Listen, everyone dreams about being royalty, but after hearing what it’s like to be Kate Middleton, you may reconsider. Her life as Duchess of Cambridge is not always easy or fun. Since she’s officially royalty, she must follow a very strict and precise protocol.
Kate Middleton Must Follow Some Pretty Strict Rules
Ever since Kate Middleton married Prince William, she’s needed to dramatically change her lifestyle based on the royal rules for living at the court of Queen Elizabeth II. There are tons of rules, some more reasonable than others. Some of these Princess rules don’t come without controversy. You may be surprised to hear about how she cannot hug Prince William in public or even earn her own money. These are just some of the strange rules that Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, must abide by!
Absolutely No Autographs
Ever since joining the British Royal Family, Kate Middleton has become an international star. Despite this, the Duchess of Cambridge cannot sign fan autographs. Actually, the rules of the crown dictate that she is only permitted to sign those official papers that Queen Elizabeth II authorizes. Now, the reason for this strict policy is logical. The Royal Family wants to prevent anyone from falsifying any documents. Thus, Kate Middleton and other Royal Family members can only take photos and shake hands.
Cannot Profit From Any Work
Now, here’s a rule that some people have a hard time understanding in our modern world. The Duchess of Cambridge must not earn profit from any work. Kate Middleton herself is an avid photographer. Over the years, she’s released some lovely professional pictures she’s taken. However, since she’s part of the Royal Family she is not allowed to license these photographs for profit. Thus, her personal work has been released to the public through the Palace without any personal profit for Kate.
Queen Comes First
This rule applies to Kate Middleton and anyone special enough to be in the company of the Queen! (Maybe even you one day…) Anyway, while dining with the Queen, everyone must stop their meal immediately once she finishes. Yes, that’s right, they put down all silverware and stop eating as soon as she does so herself. Can you imagine if the meal is delicious but then you need to stop enjoying your meal?
No Oysters Or Mussels
Kate is not permitted to enjoy oysters or mussels. Now, this seems a little unfair for avid seafood lovers, but there’s a somewhat valid reason behind this one. The Royal Family wants to prevent illness, and we all know these foods are connected with food poisoning. Thus, the Royal Family cannot risk it and forbids the family from eating them.
No Bright Polish Colors
Ever struggle picking the right nail polish color? Surely, Kate Middleton no longer has that issue since her manicure color choices have now become very limited. Yes, the Duchess of Cambridge is usually either Nude 423 Allure (Essie) or Soft Pink 28 Rose Lounge (Bourjois). According to the royal protocol the family must keep their nails natural tones for official events and absolutely no bright colors. Take the Queen for example, she’s worn that same enamel shade on her nails ever since 1989!
Social Media Is A No
Not all of the Royal policies are traditions from long ago. Actually, the Royal Family is forbidden from using any social media. That means the family members do not have private accounts. The reason for this is that the Palace hopes to prevent a breach of any private, secret data. However, there are official crown accounts. Naturally, communication professionals manage these accounts, carefully choosing each photo and caption.
PDA Rules
Now, imagine this…you are not allowed to kiss or even hug your significant other when in public. Yes, that’s how Kate Middleton lives life. According to the Queen, public displays of affection (PDA) are totally unacceptable. Thus, no photographer will capture an intimate moment between Prince William and the Duchess. In fact, the rule even includes hand holding! Those signs of affection are strictly for private, behind closed doors.
Dress Code
Of course, before Kate Middleton became the Royal Duchess, she wore things you would never see her in now, like vibrant, bright clothing and maybe leather boots. Well, she can wear leather still, but only if animals were not sacrificed. That sounds like a nice rule honestly. Clearly, this rule is about ethics and also to ensure Kate Middleton doesn’t have a wardrobe that’s over the top and too luxurious.
No Voting
Not a single member in the Royal family is permitted to submit any application to parliament or even vote. In addition, monarchs are required to stay neutral, in order to avoid damage to the family reputation. However, this Royal rule is more of a consensus since legally, there’s no law permitting anyone from voting. Yet, who is going to disobey the Queen herself?
