Should you always stand up to greet someone? Etiquette expert settles the debate after Zendaya’s ‘basic manners’ blunder with Brigitte Macron

DAILYMAIL.COM • 3h ago

By MAANYA SACHDEVA, ASSOCIATE LIFESTYLE EDITOR Updated: 16:18 08 Oct 2026

She is every Hollywood PR’s dream client. Box office successes, effortless style, not to mention her power couple union with Tom Holland. Wherever Zendaya goes, the cameras follow.

But for the first time this week, the cracks in her glittering armour began to show after her Paris Fashion Week ‘faux pas’ in front of the French first lady.

The Dune actress, 30, was front row as house ambassador at the Louis Vuitton show at the Louvre on Tuesday when Brigitte, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, came over to say hello.

When Zendaya finally noticed Mrs Macron, 73, with her arm awkwardly extended, she remained seated and offered a cursory ‘pleasure to meet you’ and a handshake before the show began. La bise, this was clearly not.

Zendaya did not stand for Bernard Arnault, the chief executive of LVMH, which owns Louis Vuitton, either in what was seen as another ‘misstep’.

The video sparked a flurry of debate online; many said Zendaya’s behaviour was ‘definitely rude’ and an unnecessary ‘power move’, noting ‘it is customary to get up to greet an older person’.

But some defended the Euphoria actress, so we asked leading etiquette experts, those purveyors of good manners, whether Zendaya’s slip-up was really that egregious.

‘One of the simplest rules of etiquette is that when you meet someone, you stand up,’ Laura Windsor declared, adding it has ‘nothing to do with celebrity status’.

However, ‘there are slightly different customs’ when greeting prominent royals or religious leaders, as Ms Windsor and former royal butler Julius Smith revealed the proper way to greet VIPs.

Zendaya has rarely faced public criticism despite nearly 20 years in the entertainment industry, but that changed after footage of her encounter with Brigitte started circulating on X.

Their paths crossed at the star-studded Louis Vuitton spring/summer presentation in the Cour Carrée, or the square courtyard, of the historic Louvre Museum on October 6.

Seated in the front row, Zendaya was engrossed in conversation when Mr Arnault, 77-year-old chairman and CEO of luxury behemoth LVMH, welcomed her to the show.

Dressed head-to-toe in Louis Vuitton, Zendaya shook Mr Arnault’s hand without getting up and said it was ‘nice to see you’ before returning to her conversation.

Seconds later, Mrs Macron walked up to the actress, said ‘hello’ and held out her hand, but did not get a response. Zendaya finally noticed the French First Lady when Brigitte added ‘Bonjour’ in French.

The video was posted on X with the caption: ‘Zendaya girl…. you gotta get up when the First Lady of France is trying to say hello to you.’

It has received nearly nine million views at the time of writing and sparked a flurry of comments about whether Zendaya’s behaviour was disrespectful.

Both Mr Smith, Founder of Regal Afternoon Tea, and Ms Windsor, known as the ‘Queen of Etiquette’, felt standing up would have been the right thing for Zendaya to do.

‘The correct thing to do when somebody approaches to greet you is to stand up, look them in the eye, smile and acknowledge them properly,’ Mr Smith said. ‘It is a very simple gesture, but one that shows respect.’

Standing also shows that you are ‘attentive’, Ms Windsor added. ‘It shows that you recognise the importance of the person in front of you and that you are making an effort to engage with them.’

She called it the ‘first step in establishing a positive relationship’, which is why it is so ‘unfortunate’ Zendaya remained seated when approached by Mr Arnault, considering her professional relationship with the prestigious design house.

‘Given her association with Louis Vuitton, he is somebody who holds considerable influence within the very industry she works in,’ he continued.

Zendaya was announced as Louis Vuitton’s House Ambassador in a 2023 video campaign for its prized Capucines bag that typically costs between £5,400 and £6,500.

Engaging 52.5 million Instagram followers, Louis Vuitton wrote in a caption: ‘#Zendaya and the Capucines.

‘#LouisVuitton reveals actress Zendaya as the new House Ambassador, showcasing the iconic #LVCapucines in her first campaign with the Maison.’

Zendaya shot the advert at E-1027, the French villa designed by architect Eileen Gray.

The images were captured by renowned photographer Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, and Zendaya was styled by her long-term collaborator and ‘image architect’ Law Roach.

Zendaya attended the Paris Fashion Week show in her role as House Ambassador, making her interaction with Mr Arnault even more awkward.

‘One might have expected her to be particularly conscious of greeting him properly, especially given their professional connection,’ Mr Smith said. ‘But regardless of his position, standing up would have been the courteous thing to do.’

‘And that applies to everybody. It doesn’t matter whether you are meeting the King, the Pope or somebody you have never met before,’ he continued. ‘Good manners should never depend on how important the other person happens to be.’

Ms Windsor agreed that ‘etiquette has nothing to do with celebrity status’ although there are certain expectations when meeting figures like the King or the Pope.

‘The first rule is very simple: you don’t approach the King. You wait for the King to approach you.

‘When he does, you would give a very quick curtsy – just a small, neat dip of the knee – and address him initially as “Your Majesty.” You don’t launch into conversation yourself. If the King wishes to ask you something, he will, and you respond naturally.’

Mr Smith said ‘there are slightly different customs’ when meeting the Pope.

‘He should be addressed as “Your Holiness”, and while some Catholics traditionally kiss the papal ring as a sign of respect, this is certainly not expected of everybody. A respectful handshake is perfectly appropriate.’

Commenting on Zendaya’s interaction with Mrs Macron, he continued: ‘I have always believed that the important thing, regardless of who you are meeting, is to show respect.

‘These traditions may have become less formal over the years, but courtesy should never go out of fashion.’

Despite her mostly spotless reputation, the incident with Mrs Macron isn’t the first time Zendaya has been accused of being ‘rude’ at a Louis Vuitton show.

In 2023, video emerged of her allegedly relegating her stylist, Law Roach to a second-row seat at the brand’s show at Paris Fashion Week days before he announced he was retiring from the industry.

Zendaya, then 26, was caught on camera taking her place on the front row next to Emma Stone before ushering her longtime stylist to an empty chair behind.

The clip prompted fierce debate on social media as dozens of commenters slammed Zendaya for not ‘showing him respect’ – with some suggesting that the awkward moment was the catalyst for Roach’s sudden retirement.

However, the stylist later defended Zendaya, denying any suggestion of a feud between them, while describing her as his ‘little sister’.

Zendaya also addressed the viral video in an interview with ELLE magazine, saying, ‘I ride super hard for my team, especially for people I love.’

She clarified that they had been stuck in traffic and were rushing to find their seats at the show when the video was filmed.

After she was seated, they tried to find Roach’s designated seat as Zendaya pointed one out in the second row – but rather than telling her stylist where to sit, the actress was showing him her assistant Darnell Appling’s seat.

‘We’re so used to sitting together that he didn’t know where to go,’ Zendaya continued. ‘But obviously, people want to assume the worst of the situation, which is not always easy to deal with and hurtful.’

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