents

To the casual observer, these moments might seem petty. But in the tight, tradition-bound world of the monarchy, they carry weight. Every handshake, every bow, every curtsy is part of a language that insiders read fluently. A missing gesture is as telling as a cutting remark.

For Anne, it is about preserving the standards she believes the royal family should embody — standards she feels Camilla has never met. For Zara, it may be less about personal history and more about loyalty to her mother’s principles.

And for Camilla, each of these moments is a reminder that while she may hold the title of Queen, acceptance within the family is not absolute. Titles can be bestowed. Respect must be earned.

A Family Divided in Subtle Ways

As King Charles continues his reign, such tensions simmer quietly beneath the surface. Public unity is the goal, but the cameras, ever searching for small details, catch these flashes of truth.

For the public, they serve as tantalizing glimpses into the real relationships behind the palace façade — proof that even among the most gilded of families, grudges can endure for decades, passed down like heirlooms.

And for Princess Anne, the swan who refuses to bow to the boar, it is simply business as usual. In a world where most choose diplomacy over candor, she has never been afraid to let her silence — and her posture — speak for her.