I don’t favor Americans bowing to foreign heads of state — at all! But certain dress protocol respectful of the office, such as avoiding showing a lot of nude skin, as well as respecting a head-of-state’s personal preferences about whether a foreign official or his wife can lumber up and hug an 86-yearr-old woman are a matter of diplomatic courtesy that should be observed.
I have a 1950s Emily Post etiquette book. It spends something like 25 pages on the proper forms of address, seating order, etc. for different ranks of nobility.
Now there is also protocol for addressing those who have earned certain positions, such as ambassador, governor, etc.
I don't have a problem with that, but somehow the deferential forms of address to those who simply inherited a title rub me to the wrong.
He's not My Lord.