Americans and Brits are famously "divided by a common language" — and when it comes to etiquette, the cultural gap runs even deeper than the ocean between them. From wedding traditions to table settings, the social customs of each country reveal distinct ideas about what’s proper, polite and refined. Enter William Hanson. A social etiquette coach and author of Just Good Manners (out May 27 from Simon & Schuster), Hanson has worked with six royal households and built an international reputation as a leading authority on protocol and decorum. Growing up in Bristol in southwest England, William Hanson’s fascination with protocol began at age 12, when his grandmother gave him an etiquette book. By 16, he was already putting that knowledge to use. At Clifton College, his school in western England, he was pulled aside and asked to teach younger students in their weekly life skills class. They had to "learn how to set the tables, and how to deal with guests,” he tells PEOPLE. “And they landed on me. I said, ‘As long as I don’t need to do rugby, then sign me up.’” “I didn’t know then it was a career," he adds. Today, Hanson observes that while Americans are often eager to embrace what they see as traditional British etiquette, there’s plenty the British could learn from their American counterparts, too. “Brits start off more cynical and work up to enthusiasm, whereas your average American starts off enthusiastic and probably works down to cynical,” Hanson says. “We might come across as cold and aloof to other nations, as we aren’t necessarily warm to people we have first met," he says. "We start by being suspicious until they earn our trust. Whereas Americans are more effusive immediately, which is probably why their hospitality is better than the British. And, while it is a bit over the top, it works.” “They’re more direct in their language. You want to be understood, and you need the message to be heard succinctly. In Britain, we can sometimes over-complicate it," he continues. He adds, "We can learn from the Americans’ generosity of spirit.” After demonstrating the proper way to host tea and serve cake, he explores the key differences between British and American etiquette — from evolving traditions to variations in decorum and even table settings. Formal Dining Table Setups Differ Between the U.K. and the U.S. “If you look at the Downton Abbey era or when the dining table was popular, we have tended to use straight-edged tables, whereas post-Jacqueline Kennedy, America switched to round tables,” Hanson says. “[The First Lady] changed it at state dinners. They are more sociable, but you have to change the place setting. In Britain, we might have table settings that have nine pieces of cutlery on each side of the plate, measured in line with a ruler, and if you have straight-edged tables, that is going to stay there. But if you have round tables, the cutlery is going to fall off the table.” So, a bread plate, which would normally be on the side aligned to the edge of the table, will be in the northwest corner of the setting in an American table, because the table curves. "Similarly, the American rule is for dessert cutlery to be above the place setting," he shares. The American style setting has now become the norm in the U.K. “Because people are tight on space, and I understand why people do that," Hanson says. Mastering the Art of State Banquets If you're lucky enough to find yourself at a state banquet on either side of the Atlantic (King Charles is entertaining French President Emmanuel Macron in July), wait until the host, the head of state, starts and finishes their meal as the signal to do the same. "Queen Elizabeth was quite a quick eater and used to have a little side salad," he says. "So, if her visiting head of state was still going strong, she would toy with her side salad to give the guest a few more mouthfuls before she signaled dinner was finished.” Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! Napkin Rings: Informal in Britain, Formal in America While we’re at the table: Napkin rings “are quite contentious,” he says. “In Britain, it is really a sign of an informal household, and its purpose was to mark a napkin as yours, as you’re going to use it over a few days. Whereas in American dining, it is a formal decoration. In America, they are terribly sophisticated, but a Brit might think they are terribly domestic!” The Job Question: A No-Go at British Parties When you arrive at a party, don’t ask about someone’s job as soon as you meet them. “In America, people work harder and are more defined by their job, and it’s understandable they might differ on this," Hanson says. "Whereas in Britain, if you went to a drinks party and you ask, ‘What do you do?’ the older generation would be perturbed at that.” Brits would rather talk about the weather. Procession Protocol At weddings in Britain, the bride typically walks in first, followed by her bridesmaids. In the U.S., the order is reversed — the procession begins with the junior members of the wedding party and culminates with the bride entering last, escorted by her father (or whoever is walking her down the aisle). “I can’t work out what I prefer,” Hanson says. “But going last, it does add a little bit of theater, a little bit of drama. In Britain, we are more like, ‘Get on with it!’” Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The Great Scone Debate When it’s time for tea, how do you pronounce that classic treat — scone? According to Hanson, it should rhyme with “gone,” not “cone” — a common misstep by those trying to sound proper. But here’s the twist: both might technically be incorrect. The treat traces its name to Scone, a town in Scotland, which is pronounced to rhyme with “June,” he notes. “But, it is the King’s English — and he says scone [as in gone], and so did the late Queen, so I will take their lead. Scone [rhyming with cone] sounds affected, as if you’re trying to sound posh.” Still, he concedes, plenty of Brits use the latter. And here's one final tip: don’t wear baseball caps indoors, especially in restaurants. “They’re there to protect you from the sun — and the sun doesn’t shine inside. British etiquette can be quite practical, whereas American etiquette can be slightly affected,” Hanson says.