There was a visitor who visited Queen Elizabeth on her soil. She presented them with a hand washing bowl to dip their fingers in, but instead they drank from the bowl thinking it was drinking water. I am not naming the monarch who made the gaffe, because
1. It is not important.
2. It is not polite to put someone on the spot for their gaffes. <–Remember this always.
Queen Elizabeth, being the queen that she is also drank from the bowl to make them feel secure that what they were doing was not incorrect or wrong.
Till this day, I am moved at her level of dedication to making someone feel this comfortable and at ease. This is what etiquette is all about.
Queen Elizabeth is one of my favourite monarchs, because she has seen so much through wars, hardship, and keeping a kingdom in tact. The way she manages to keep u with her schedule alone! She is definitely someone I would like to sit adjacent to at a dinner for the sake of her incredible stories. It would be a challenge to lose respect for such a woman with this big of a heart.
I am Gia, an etiquette consultant based in Los Angeles. Sign up to my newsletter for etiquette techniques straight to your inbox.
