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Liz Truss's curtsy to King Charles has become an instant meme

Liz Truss's curtsy to King Charles has become an instant meme
King Charles tells Prime Minister Liz Truss he had 'been dreading' death ...
Independent

It's customary for people to curtsy or bow when appearing before the monarch, and Prime Minister Liz Truss is finding that the way one curtsies can be highly scrutinized.

While appearing before King Charles III for their first weekly audience, Truss slightly bowed her head and gave a small bend to her knees which people found awkward.

"Lots to think about this week, mainly how Liz Truss curtsies," a Twitter user said attaching a video of the King and Truss's encounter.

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Although there is no 'official' rule when greeting a member of the Royal Family, many people adhere to the traditional bow or curtsy.

The official Royal Family website says, "for men this is a neck bow (from the head only) whilst women do a small curtsy."

But the line between a small curtsy and an awkward one is very fine. As former PM Theresa May knows - she was highly criticized for her too-low curtsy.

In a traditional curtsy, a person will place one leg behind the other and bend their knees slightly while bowing their head. The heel of their back foot remains off the ground until they stand back up.

People criticized Truss's curtsy for being quick and stiff.

"Having a bad back be like," a Twitter user wrote.

"I couldn't figure out why Truss looked so odd, it's because she hunches her back rather than have her back straight and bend her knees," another person pointed out.

Some people compared the Prime Minister's curtsy to that of Theresa May's.

Having only taken office this week, Truss may get a pass from some for her awkward curtsy. But not on Twitter...


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