King Charles met recently met the staff at Grimsby Town Football Club, and the monarch was greeted by a fan who used a very un-royal nickname to say hello.
However, Charles took the remark in stride. He offered up a perfect, witty response, which scored him major appeal points with royal watchers and the person who made the mistake.
What Nickname Was Used for King Charles?
GettyAccording to Hello!, King Charles met staff members at Grimsby Town Football Club’s Blundell Park in Cleethorpes, north-east Lincolnshire, on June 11.
However, the organization’s ticket office manager, Francine Orr, shared that she accidentally called Charles “darling” instead of “Your Majesty.” The slip of the tongue prompted laughter from those nearby during the visit. Rather than taking offense, the monarch appeared amused by the unexpected greeting.
He put Orr at ease regarding her gaffe. Charles responded, “I like being called darling.”
She added, “We were briefed on what we should say and what we shouldn’t say, how we should bow and how we should curtsy.”
“I’ve had it in my brain all morning, then he comes up to me… and he shakes my hand, and I said ‘All right darling, oh no, I’m so sorry, Your Majesty.'”
Charles responded by laughing. He added, “That’s OK.”
Orr concluded, “He was so down to earth. Lovely, lovely man. It was so good he’s come to Grimsby to meet everyone at Grimsby Town.”
What is The Protocol When Meeting a Royal Family Member?
According to the Royal Family’s official website, there are strict protocols in place when meeting a member of the House of Windsor.
It states, “The King and Queen meet thousands of people each year in the UK and overseas. Before meeting Their Majesties, many people ask how they should behave.”
“The simple answer is that there are no obligatory codes of behaviour – just courtesy. However, many people wish to observe the traditional forms of greeting.”
It continues, “For men, this is a neck bow (from the head only) while women do a small curtsy. Other people prefer simply to shake hands in the usual way.”
The statement concludes, “On presentation to The King or Queen, the correct formal address is ‘Your Majesty’ and subsequently ‘Sir’ or ‘Ma’am,’ pronounced with a short ‘a,’ as in ‘jam.'”
According to PEOPLE Magazine, even the royal family must abide by these behaviors.
Therefore, all members of the royal family, including those with royal titles, must bow or curtsy to the monarch and his wife when greeting them for the first time. This includes King Charles’ children and their wives.
Prince William and Kate Middleton regularly practice this behavior publicly. However, as we don’t know how the royal family behaves privately, it is unclear if this action is also in place during those moments.
Subsequently, if they see one another at different moments throughout the day, those formalities are not used. A hug or kiss on the cheek is typically a later greeting.
Even during a royal wedding, a royal bride and groom must curtsy to the reigning monarch. Princess Diana and King Charles did it at their 1981 wedding. As did with William and Kate and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Even the most well-prepared royal encounters can come with a few nerves. As a result, the occasional slip of the tongue is not uncommon when meeting a member of the House of Windsor.
