Princess Charlene met Queen Letizia of Spain on a brief visit to Madrid and her response has led to a debate about protocol.
The Princess of Monaco curtsied to the Queen of Spain as she greeted her and it’s led to questions about whether Charlene had made a mistake.
Her husband, Albert II, is the Sovereign Prince of Monaco, making Charlene a consort. And although she is styled Her Serene Highness and Princess and Letizia is Her Majesty and Queen, some royal watchers have argued that the are the same rank and so the Monaco royal didn’t need to make the gesture. Others have said that HM outdoes HSH, despite both being consorts of a country, and the curtsey was necessary.
Charlene, who was visiting Spain with her husband to mark 150 years of ties between Monaco and Madrid, also curtsied to King Felipe VI as she arrived for a special event for the anniversary.
The Prince and Princess of Monaco were in Spain as the two countries marked the century and a half since the tiny Principality set up its diplomatic mission in Madrid.
Relations between the two countries go back far further and during their visit, Albert and Charlene joined Felipe and Letizia at Madrid’s Royal Botanical Garden for an exhibition about five centuries of shared history between the two countries.
Curtsies are usually given by women to royals who rank above them and that’s where the debate has arisen. Charlene has previously been seen curtseying to the Pope although several royal women made that gesture to Leo XIV at the Mass celebrating the start of his Pontificate.
This had already been billed as one of the most stylish royal events of the summer with Princess Charlene and Queen Letizia known for their fashion sense. For the Madrid event, Charlene chose a pale blue lace covered dress with matching belt, by Oscar de la Renta. There was a touch of diplomacy in there, too, as Oscar de la Renta, who founded the fashion house, studied in Madrid under Cristobal Balenciaga.
Queen Letizia chose Italian fashion for the meeting, wearing a white midi dress from Mantù x Yowe, featuring a wrap around detail at the waist.
It begins a busy month for both royals. In June, Queen Letizia will help host Pope Leo XIV on his biggest overseas visit since being elected in May 2025. He will spend six days in Spain, visiting Madrid and Barcelona. His first European visit as Pontiff was to Monaco.
Meanwhile, Princess Charlene will be on hand as one of the biggest sporting events of the summer, the F1, comes to Monte Carlo this month. Monaco will also be remembering Princess Grace as the royals open a new exhibition marking 70 years since her marriage to Prince Rainier III.