No Longer Allowed To Wear Provocative Clothing
Years ago, Kate Middleton may have worn more colorful and daring clothing. Now, she’s completely changed her style and only wears elegant clothing. Most of the time, she’s in a modest dress and rarely is seen wearing pants. If you’re looking to emulate the Duchess’ style, you need plenty of dresses and skirts in solid prints. Oh, let’s not forget to accessorize with a lovely hat!
Black Only For Certain Occasions
According to the rules, the family must avoid black clothing during the daytime. Actually, Kate Middleton is only supposed to opt for black when in mourning or occasional evening events. In case of an emergency funeral, all Royal Family members must pack a set of black clothes when traveling out of the country. That way, if anyone dies, then will be able to land in the country already dressed properly. The invention of this rule came about when Queen Elizabeth II’s father, George VI, died and she was on a trip through Africa. Once she landed in England, she did not have black clothes to get off the plane in.
Monopoly Is Forbidden
Now, this has to be one of the more absurd rules out of the bunch. Apparently, the Royals are not allowed to play the game Monopoly. Why, you ask? Well, in 2008, the Duke of York called in a “vicious” pasttime, thus, the Queen’s subordinates were told to avoid such frivolous, playful activity. Next, this rule would really be a bummer for family vacations.
Royal Family Cannot Travel With One Another On Same Mode Of Transportation
If the Royal Family wants a vacation, there’s some serious planning involved. That’s because the family cannot travel all together on the same boat, train or plane. According to the Palace rules, this would prevent potential heirs from tragically dying together in a transportation accident. Thus, it’s not likely that Kate Middleton travels with both Prince William and her father-in-law, Prince Charles, together.
Frequent Trips To The Salon
There’s a lot of pressure on the Duchess to always look elegant and near perfect. One never knows when a photographer might snap a picture or she and Prince William will be invited to an important event. Thus, she always must have clean, trim nails and the proper hairstyle. The British magazines speculate Kate Middleton visits the beauty salon about three times within a week. Sounds like a nice perk to us!
Must Be Protestant Anglican
Kate Middleton, along with all the Royal Family members, must belong to only the Protestant Anglican church. Also, the British monarch serves as the Protestant Anglican Church’s supreme head. Thus, it could get awkward if one member was practicing another religion. The Duchess herself had a religious confirmation ceremony in 2011 at the Anglican Church. Actually, that ceremony was a crucial part of her preparation to marry Prince William.
Family Christmas
For Christmas, the whole Royal Family spends the holiday in Norfold at Sandringham Palace. However, they don’t all open presents at midnight or even the morning of the 25th. Instead, they exchange holiday gifts during tea time on Christmas Eve.
Cannot Show Too Much Emotion
Are you able to control your emotions on command? Well, as the Duchess, Kate has no other choice. Ever since she joined to Royal Family, she must keep a calm demeanor in the public. For example, she’s not supposed to cry in public. Also, when taking part of any humanitarian events or tributes, you have probably noticed she shows little emotion, always staying very calm. That sounds quite difficult, so props to her!
Stays Two Steps Behind William
Yes, our modern world has evolved a great deal when it comes to gender equality. However, some older traditions remain in the Royal Family. In order to respect these traditions of Prince William’s family, the Duchess must set aside any reservations and always follow two steps behind her husband in official public appointments. Not sure how we feel about this rule…
Knowing The Queen’s Signals
One of Kate’s responsibilities as Duchess is to always stay attentive to any signals from the Queen. For example, if the Queen is ready to leave a dinner even after just ten minutes, she places her personal bag on the table. Oh, don’t forget everyone is required to stop eating when Queen Elizabeth II decides to end the meal. Also, the Queen can signal she’s tired of speaking with a person by switching her bag from one arm to her other.
No Nicknames In Buckingham Palace
After one marries into the Royal Family, they gain a special title. Thus, Kate Middleton became the Duchess of Cambridge upon marrying Prince William. Therefore, diminutives are not used for the Royals. Within the family, Kate is addressed simply as Catherine Elizabeth Middleton. They do not opt for any nicknames in Buckingham Palace.
The Bouquet Is Always Myrtle
When it came to her wedding bouquet, Kate Middleton did not really have a choice. As you may have also noticed with Meghan Markle, the royal brides always enter with a special branch of myrtle. This myrtle symbolizes not only good luck, but happiness in marriage. The royal tradition started when Queen Victoria received myrtle from the groom’s grandmother. Nowadays, they take the myrtle from a special tree in the royal garden.
