Royal Court Etiquette of Hawaii

Though it is customary that a royal is greeted with a bow, curtsy, or handshake, etiquette decrees that an American citizen is not required to bow or curtsy to any foreign leader or head of state. – Public domain image of His Majesty King Kamehameha of Hawaii. He was known as “King Aleck” by the American and English residents, on terms of absolute equality.

Honolulu Royal Court Etiquette

Captain Stephen Taylor, of Boston, spent a good deal of time at Honolulu, between one voyage and another, and was always. treated as a person to whom a great deal of consideration was due. He visited the Royal family quite often, and was there received by His Majesty King Kamehameha, who was known as “King Aleck” by the American and English residents, on terms of absolute equality.

One day there was a state procession in the streets of Honolulu, and the natives had gathered from all over the kingdom to do honor to royalty. Among the crowd, and leaning nonchalantly against a tree, his big Panama hat on his head, was Captain Stephen Taylor. Presently there was a blare of horns down the street, and the head of the Royal procession came to view. Off went the headgear of such of the natives as had any headgear, but Captain Taylor remained covered.

“Why don't you take off your hat, Captain?” asked a native who spoke English. The Captain vouchsafed no reply. But presently, as the royal party drew near, an Englishman said to him: “Hadn't you better uncover, Captain?” “No!” said he. “I never took off my hat to an any King yet, and never will.” It was rude speech but not meant insultingly, quite evidently; for the next moment the royal party came quite abreast, and Captain Stephen, still with his Panama set nonchalantly on the back of his head, called out cheerily to the King: “Hello, Aleck!”

The King looked an instant at the Captain, and then called out in quite as cheery a tone: “Hello, Steve!” And the cortege moved on amid the applause of the crowd, convincing one Englishman that a Boston sea captain was at least as great a man as a King of Hawaii. – Boston Transcript, 1897

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