The royal family is held in the highest regard by people in the United Kingdom and other countries around the world, so as you probably already know there are some rules that are to be followed when meeting a member of the monarchy.

While commoners aren't obligated to follow any of the rules, some people do it anyway for the sake of tradition out of respect for the Queen and her family. However, if you are a member of the family, there are very specific guidelines about how to act.

While some of the rules are put in place for some very logical reasons (heirs to the throne have to travel separately in case of an accident), there are a few that are just very archaic and weird. For instance, during a dinner event, when the Queen stops eating, everyone else must follow suit.

The rules are often based on Order of Precedence, the hierarchy of the royal family, so they're not the same for everyone, which makes matters a little more complicated for someone like Meghan Markle, who will be marrying into the family this spring.

The actress and her fiance, Prince Harry, have already broken protocol a number of times, including spending Christmas at Sandringham with the Queen. This honor is usually reserved for the Queen's immediate family members and their spouses.

Meghan was said to have bonded well with the family over the holidays and even joined the royals on their walk to church on Christmas morning. However, those who were closely watching her moves noticed that there was one thing she failed to do correctly in front of the Queen, and now she's been shamed for it.

So what did Meghan do wrong?

Since the Queen is at the top of the hierarchy, men and women must behave a certain way when greeting her. Men are required to bow, while women curtsy.

Over the years, Kate Middleton and other members of the royal family, like Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, have often been spotted curtsying in front of the Queen. While it may look simple and straightforward to the regular person, apparently, there is a right and wrong way to go about it.

While greeting the Queen outside the church on Christmas Day, both Kate and Meghan were photographed bending their knees in front of the Queen. While the seasoned Duchess's curtsy was faultless, Meghan is being criticized for getting hers all wrong.

A royal butler explained to ITV's Good Morning Britain that Meghan dipped too low and bowed her head too much.

For a first attempt, Meghan's knee bend wasn't too shabby, but according to Zarife Hardy, founder of the Australian School of Etiquette, she should practice a deeper bend because it shows more respect. Meghan shouldn't be too worried about the critics because the more she does it, the more "she will learn the art of that."

"Until she becomes Harry's wife, she will have to curtsy to any royal that has a title that's royal-blooded so she will have to learn the art of the curtsy very quickly," Hardy added.

With people using words like "catastrophe" to describe Meghan's flawed curtsy, you'd think it's the end of the world, but let's be honest here, it's not a big deal, if anything, it shows that she is human and makes mistakes like the rest of us.

Have you ever tried to curtsy? Let us know!