Australian PM under fire for not curtseying to the Queen on her Oz tour

Updated

The Prime Minister of Australia has come under fire from critics for not curtseying for the Queen upon her arrival in Canberra.

Australian PM under fire for not curtseying the Queen on her Oz tour
Australian PM under fire for not curtseying the Queen on her Oz tour

PA

When asked on a Sydney radio station whether she believed curtseying was demeaning, the Welsh-born 50-year-old said: 'Some things are you, some things aren't.

'I made a choice and I thought I would feel most comfortable with bowing my head. The advice was - do what comes most comfortably and naturally.'

Julia, who became Prime Minister in June 2010 and is known to support an Australian republic, told the host that she regarded the Queen with a great deal of 'affection and respect'.

Australian PM under fire for not curtseying the Queen on her Oz tour
Australian PM under fire for not curtseying the Queen on her Oz tour

PA

But, according to the Daily Mail, British etiquette expert William Hanson told Sydney's 3AW radio that he believed not curtseying to be 'churlish', saying: 'She is your prime minister, she is representing the people, but the Queen tops her, the Queen is the top of the tree, so as a sign of respect, whatever her opinion on the monarchy is, she should have curtseyed.'

'Whatever you believe about the monarchy, if you don't curtsey, you don't bow, it's not going to bring down the monarchy. You're not suddenly making some grand gesture that's going to shake it to its core.

'It's just a bit churlish for people not to do it, so whatever you believe, it's just a sign of respect.'

Australian PM under fire for not curtseying the Queen on her Oz tour
Australian PM under fire for not curtseying the Queen on her Oz tour

PA

But the Queen obviously did not let it affect her 11-day tour, and was seen enjoying the sunshine and the attractions the country has to offer.

After staying at the Government House in the capital Canberra, where she enjoyed a golf buggy tour of the grounds, the 85-year-old Queen and 90-year-old Duke of Edinburgh were taken for a trip across Lake Burley Griffin on board the Admiral's Barge, built in Brisbane in 1993 to the design of the official royal barge.

After a 35-minute ride, they arrived at Floriade - Austalia's answer to the Chelsea Flower Show.
Among the list of things on her busy itinerary for the rest of the trip are visits to Brisbane, where she will visit the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, and Melbourne, where the Queen will attend the opening of the Royal Children's Hospital, as well as a trip on a Melbourne tram and a visit to the National Gallery of Victoria.

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