There are Britons who to this day refer to Queen Elizabeth as “that German woman”.
However, the Queen is beloved by the vast majority in U.K. and is an admirable person in her own right, IMO.
Of course, youtube is chock full of lurid `exposes’ of the `seemier side’ of the Royal Family, going back to George III. Harlequin romance meets National Enquirer sort of thing.
Bowing to Royalty
When I was 13 to 15 we lived in South America for a couple of years, staying at a large old hotel that had both nightly guests, and residents like us.
Turns out there was a very cute British girl, about 14, also living there. Soft red, curly hair and bright green eyes. Since we were the only English-speaking kids our age around, we naturally ended up hanging out together.
She told me her name was Sam (Samantha) and that her father worked for the British government. After we had been together for a month or so, one day she showed up to where we usually met on the large landscaped grounds, all dressed up for a party, filly dress, hair pileup on her head, the works. A big change from the shorts and T-shirts she usually wore.
She told me her mother wanted to meet me at afternoon tea, at 4 pm. Told me in no uncertain terms that I was to dress nice, wear long pants and a nice shirt, and comb my hair.
And “DON’T BE LATE!”
As she left, I ask what suite she was in, and she said, “6th floor”. And when I ask what room, she smiled slightly, and said, “You’ll figure it out.” And I did. When I got off the elevator, there was no hallway, just a vestibule and a set of ornate double doors with a pull rope for a doorbell.
A few seconds after I rang the bell, there stood a butler in full regalia, but young and very fit looking, and about 6’6” tall. Looking down at me, he said, “Ah, Master XXXX, right on time, thank you.”
Then after he closed the door behind me, he said, “Please follow me. The DUCHESS and LADY Samantha are waiting for you in the library.”
Wait, What?
When I followed Andrews into the library, I found Sam standing behind her mother who was sitting at a writing desk. And I could tell from the look on her face that she was terrified that I was going to screw this up. And knowing me, she had good reason to worry.
After Andrews introduce me, I said, “I’ve never met a Duchess before. Am I supposed to bow, or curtsy?”
And Sam blanched.
Her mother looked at me very seriously, and said, “In this informal situation, neither is required. Then with a big smile, she said, “But I would like to see your curtsy sometime.”
With that, the ice was broken, and Sam started breathing again.
After that, I was regularly invited for tea. The only time the Duchess ever got mad at me was when I made the mistake of referring to Sam as ‘Sam’ instead of Samantha in front of her.
Her eyes flashed and her voice got cold as she said, “Sa Man Tha”
Turns out that Sam’s stepfather was Consul General, and Sam would inherit her mother’s title someday, a title that had been in the family since the mid-1600s.
If that’s not bad enough, it turned out that both Samantha and her mother were actually royalty, and in line for the throne, though in the double-digits position.
And I never did learn to curtsy.