Why Meghan Markle will still have to curtsy to new sister-in-law Kate Middleton

Marie-Claire Dorking
·Contributor

Meghan Markle is officially a royal! She’s got her own page on the official royal family website, she’s made her first appearance as the newly titled Duchess of Sussex, and she seems to be abiding by the royal rules (if those tights are anything to go by!).

Meghan Markle will still have to curtsy to the Duchess of Cambridge. (Photo: Getty)
Meghan Markle will still have to curtsy to the Duchess of Cambridge. (Photo: Getty)

But not all royals are created equal, and even though there are now two duchesses on the block, Markle will still have to curtsy to her new sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, also known as the Duchess of Cambridge.

The reason, according to British newspaper Metro UK, is all to do with royal ranking.

Despite being made a duchess following her marriage to Prince Harry on May 19, Markle is still outranked by Middleton.

That’s because the Duchess of Cambridge is married to Prince William, who is currently second in the line of succession to the throne.

Not all duchesses are equal in the royal rankings. (Photo: Getty)
Not all duchesses are equal in the royal rankings. (Photo: Getty)

This means Middleton will one day be made queen consort, a title given to the wives of kings, which bumps her above Markle in the royal ranks.

Markle must therefore curtsy to Middleton and anyone else ranking above her in the royal family.

Things get a little more complicated when it comes to curtsying to other family members, like Prince Harry’s cousins Beatrice and Eugenie.

Princess Beatrice is eighth in line to the throne, and Eugenie is ninth, but as Harry is sixth in line to the throne and Markle is his wife, she won’t have to curtsy to the princesses in Harry’s presence, as technically she outranks them.

But if Harry isn’t present, everything changes and Markle will have to curtsy to them, as they then technically outrank her.

According to Metro, the Duchess of Sussex will never have to curtsy to cousin-in-law Zara Phillips Tindall, however, as Zara is not a princess and will thus never outrank her.

Confused? Us too.

Meghan Markle may now be a duchess, but she still ranks below the Duchess of Cambridge. (Photo: Getty)
Meghan Markle may now be a duchess, but she still ranks below the Duchess of Cambridge. (Photo: Getty)

Believe it or not, the royal rules were actually put together to try and clarify things, particularly with regards to the role of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, following her marriage to Prince Charles.

News of the Duchess of Sussex’s ranking in the curtsy stakes comes after it emerged she is to receive “training” to become an effective royal.

To give the former actress a helping hand in learning the royal ropes, she will be schooled by the queen’s assistant private secretary, Samantha Cohen.

It is believed that Markle will spend the next six months learning the royal ropes.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:
These Meghan Markle style bloggers are quietly fueling the fashion industry
Here’s your first look at the royal wedding cake
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s engagement photos show the ‘love they have for each other’

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