Royal Wedding Act of 1722
Before Kate could marry Prince William, his family needed to approve of her. According to the Royal Wedding Act of 1722, all descendants of British royalty have to follow this. In the document, it says the Royal Family has to approve before any official marriage request. Wow, we wonder things would have gone over if Kate or even Meghan Markle had not been approved of!
Staying Neutral Politically
So, as we discussed, Kate is not permitted to vote, but did you know she cannot run for political office or even speak publicly about politics? This all comes from the imperative that the Royal Family needs to stay neutral. Thus, she also must be neutral at all times whenever questioned about politics.
Dinner Parties Are Meticulously Planned
If you think hosting a dinner party as the Duchess is all fun and and games, think again. She must be completely attentive to every single detail. In order to avoid any carelessness or disaster, she must use the same company each time for help. Yes, the Marshal’s Office always organizes any dinner. Everything is planned down to the seating arrangement of those at the table. Typically, they order the people in precedence, which also considers crucial factors like, language, age and interests.
Garlic Is Not Allowed In The Palace
Honestly, this rule might be the hardest for us to abide by if we ever had to dine with the Queen. Yes, Kate Middleton has no say in this even if she also loves garlic. Since Queen Elizabeth II absolutely abhors garlic, no dish will ever be made in Buckingham Palace that has garlic. However, the Duchess and other family members can enjoy dishes with garlic outside the Palace as much as they want.
Must Accept All Gifts
Now as Duchess, Kate needs to accept all gifts from fans or anyone else. Every member of the Royal Family cannot refuse gifts and must accept them with graciously with smiles. Actually, the family has gotten some odd items over the years. Back in 2015, Queen Elizabeth II received a throne from the Game of Thrones miniature series. Also, Prince Charles even got a doctoral thesis! Oh and Prince Andrew…someone once gave him an Arctic Monkeys CD.
Hats Only Until 6pm
Ah, the hats of the Royal women! Yes, they all must wear hats at formal events. However, they are not allowed to wear hats if it’s after 6pm. In the evenings, they switch to tiaras or crowns. Also, these accessories need to sit at just the right angle. Traditionally, the women place them at the front of their head, but now a modern style has become to put them at a 45 degree angle.
Keeping A Clean Image
Every single member of British royalty has to maintain a clean image and especially including the women. Thus, you will never see Kate Middleton with too much makeup or suggestive clothing. Come on, you probably cannot even recall one photo of the Duchess wearing anything close to daring makeup or extravagant prints? Yup, that’s what we thought.
Being Well-Cultured Is Required
Becoming such a famous public figure that travels for various official appointments requires being well-versed in other cultures. Thus, Kate must learn not only local histories of places she’s visiting, but their cultures as well. Additionally, all members of the Royal Family are required to learn multiple languages.
Can’t Turn Her Back To Queen
Another rule relating to the mighty Queen herself…Kate Middleton is not permitted to ever turn her back on Queen Elizabeth II. We mean literally, but probably figuratively also applies. The Queen must always exit a location first with the Royal Family following behind her.
Announcing A Royal Pregnancy
Believe it or not, there’s even a royal protocol for when the women learn they’re pregnant. Typically, pregnancies of royal women are reported post 12-weeks. However, the Duchess was an exception to this rule. Unfortunately, Kate Middleton suffered from aggressive nausea, the the Royal Family needed to explain her absence at official events and thus, announced the pregnancy earlier than usual.
Gender Revealed At Birth
However, the gender of the baby is something the British Royal Family usually conceals until the birth. They keep everything strictly confidential until the child is born. Thus, British society and even the world at large likes to speculate and even bet on the sex of the baby.
Name Also Released Upon Birth
In addition, Kate was not allowed to say what the child’s name would be before the birth. Therefore, the world did not learn her third child was Prince Louis until after his birth on the 23rd of April 2018. Her other children are Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Usually, it takes a few days for the name to be released.
