30. Strange Rules
Believe it or not, the royal family has many strict rules that each and every person must abide by, which is probably why the late Princess Diana got her reputation for bending them every now and then. You’d think with modern times these rules would adjust with the times, but it turns out, Queen Elizabeth is a stickler for them. Some of them are understandable, while others are downright odd. Here is a list of rules that everyone, including Kate Middleton and newest addition Meghan Markle have to follow to a T.
29. Ladies Mustn’t Remove Their Coats
As strange as it sounds, and it is, all royal women must wear their coats at all times in public. Yes, this rule is even applied to them while they’re indoors. It’s deemed “unladylike” to do so, and as you can see here, it can get a bit uncomfortable. You know this was the Queen’s doing, as she loves her matching coat sets.
28. ‘Nude’ Nail Polish Only
The royal women are also not allowed to wear any nail polish color other than nude. This seems a bit odd considering it’s a little boring and gives the women zero chance of spicing up their already rather safe wardrobes. I guess Kate thought nail polish was a small price to pay to be a princess. Her glam squad has got this shade down pat.
27. No Holding Hands
Although PDA is often seen between William and Kate when they were younger, it’s technically not allowed while they’re at work events. Luckily, this rule seems to be broken more often than not. They’re in love! Why not let them show it? Come on Grandma, it’s sweet.
26. Always Pack Black
When the royals travel abroad, they must always pack an emergency black outfit. This isn’t because they’re forced to wear it on the trip, but rather in case of a death in the family. The moment they touch foot on British soil, they must be somberly dressed to mourn the loss. With this in mind who knows how they enjoy a vacation.
25. Curtsying is a Must
If you’re a royal, you must always curtsy, or nod if you’re a male, to the eldest royal in your presence–aka the queen. As you can see here, it doesn’t look like anyone has a problem with that. Although this could get tricky depending on what shoes you’re wearing, but I bet they have a rule for that, too.
24. Your Time Isn’t Yours
Many believe it would be an honor to dine with the queen, but if you ever get the chance, you might want to eat quickly. This is because once she has finished her meal and put down her utensils, it’s over–for everyone. It’s forbidden to keep eating after she is done, even if you haven’t finished yet. This rule is just odd, no matter how you put it.
23. Tea Time
It turns out, there is a very specific way to hold a teacup and if you don’t do it right, you’re in trouble. Good thing Kate has it down, or who knows what consequences she would face. It’s necessary to hold it with both hands, and you must hold the handle at a specific angle or you’ve blown the whole thing. I wonder how long it took to make this second nature.
22. Hats Are a Must
You’ve probably noticed the royals love of hats and it’s intentional. At one point, a woman couldn’t leave the house without some sort of headdress, but now, they’re saved for only formal events like weddings or ceremonies. When there is an event that requires such a wardrobe, it’s no wonder everyone can’t stop talking about who has the most interesting piece.
21. Wedges Are a No-No
In front of the queen, wedges are a big no-no. Which why you will only see Kate wearing them when she is sure her grandmother-in-law will not be in attendance. Why you might ask? Well simply put, the Queen doesn’t like them. She’s even been known to be vocal about said opinion, even if it means hurting someone’s feelings.
20. Sitting Right is Key
This is where wardrobe and posture meet–the “duchess slant”. Kate has mastered this “ladylike” way of sitting, and it’s a good thing she did. The queen is a stickler for the appropriate way a woman should sit, especially when wearing a dress.
If you thought these rules were weird, they get even more intense when you have children.
19. The Queen Get’s to Know First
When a child is officially born, the queen is the first to know. Before it’s announced publically, she must be told, in detail, in private. This isn’t that strange of a rule considering normal folks tend to tell their families before posting it all over social media. Which kind of makes you wonder, why this is a rule at all? Kind of an unsaid tradition anyways, right?
18. Midwives Sworn to Secrecy
Midwives who take part in any royal birth are sworn to secrecy, unable to share any information about any aspect of the birth to the public or even in private. This is probably for the best, as no one wants their business out in the open. Princess Kate had three midwives during the birth of her child, Charollette.
17. Formal Names Only
In public, at least in formal settings, no royal can be addressed by anything but their full names. Although Catherine is better known as Kate, it is not permitted that she is addressed by that name in public. Seems odd as it’s how the people know her, but nevertheless, it’s a firm rule.
16. No Voting
The Royals aren’t allowed to vote, including Kate. This is probably for the best, right? Due to their positions of power, their right to vote is seen as unconstitutional, as it might sway the public in one way or another. Although it makes sense, it still seems a little unfair as it’s a right for just about everyone else. I guess it’s a small price to pay to be apart of the royal family.
