Princess Lilibet, 5, Will Be Expected To Follow This Rule If She Reunites With Charles & Camilla

Princess Lilibet's fifth birthday had royal pundits buzzing with excitement in June 2026. Her mom, Meghan Markle, took to Instagram to share a beautiful photo of herself and Prince Harry doting on the young redheaded princess. Lilibet's birthday picture also highlighted the difference between her life and Princess Charlotte's, but one thing that remains the same for the two girls is a certain rule that they must follow. See, when royal children turn five, protocol dictates that they have to start curtsying to the monarch, which means if Lilibet ever finds herself in her grandfather, King Charles III's, physical presence again, she better have practiced her curtsy. 

The same goes for his wife, Queen Camilla. Lilibet is also at the age where, if Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's abrupt exit from the U.K. never occurred, she would already have been undergoing royal etiquette training. As etiquette expert Myka Meier detailed to People, in 2018, "They are raised having formal meals, going to formal events and practicing everything from voice levels to dressing appropriately." But, should Lilibet have a few slip-ups during future visits, we're certain she'll be forgiven since even Prince George has forgotten the odd bow every now and then. 

Princess Charlotte nudged her brother into the proper position during Queen Elizabeth II's funeral. The young heir to the throne seemingly forgot royal protocol as Her Majesty's coffin passed by them, and Charlotte was spotted reminding him, "You need to bow," per People. Fortunately, George immediately complied. One can only hope that Charlotte will have her cousin's back too, if Lilibet and her parents ever return to the royal fold.

The irony that her daughter is now officially required to curtsy to the king and queen is probably not lost on Meghan Markle. The Duchess of Sussex would have greeted Queen Elizabeth II with a handshake (or a hug!) had Prince Harry not warned her ahead of time that she needed to curtsy. In the couple's Netflix docuseries "Harry and Meghan," the former "Suits" star admitted that she thought Harry was joking at first. As the prince acknowledged, it was a bit of an awkward conversation. "How do you explain that to people? How do you explain that you bow to your grandmother and that you would need to curtsy? Especially to an American. That's weird," Harry asserted, per People. 

Needless to say, if the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's children ever make their way back to The Firm, it will be quite the adjustment. Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet's childhoods are nothing like other royal kids, thanks to their American upbringing far away from their royal roots. Of course, this is how their parents wanted it, with Harry telling the "Armchair Expert" podcast in 2021 that one of his biggest reasons for relocating was to ensure his kids have a happier childhood than his.

While appearing on "Good Morning America," in 2024, the prince proudly confirmed that Archie and Lilibet are thriving in the States. "The kids are doing great. The kids are growing up like all kids do, very very fast," he shared (via Express), elaborating, "They have both got an incredible sense of humor and make us laugh and keep us grounded every single day. [...] I'm just very grateful to be a dad."