Off With Her Head: Gillard's Greeting a Royal Mess

"The wobble" is how Prime Minister Julia Gillard's greeting to Queen Elizabeth II is being described after they met in Canberra yesterday.

Ms Gillard chose not to curtsy and instead opted for a head bow when she met the Queen, who had just arrived for her 16th tour of Australia.

But Australia's queen of etiquette, June Dally-Watkins, has strongly disapproved of Ms Gillard's greeting.

"I saw the Prime Minister kind of wobble and I didn't know, did she try to curtsy? I didn't know what she was doing. I just laughed," she said.

"I was laughing out loud because I thought it was really hilarious and of course very rude.

"But I just couldn't understand what that movement was. What was she doing?"

The Queen spent this morning cruising Canberra's Lake Burley Griffin and visiting the Canberra flower festival, Floriade.

She has no further public engagements today, but Her Majesty will spend this afternoon on a tour of the gardens at Government House in a solar-powered golf cart.

The monarch has asked to be taken to see the kangaroos in the grounds so she can take a photo.
'No obligatory code'

This morning, Ms Gillard said she chose to bow her head as she shook the Queen's hand because that is what she felt comfortable with.

"The advice to me was very clear - that you can make a choice with what you feel most comfortable with," she said.

"That's what I felt most comfortable with. The Queen extended her hand, and I shook her hand."
Audio: June Dally-Watkins critiques the Royal meeting (ABC News)

The official advice on meeting with the Queen is that there are "no obligatory codes of behaviour - just courtesy".

"However, many people wish to observe the traditional forms of greeting," the official Royal website says.

"For men, this is a neck bow (from the head only), whilst women do a small curtsy. Other people prefer simply to shake hands in the usual way."

But Ms Dally-Watkins says as Prime Minister, Ms Gillard should have gone with the traditional greeting.

She described yesterday's greeting as the lowest part of Ms Gillard's life and said instead of bowing her head, she should be hanging it in shame.

"I think it was not only funny, but it was shameful," she said.

"If she isn't a royalist, it's not a matter of that; it's a matter of paying courtesy, good manners to a queen, to the Queen.

"That was the expected thing to do and I thought not to do that shamed her tremendously."

Read on: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-20/gillard27s-royal-greeting-slammed/3581254

Perth to serve 120,000 Snags at Queen's 'Largest-Ever' Barbecue

About 120,000 sausages and 1500 litres of tomato sauce will be served at the Queen's Big Aussie Barbecue in Perth later this month.

Tens of thousands of West Australians are expected to crowd Perth Foreshore to share a snag with Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip on October 29, in what Premier Colin Barnett said would be an internationally historic event.

The royal couple will travel in a slow motorcade before stepping out to "mingle" with families, albeit behind a roped off path.

At least $250,000 is expected to be raised from gold coin donations for the sausage sizzle.

The money will be donated to the Australian Red Cross, Legacy, Clontarf Academy and Activ Foundation.

The Queen will be in Perth to open the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which runs October 28 to 30.

She will also attend a state dinner and visit Canberra, Brisbane and Melbourne before arriving in Perth.

Mr Barnett said families were encouraged to make the most of the public barbecue – which will include free entertainment – and bring picnic baskets and blankets.

Ten screens would be set up throughout The Esplanade and Langley Park to maximise viewing.

"This is a very rare, unique and special opportunity for West Australians to take part in a great Aussie barbecue and to see the Queen and Prince Philip first hand," he said.

"I don't believe there are any other public events of this scale [involving the Queen] in history.

"This is a wonderful public event for all West Australians. I don't think there are many precedents for that."

The state government will fund infrastructure and entertainment for the event, while Bunnings will provide 120 barbecues that will later be donated to WA charities, and Coles will donate the food and drink.

About 600 volunteers will man the barbecues.

Alcohol will be banned and Mr Barnett urged protestors not to cause trouble but conceded security would not be tight.

"Why would a morning tea barbecue get rowdy? This is Perth, Western Australia," he said.

"West Australians are fun loving, good people and they will come along with the right attitude."

The event will run 9am to 12.15pm, while the Queen and Prince Philip will attend for an hour.

Visitors are encouraged to use free public transport.

Source: http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/perth-to-serve-120000-snags-at-queens-largestever-barbecue-20111013-1lmp1.html#ixzz1ai5xXVm1