Royal Wedding: Harry and Meghan's marriage spurs interest in British etiquette

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Europe

02:49

The United Kingdom's Prince Harry and US actress Meghan Markle have tied the knot at a ceremony at Windsor Castle on Saturday. The wedding has put the spotlight on British traditions. In the lead-up to the ceremony, one school in New York started offering classes on British etiquette - with a modern spin. CGTN's Liling Tan gets a crash course on how to be a right, proper lady.

The Royal Wedding and all its lavish protocols, receptions and meals have generated intense interest from Anglophiles around the world, but with Myka Meier, founder of the Beaumont Etiquette consultancy in Manhattan, you don't have to be royalty to know how to behave like a royal or sit and eat like one.

MYKA MEIER FOUNDER, BEAUMONT ETIQUETTE "This is called the Duchess Slant. This is the term that we use to describe the method used in the royal palaces. So we saw Princess Diana sitting like this, we now see the Duchess of Cambridge, and even Meghan Markle sitting this way."

At the Plaza Hotel, where Beaumont Etiquette runs the Plaza Hotel Finishing Program, I'm not only learning how to sit like a lady but also how to eat like one at Afternoon Tea, involving napkin etiquette, serving protocols, handling scones with your hands, and navigating around finger sandwiches.

MYKA MEIER FOUNDER, BEAUMONT ETIQUETTE "All etiquette really means is about showing respect and consideration to everyone around you. So, in this case, today, it's showing respect to your guest, or showing respect to what you're eating."

While courses may be rather expensive, ranging from $275 US dollars to over a thousand dollars depending on size and duration, the consultancy also offers more affordable online tutorials and a few free pointers on social media. And Myka says it isn't just about learning how to live the high life.

MYKA MEIER FOUNDER, BEAUMONT ETIQUETTE "While this is beautiful and fun, it is formal. But I always say you can apply these skills to any meal, whether it's just at home, a one-course meal, it's still dining in a way that shows respect, it's still offering things to guests first."

A large part of the demand for her courses come from companies looking to train their staff, as businesses realize the increasing value of social skills in business dealings. But what about dining in a foreign setting?

MYKA MEIER FOUNDER, BEAUMONT ETIQUETTE "We always practice the etiquette of the country we are in. So that being said, when we go to somebody else's home, we adopt the culture of the home we're in."

In other words, follow the cues of your host. Liling Tan, CGTN, New York.