A curtsy is a traditional gesture of respect in which a woman bends her knees with one foot placed behind the other and inclines her head. Derived from the word courtesy, it was once standard at European courts and survives today mainly within royal circles. Catherine, Princess of Wales, performed one when greeting the Sultan of Oman at Windsor in October 2026 — a one-second movement that became the most discussed detail of the day.
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Mentioned in: Kate Middleton Dips into a Curtsy at Start of State Visit, But Not to King Charles or Queen Camilla