Royal Birth
Unlike ordinary people and even most celebrities, Kate Middleton cannot enjoy any discretion after giving birth to children. After a royal birth, a golden easel is traditionally placed near Buckingham Palace that states the baby’s date of birth and gender as an official announcement. This special announcement is done by a messenger who gets to inform the British people on London’s streets. In addition, the Duchess needs to look beautiful and presentable even hours after delivering a baby, in order to introduce the child to the public. Yes, she must be ready to leave the maternity ward and greet her fans.
Children Must Be Well-Behaved
At all times, Kate Middleton must make sure her kids are well-behaved. Surely, all parents hope to have mildly mannered children. However, the royal couple needs to somehow control their three kids who are all under five years old. Despite the challenge, the Duchess keeps things under control when in public. Not only are her kids dressed impeccably, but they are always on their best behavior in public.
Royals On Number Of Children
On average a family will have 2.4 children. In late April, Prince William and Duchess Kate officially welcomed a third child to their family. Kensington Palace released a statement confirming the baby boy was born at 11 am at Saint Mary Hospital on April 23, 2018. Some wonder if the couple will have a fourth child. While no official rules exist limiting the amount of kids a royal couple can have, they do lead by example. The Royal Family is urged to not have many children due to concerns with limited resources on the planet, as well as climate change.
Proper Posture
Every female member of the Royal Family must sit properly in a specific way. They cannot just cross their legs, one over the other. No, the knees are always firmly together. Yes, they are permitted to cross the ankles and then tilt the knees to the side. It goes without saying that good posture is necessary.
Key To Perfect Photos
Ever wonder how Kate always looks so perfect in every photograph? I mean you just do not see candid pictures of the Royal Family. That’s because they have a protocol for being photographed. For women, they must keep their jaws parallel to the floor. Since things like these are not exactly second nature, they get trained in a special etiquette class.
Drinking Tea Properly
Of course, anyone knows that British take tea very seriously. However, for the royals, how to properly drink tea is also crucial. Apparently, they are taught to never put a finger in the cavity of the cup’s handle. Thus, they should hold the teacup with their thumb and forefinger, underneath their middle finger and the little finger. This cannot separate from any of their other fingers. Wow, the Duchess probably rehearsed this specific process numerous times in order to satisfy the Queen.
Queen Hears First
Back to a royal birth, the Queen is always the first person to be notified about the birth before anyone else is told. Yes, no matter the situation, the Queen is always to hear first. In fact, Prince William dphoned his grandmother directly on a special encrypted phone upon his son’s birth, to notify her first.
Official Announcement
Once the Queen is notified properly, then comes the official person that can announce it to the public. The official title for this person is the crier. Now, a man named Tony Appleton serves this position. Back during medieval times, this tradition began because most people were illiterate.
Covering Up
Obviously, the Duchess is not to reveal any cleavage whatsoever. Actually, Princess Diana used to hold her chest while exiting a vehicle to prevent any slips. She needed to take this precaution in case paparazzi snapped any revealing photos. That’s probably a smart move for all royal women.
Orderly Entrance
Whenever the Royal Family is in a group, they have to enter a room in order of precedence. You probably have noticed this. In addition, the entire group is then seated in that same manner. So, they enter and sit down by who is in order to take the throne next.
Polite Pardon From The Table
While enjoying a meal at events, members of the family cannot cause a fuss. Thus, if and when Kate Middleton must use the restroom, all she says is “excuse me.” Naturally, no one at the event must hear that she needs to relieve herself in the bathroom.
The Duchess Slant
Did you know the women of the Royal Family are not allowed to sit with their legs crossed? While this is not an official role, it is one that is definitely observed. In fact, Princess Diana invented the sitting technique. The media later labeled it the “the Duchess slant.” She sat with her legs slanted side-by-side. Now all royalty including Kate are expected to sit this way and it is viewed as classy and respectful.
No Personal Social Media
Kate Middleton had to kiss her Snapchat and Instagram followers goodbye following her engagement and wedding. It is a rule that members of the Royal Family are not allowed to manage their own social media accounts, and are represented as part of the family. Kate actually isn’t a big fan of social media anyway. She stated in a recent speech to school children, “It can get so addictive as well. It becomes part of your lifestyle, doesn’t it?” She said this as she encouraged them to put down their electronics.
The No Selfie Culture
Going off of that, Royal Family are not supposed to take selfies. There is a pretty sound reasoning behind this, actually. They believe a member of the family should always make eye contact and engage in a proper conversation with any person. No more dog selfies for you, Meghan!
