Many of us imagine Princess Catherine’s life as a fairy tale; however, not everything is rosy in the life of royalty. Her journey is far more complex than it seems. Behind the pomp and pageantry of their glorious lifestyle lies a whole list of strict regulations they must adhere to.
Let’s take a look at the Royal rule book which the princess has banned from doing over the years:
1. Posing for selfies
Members of the royal family frequently interact with the public and fans, but they are not allowed to pose or take selfies. They are permitted only handshakes and greetings. However, in recent years, Catherine tends to break royal protocol by stopping for selfies, her insistence in her latest video at the Fox Club’s nursery proving that the no selfie rule ought to be removed from the Royal rule book.
2. Giving autographs
This is prohibited because royal signatures could be forged and used for fraudulent purposes. When the princess attended the 2023 Chelsea Flower Show, where she chatted about Prince Louis to visiting school children, she was not so welcoming when one of the kids asked for an autograph. “My name’s Catherine, I’m not allowed to write my signature; it’s just one of those rules,” the royal mother told a seven-year-old named Ruby. The Royal M of Three did compensate for the girl’s disappointment by drawing her a flower and also doing illustrations for other children who attended the picnic with her.
3. Going to bed before the King
Catherine cannot go to bed whenever she pleases; this is considered bad manners and a sign of poor upbringing. A former private secretary to Queen Elizabeth II, Sir William Heseltine, once stated, “Nobody felt it right to go to bed before the queen did.” An unwritten rule in the palace dictates that during dinner or any meal, once the monarch has finished eating, other family members must also set down their plates, even if they haven’t finished their meal. Therefore, like other royal family members, the princess must adjust her eating pace to match her father-in-law.
4. Makeup
A royal woman’s makeup should be as natural and understated as possible. In addition, any experimentation with nails is also forbidden. Catherine’s hands must be well-groomed but with manicures in nude or subdued shades. However, marking their first Easter without Queen Elizabeth II, this is reportedly the first time that she’d been seen with bright red nail polish since she married William in 2011.
5. Outfits
The protocol requires the princess to wear modest, conservative clothing in muted tones. Therefore, overly revealing styles, short skirts, and plunging necklines are strictly forbidden, as the royal family is staunchly against cruelty to animals. Wearing clothes made of natural fur is prohibited. While it’s not said to be strictly enforced, the late Queen was believed to prefer royal ladies to wear tights to formal events. She and other royals are advised against removing their coats or their outerwear in public. Perhaps this is why royal family members tend to wear coat dresses during colder seasons.
6. Shopping alone
Even though Catherine enjoys shopping for groceries and visiting boutiques, she is strictly forbidden from doing so alone. Middleton must leave the palace accompanied by security guards according to safety regulations.
7. Playing Monopoly
Years ago, the late Queen Elizabeth II banned family members from playing this iconic game. One time, Prince Andrew confessed that the innocent strategy of the game made it overly competitive: “We’re not allowed to play Monopoly at home; it gets too vicious.”
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8. Keep PDA to a minimum
The royals very rarely kiss or hold hands in public. Some royal watchers might assume that etiquette or royal protocol prevents couples from indulging in PDA, and some royals choose to remain professional when they are out and about because they are working representatives of the British Monarchy.
9. Accepting gifts
The royals receive hundreds of gifts from well-wishers during their public engagements and overseas tours, but there are rules around what they can and can’t accept. When it comes to members of the public, they can accept smaller gifts from individuals, such as flowers, food, reasonable amounts of consumables, and non-controversial books. However, the royals cannot accept anything more than £150.
10. Flying together
While there’s no official rule in place, heirs should technically not be taking the same flights to protect royal lineage. Of course, to be practical, you will have seen direct heirs traveling together in the past countless times before, but they must seek permission from the King, who has the final say on the matter.
8. Keep PDA to a minimum
The royals very rarely kiss or hold hands in public. Some royal watchers might assume that etiquette or royal protocol prevents couples from indulging in PDA, and some royals choose to remain professional when they are out and about because they are working representatives of the British Monarchy.
9. Accepting gifts
The royals receive hundreds of gifts from well-wishers during their public engagements and overseas tours, but there are rules around what they can and can’t accept. When it comes to members of the public, they can accept smaller gifts from individuals, such as flowers, food, reasonable amounts of consumables, and non-controversial books. However, the royals cannot accept anything more than £150.
10. Flying together
While there’s no official rule in place, heirs should technically not be taking the same flights to protect royal lineage. Of course, to be practical, you will have seen direct heirs traveling together in the past countless times before, but they must seek permission from the King, who has the final say on the matter.
