When you think of the royal family you often think of crowns, castles or the privilege that comes with living such a glamorous lifestyle, however, being a royal is no walk in the park.
It comes as no surprise that there are many rules and regulations members of the royal family must adhere to. Some have stood the test of time while others have proven to be slightly outdated for the modern generation.
From politics to forbidden foods, we’ve rounded up 25 of the most bizarre rules that govern the lives of the royal family.
1. Married Couples Must Have At least Two Children
This tradition is more than 60 years old and requires royal couples to have no less than two children. Whether the family wants to expand further or not is up to them. The only couple who decided to have more is Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have followed in their footsteps with the recent birth of their third child, Prince Louis.
2. A Baby’s Gender Is A Secret
In the British royal monarchy, families are not permitted to reveal their child’s gender before he/she is born. Historically, the birth announcement was hand-written by the doctor immediately after the birth and sent in a car to Buckingham Palace to be displayed on an easel in the front of the palace for the public, documenting the baby’s gender. The easel is still used today to announce royal births to the public.
3. After 6pm Tiaras Come Out
It is a royal rule that after 6pm hats must be changed for tiaras as tiaras aren’t permitted to be worn during the daytime.
4. Tiaras Are Reserved For Married Women Only
Tradition in the United Kingdom prohibits an unmarried woman from wearing a tiara as it is a symbol of marriage. However once married, women are immediately allowed to wear a tiara, even as early as their wedding day.
5. When The Queen Has Finished Her Dinner, You Have Too
At a grand reception or at an official dinner, the Queen will use her handbag to send discreet signals to her staff. When she places her handbag on a table it means she wants the event to conclude within 5 minutes and is ready to be on her way!
6. Approval Before A Proposal Is Required
One must have the approval of the Queen before a marriage proposal can take place.
7. Only Women Can Be In The Room For The Delivery
Princess Diana was the first woman to break the rule of home childbirth. However, just like many centuries ago, men still cannot take part in the process.
8. You Can’t Forgo The Queen’s Birthday
Whether you’ve just gotten married or given birth, there are no excuses when it comes to attending the Queen’s birthday. All members of the royal family must be present at the celebration. No exceptions allowed.
9. You Must Sit With The Correct Posture
Women in royal families must not sit with their legs crossed at their knees. The correct posture is to keep the knees and ankles tightly together and slant the legs a little to the side. Who knew?
10. When Travelling Aboard A Royal Must Pack An All Black Outfit
Just in case there is an unexpected death. As you do.
11. No Monopoly
The famous board game isn’t to be played among the royal family. “We’re not allowed to play Monopoly at home,” Prince Andrew once said. “It gets too vicious.”
12. Heirs Do Not Travel Together
In order to preserve the line to the throne, two heirs travel apart. While the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have made the decision to break tradition and travel with their children, come Prince George’s 12th birthday, he and Prince William will most likely be required to fly separately.
13. Royals Can’t Wear Fur
Despite this rule being broken several times – we’re looking at you Kate Middleton – King Edward prohibited all royals from wearing fur in the 12th century.
14. Presents Are Not Opened On Christmas Day
Instead, the family opt to exchange gifts on Christmas Eve in the Red Drawing Room during tea time.
15. Every Bridal Bouquet Must Contain This Type Of Flower
Have you ever noticed a similarity among the bouquets of royal brides? All royal wedding bouquets have featured lemon myrtle. This tradition dates back to the marriage of Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter, Princess Victoria, when the flower was first used.
16. Garlic Isn’t Allowed Inside Buckingham Palace
Why? Simply because the Queen hates it.
17. Cleavage Is A Big No No
Showing cleavage isn’t a part of the royal dress code. Princess Diana would often use her clutches to hide her cleavage when exiting a car.
18. Prince George Has A Dress Code
Even royal children have specific dress codes they have to abide by. Prince George is restricted to wearing tailored shorts as he cannot wear long pants.
19. Utensil Placement Is Very Important
If a royal is finished with a meal, they will place their utensils at an angle, with the handles at the bottom of the right plate. However, if they need to exit the room during dinner but are yet to finish dinner they cross their utensils to avoid their plate being removed.
20. There’s A Protocol For Speaking With The Queen
At formal dinner parties, the Queen begins by speaking to the person seated to her right. She then switches to the guest on her left during the second course of the meal.
21. The Family Can’t Express Their Political Views
Members of the royal family are not permitted to engage in any political activity. This extends from voting to not running for office. By staying above politics, the family aim to present a neutral stance, therefore, maintaining their public role of being relatable to every person of society.
22. All Gifts Must Be Accepted
The royals must receive all gifts graciously, no matter how big or small. The gifts are either used, stored or donated.
23. The Queen’s Corgis Are Prepared Gourmet Meals
We all know how much the Queen loves her dogs, so much that they are prepared individually designed gourmet meals on silver platters. Not to mention, they’re also handed out in order of seniority.
24. Women Must Wear Hats To Official Outings
Royal protocol states that women must wear hats to all formal royal occasions, an etiquette rule that dates back to the 1950s when it was seen as improper for upper class and royal women to show their hair in public.
25. The Queen Isn’t Required to Have A Driver’s License
Her Majesty is the only person in the United Kingdom who can drive without a license. Among her many privileges, she has never needed to take a driving test and is allowed to drive without a number plate on her state car.