No More Autographs
Another restrictive rule Kate Middleton must follow is that members of the Royal Family are forbidden from signing autographs! Why was this rule created? Well,it was made due to fear of people forging Royal’s signatures, which are used to sign royal documents. This rule has actually been broken a couple times by both Prince William and Kate Middleton. Oops!
Closet Purge
The Queen has many rules about wardrobe that Kate and now Meghan must follow. Obviously, the Royal Family must look the part, after all! According to Vanity Fair magazine, the Queen really hates wedge shoes and has requested none of the royal women to wear them. Good thing Kate Middleton prefers stilettos anyway.
A Full-Time Royal
Before becoming engaged to Prince William, Kate Middleton had a full-time career. She did a number of things for work. Did you know she was a website designer, photographer, and marketing officer for her parents’ planning company? When she was asked to become royalty, she was asked to not work anymore and only focus on royal affairs as her full-time job. She agreed of course!
Royal Residence
Here is yet another strict rule: no house of your own! “Normal” homes or private places of residence are banned. Any property owned by a member of the family must be approved by the Queen as per a royal protocol(this rarely, rarely happens). Basically, private homes are out of the question.
Adult Bridesmaids Are a No-No
One rule and tradition is that royal brides are supposed to have their royal entrapment be young children or friends her own age. Kate broke this rule when she had her sister, Pippa, as a bride maid. Some royal rules can be broken, right?
Free of Fur
Back in the 12th century, King Edward III banned all men from wearing fur. Since then, it has become a tradition but it is often broken. In fact, Queen Elizabeth and Kate have both broken this rule and actually faced some heat about it from animal rights activists.
Royal Gun Salute
A royal baby is kind of a big deal! A new birth is traditionally marked with a gun salute near Buckingham Palace. Now Kate has 3 beautiful children: Prince George of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, and of course Prince Louis of Cambridge.
[caption id="attachment_8931" align="aligncenter" width="715"] Royal Gun Salute
Girls Only!
Traditionally, the royal women have their childbirths at home. Princess Diana was actually the first to break this rule, and Kate followed suit. Her most recent birth was at the Lindo Wing at St. Mary’s Hospital in London. Crowds gathered outside to get a glimpse of the adorable family! In addition to that, another royal rule is that only women are present during the birth. Sorry, royal guys!
Children At The Royal Wedding
Naturally, every royal wedding must have tons of adorable children! As we mentioned, royal wedding parties are usually made up of young children. Kate had Pipa as part of her wedding party, and we loved it! We also think the children are adorable.
Tiaras Must Be Angled
Another rule all married women must follow is about the epic tiaras. Of course, all women must master the proper angling of their tiaras. They must be worn at an exact 45-degree angle!
Royals Should Be At Least Bilingual
Did you know all members of the Royal Family are expected to study multiple languages? For example, the Queen is wonderful at French. Kate has already revealed she is raising her children to be bilingual and we are not surprised. Kate herself is fluent in Spanish and was recently seen on a trip in Gloucester speaking with a 9-year-old Spanish girl.
Chin Placement
All royal women need to pose with their chin parallel to the ground. No big deal right? We think absolutely no detail of royal life is overlooked.
Tiaras For Married Women Only
Not sure if you picked up on this, but only married women wear tiaras. Apparently, they signify their relationship status and tell any bachelors if a woman is ‘off-limits.’ Kate Middleton got her first royal tiara on her wedding day. It was a Cartier halo from the Queen’s very own collection!
No Pants For Young Princes
Confused as to why Prince George never wears pants? This third in line to the throne only wears shorts. As William Hanson, a British etiquette expert told Harper’s Bazaar, “Trousers are for older boys and men, whereas shorts on young boys is one of those silent markers that we have in England. A pair of trousers on a young boy is considered quite middle class—quite suburban. And no self-respecting aristo or royal would want to be considered suburban.” Only when a young royal boy reaches eight years old do they begin wearing pants.
Gloves Protect
Of course, gloves can be a look, but there’s more to this accessory than fashion for the royals! Actually, gloves help protect the Queen and other royals from germs when they have to shake hands with lots of people. The royal glove maker has stated most are white or black and made from nylon or cotton to prevent germs from spreading.
