Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Archie Harrison are all settled into life in their new home away from Kensington Palace at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved to the countryside ahead of the birth of baby Archie in May and since then, those living in the area have been given a strict set of rules to follow when dealing with their new royal neighbours.
According to The Daily Mail, at a recent residents meeting a detailed list of rules were read out should anyone run into Meghan, Harry, Archie or the family’s two dogs. Neighbours were told they shouldn’t initiate conversation with the royals unless Harry or Meghan speaks to them first and in that case, they can offer a simple “good morning.” Asking about Archie is strictly off limits, as is offering to walk the couple’s dogs or petting them, even if they come into the neighbour’s propterty.
“It’s extraordinary. We’ve never heard anything like it. Everyone who lives on the estate works for the royals and knows how to behave respectfully. We aren’t told how to behave around the Queen like this. She’s very happy for people to greet her,” one neighbour told The Sun, while another said, “It would be funny if it wasn’t so over the top.”
In response to the claims, Buckingham Palace issued a statement revealing it wasn’t Harry nor Meghan who issued the set of rules, rather a “well-intentioned member of estate staff [offering] guidance at a community meeting. Neither the couple or their household made any such request.”
“The Duke and Duchess had no knowledge of this briefing and no involvement in the concept or the content, a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said.
“This was a well-intentioned briefing to help a small local community know how to welcome two new residents and help them with any potential encounter. There was no handout or letter. The talk was undertaken by a local manager and was widely viewed as being well received.”
This article originally appeared on InStyle Australia