15. No Political Office
Although the family still holds a great amount of influence within British society, they’re actually not allowed to hold any position of power within a political office, including Princess Kate. This makes sense, as someone could easily use this title for personal gain. Another reason is if they were trying to pass a law, others may feel pressured to agree with their stance simply because of their royal standing.
14. Royals Cannot be Roman Catholic
Okay, technically this rule changed in 2011, the year Kate and William got married. Any royal can marry whom they please. However, they themselves cannot be Roman Catholic but must be affiliated with the Church of England. This rule goes all the way back to Henry VIII, who wanted to make divorce legal, so he broke away from the Catholics. An old rule that seems to still be written in the books…somewhere.
13. No Autographs
Although Kate is known to be a celebrity in England, she’s not actually allowed to give out an autograph. She’s only allowed to sign official documents that have been approved by the queen. This rule actually makes sense, because someone could use her signature to falsify legal paperwork.
12. She’s Not Allowed To Profit
Although Kate works her butt off and technically has numerous jobs, she’s not allowed to profit off of any of her work. Strange rule indeed, especially considering she is quite a skilled photographer. She has shared her photos over the years though, giving them to the public for free.
11. No Mussels or Oysters
Apparently, Kate and the other royals aren’t allowed to eat mussels or oysters, due to health hazards. If they aren’t cleaned and stored properly, they can pose serious health risks, and the queen isn’t keen on taking those chances. Although, we have seen a few royals break this rule before.
10. No Personal Social Media
Although there are official social media accounts for the Royals, they’re not allowed to have personal accounts. That’s right, in the technology age, Kate had to give up her right to have an Instagram or Twitter account. It’s not so bad, as she and William still make announcements via Twitter, regularly. They just have someone else do it for them–much like many of your favorite celebs.
9. Tights, Always
The Duchess must also always wear nude tights whenever she is wearing a dress or a skirt. These tights must blend in perfectly with the color of her skin, which is probably why you’ve ever noticed them. The official reason states “etiquette reasons”. It may seem odd considering they’re meant to look like she’s not wearing any at all, but again, a small price to pay. Also–it probably helps with the cold.
8. Skirts Never Too Short
When Kate agreed to become apart of the royal family, she had to give up the right to mini-skirts. Ahh, yes, sad indeed. The Duchess is never seen wearing skirts shorter than three inches above the knee. Again, the palace sites “etiquette reasons” for this decision.
7. No Trousers
It’s unclear why she isn’t allowed to wear trousers, as she is allowed to wear jeans. And she does, on many occasions. In fact, there have only been two times when she has worn trousers, and they quickly disappeared from her daily wardrobe. She probably got a stern talking to by the queen–a conversation we wouldn’t want to be on the bad end of.
6. Always Carry Something
Kate is always seen carrying a clutch when attending formal events. This is, in fact, a rule, set in stone to avoid her hands ever looking awkward in a picture. It’s kind of a funny rule, but she always looks flawless in photos and never once, have we seen awkward hands. She can substitute the clutch or flowers or gloves, but nevertheless, she always has to be carrying something.
5. Mixing Color Pallets
Rarely, if ever, have we seen Kate mix color pallets in her clothing choices. This is because she sticks to monochromatic outfits, most likely a rule inherited by the queen. Both ladies tend to sport pieces that look polished and tailored, down to the color choices.
4. Hairnets
When most of us think of hairnets, we think of our middle school lunch lady. But for Kate, the hairnet has become her best friend. If she is to wear her hair up to a public event, she must contain it in a hairnet to prevent it from unraveling and causing a fashion faux pas. Silly, but actually quite helpful, I assume.
3. Those Pesky Hats
Another rule regarding hats is that whichever she decides to wear, it can’t be too large. It mustn’t cover the face nor should it be too big to easily exit a car. This probably isn’t too hard to keep in mind as a hat that large would be obnoxious on anyone.
2. Heel Height
Kate is forbidden from wearing any heels higher than six inches tall. She regularly wears heels on the cutting edge of that measurement and looks fabulous doing so. This is probably because of the age-old saying, the bigger the heel, the bigger the h**, aka “etiquette reasons”. Although we think that saying is total BS, it seems the queen does not.
1. The Right to Choose a Wedding Dress
When Kate agreed to marry William, she gave up the right to choose her wedding dress. Although she probably helped design it, the final look at to be approved by none other than the queen herself. All royal wedding outfits have to meet the royal standard, and as we witnessed, hers did.