Coats Stay On
Removing the outermost layer, usually the coat, is considered ‘unladylike’ for female royals. Even if the temperature is quite warm, Kate Middleton needs to grin and bear it!
Clutches Come In Handy
Princess Diana often used her clutches to shield sensitive areas from the paparazzi’s view. Anya Hindmarch commented to The Telegraph, “We used to laugh when we designed what she called her ‘cleavage bags.'[They were] little satin clutches which she would cover her cleavage with when she stepped out of cars.”
Military Uniforms
Ever since the 19th century, royals who have served in the military must wear uniforms to formal or special events, like Trooping the Colour or Remembrance Day. Perhaps, you knew this, but Prince Charles and Prince Andrew served in the military. While Princess Anne didn’t serve, she was an honorary rear admiral.
Denim Not Preferred
It’s always better to be overdressed, especially if you’re a royal. There’s no rule against jeans but for more casual occasions, the women tend to wear trousers with blazers or cardigans. However one etiquette expert said an exception could be “if the duchess is outside walking the dogs for example, then jeans are fine.”
Wedding Dress Approval
Does this one really surprise you? Even though the brides have flexibility with choosing their style, ultimately, the Queen has the final say on their wedding gown aesthetic and design. Meghan Markle actually showed the Queen her Ralph & Russo gown privately just a week before she married Prince Harry.
Another Clutch Use
Turns out, clutches are not just for covering up your cleavage! While Princess Di used it for that, Kate Middleton uses them to avoid shaking hands, by keeping both hands on her bag to seem occupied. Members of the public cannot touch royals unless they initiate.
Complimenting Host Nations
While the royal family travels abroad, they pay tribute to other nations by wearing the national color of the host country or even by incorporating a special emblem in their attire. When Kate Middleton visited Canada, she sported a maple leaf brooch. During her visit to India, she wore an outfit by a local designer and that brought them so much traffic to their website it crashed within hours!
Week Long Preparations
Most already know that the Queen loves the holidays. Every year, the royal family celebrates Christmas at the Queen’s Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. Apparently, the Queen always gets there a week prior to start preparations.
Corgis Are Royalty Too
No one can come between the Queen and her corgis. In fact, the staff at the Palace cannot reprimand the corgis, no matter how the dogs behave. The Queen likes them to roam freely and enjoys walking them daily. Not to mention, the pups get gourmet meals daily that the chef prepares.
Introducing Last Names
Until the 20th century, royal kids did not have last names. Naturally, they were called by the dynasty or house to which they belonged. Royal children were homeschooled until Princess Di sent both William and Harry to private school. That’s why prior to that, there was never a need for them. Now, they go by a single surname and not their royal title, so Prince George is George Cambridge.
Special Driver
Lucky Queen! She can drive without plates on her car or even a driver’s license! However, all the other royals must always have their licenses on them.
Unspoken Rule
Although it’s not an explicit rule, the Queen expects and even enforces that female members of the royal family wear tights at all public gathering. Pantyhouse are required! Even though Meghan Markle didn’t wear them for her November engagement photos, she seemed to get the member by Commonwealth Day in March.
Royal Words
Some words will never be uttered by the royals. For example, ‘toilet’ is not used, but instead they say ‘lavatory.’ In addition, couches are called sofas. We wonder how many other specific word choices Meghan needs to memorize now!
Off-Limits
Usually, royal babies aren’t permitted to meet world leaders. However, Kate Middleton and Prince William made an exception in 2016 when they let Prince George meet Barack and Michelle Obama.
No Foreign Thrones
The Queen is not permitted to sit on any foreign throne. Yes, they means even if it is the throne of the Seven Kingdoms from the fictional show Game of Thrones.
Properly Address Royalty At All Times
You have to address royals properly. It can be tricky! When meeting to Queen, you call her “Your Majesty” first and then switch to “Ma’am.” Other high female royals are “Your Royal Highness,” and then “Ma’am” as well. Male goes from “Your Royal Highness” to “Sir.”
Weigh Down Hemlines
The Queen gets small, lead curtain weights sewn into her dress hemlines to avoid any uncomfortable Marilyn moments! After a bit of breezy days, Kate caught onto this trick.