Golden rules of meeting royalty from talking posh to what not to wear – Cornwall Live

The Royal Family will be out and about as The Queen's Platinium Jubilee is celebrated over a four-day weekend in June. And many royalists will be wondering what they would do if they came face-to-face with one of the family.

Language and cultural experts from Busuu have put together a how-to guide on what you should and shouldnt do when addressing the royals. You'll need to be aware of the right form of address, and the type of body language it's advisable to use.

A spokesperson from Busuu said: There are a lot of rules surrounding the royals: the language that should be used to address them, the body language that we should uphold, and so much more. Using the correct title to address a royal is extremely important, especially as all members of the royal family will have their own title.

Whether you find yourself in the presence of a royal or in a highly formal setting, these tips will definitely help you fit right in.

When referring to the Queen, we should first address her as Your Majesty. After that you can refer to her as Maam. This is similar when addressing family members like the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

You should begin by calling them Your Royal Highness, and afterwards you may call them Sir or Maam.

You should try to speak in a slightly more formal tone when talking to a member of the royal family and, in order to show that you are giving them your full attention, it is vital that you retain eye contact at all times.

Correct body language is important when addressing a royal. You should have good posture, avoid slouching or standing in closed-off positions, like with your arms crossed. Try to either hold your hands together at the front, or put them behind your back.

Ladies sitting in skirts or dresses should keep their legs together and angle them to the left or right. If you look closely, this is how the Duchess of Cambridge tends to sit and it was also how Princess Diana used to sit. Although you can cross your ankles, one thing you must never do is cross your legs. This is one of the worst things you can do, as far as etiquette goes!

Men, on the other hand, can cross their legs, but should avoid sitting with their ankle on their knee with their leg bent.

Royals will have a lot of security around them but, regardless, you should avoid physical contact such as handshakes and hugs. You should only shake a royal's hand if they extend theirs first.

It is said that in the presence of royalty you should avoid wearing something exposing your arms. Formal dress is recommended. Jeans and trainers will be unacceptable.

When dining with royals, the correct etiquette for sitting at the dinner table involves keeping elbows, arms and hands off of the table. Having your elbows on the table when eating is said to suggest over-indulgence, which was known to come across as peasant-like.

When at the table, you should also wait for the hostess to unfold her napkin and place it in her lap before unfolding your own.

When dining formally, youll notice multiple utensils in front of you. The rule of thumb is to go from the outside in and start with the smallest utensils.

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Golden rules of meeting royalty from talking posh to what not to wear - Cornwall Live