Being a princess is a dream for many girls. Luckily for many of them, they grow out of these dreams and get good ones. Because becoming part of the royal family comes along with a whole list of rules, traditions, and expectations!
So Meghan must be truly in love to triumph over it all. Just about every aspect of life is from now on dictated by Royal tradition, rules and the Queen herself. What to eat, WHEN to eat, what to wear, where to go and much more.
So, find out how her life will change and what is expected of her as the new Duchess of Sussex.
From Red to Nude
Meghan will have no problem adhering to the rule of royal women to always have their nails clean and polished since she has always looked sophisticated even before royalty was on the cards! However, red or bright shades are a no-no. according to OK! Magazine, Royal Family members stick to light and nude nail polishes because dark and colored hues are forbidden.
Clean fingers
Meghan has stuck to this rule perfectly, appearing in public for the last few months wearing only light-colors on her nails. Now as a member of the royal family, she can take some advice from the Queen herself as well as her stylish sister-in-law Kate Middleton by investing in some of Essie’s peachy colors such as the pale pink color Ballet Slippers, the apparent favorite at Buckingham Palace.
Closet Purge
Many standards and rules set in Buckingham Palace go purely according to the Queen’s preferences. An example is the Queen's hatred of wedge shoes! The queen hates them and according to Vanity Fair, has made it clear to women in the Royal Family that an outfit paired with wedges will not be well-received — just because of the shoes!
Yes your majesty
Sometimes it seems Markle has been prepping for the role of Duchess forever! Meghan has always been more of a stiletto and pumps girl, so this is another rule that she probably will have no problem adhering to. But if she does have anything that resembles a wedge in that closet of hers, its time for them to go,
No Personal Social Media
As a former TV star with her role on Suits, Markle is used to being a social media queen, Snap Chat being one of her ways to connect more personally with fans/ however, the new royal had to say goodbye the cute doggy filters once her official engagement was announced.
Bye Bye selfie
In fact, most of her social media accounts including Twitter and Facebook have been inactive for months. Members of the royal family are not allowed any social media and members like Prince William, Kate Middleton, and Prince Harry, Meghan Markle have to share updates about their life using the Kensington Royal account which shares all the important announcements of the royal family
No More Autographs
No social media, no selfies and another one- no autographs! This is another rule that conflicts with what Meghan has experienced as a Hollywood star for so long. But the royal family is forbidden to sign any autographs, this time for a valid reason.
No more close and personal
This rule was created in order to avoid anyone from forging the royal signature. The only documents royals may sign are royal ones! However, some rules are meant to be broken and Prince Charles broke this specific one when he signed a piece of paper with “Charles 2010” for a family whose home was destroyed by a flood.
Prince William and Kate Middleton also broke the rule by signing the U.S. Embassy book of condolences for the victims of the Orlando shootings in 2016.
Royal Residence
Regardless of your level of royalty, be it Prince, Princess, Duke, Duchess, Earl, or Countess, the option of living in a regular home is off-limits. Although if Markle really wanted to live in a house in England, Prince Harry could stay there if he really wanted to, it would have to be approved by the queen herself.
Home away from home
The new royal lovebirds Meghan and Prince Harry may choose to follow the footsteps of Prince Williams and Kate Middleton who chose to live in Anmer Hall, an independent royal residence not attached to a palace or castle. However, the option of an ordinary house is kind of out of the question.
Limited Political Rights
As it would be expected, as soon as Markle tied the knot to her prince, she obtained U.K. citizenship. However, although she may be a full citizen since she is part of the royal family, political expression and voting is something that has remained off-bounds for the new princess.
Stick to royalty
The reason that the royal family cannot vote, or express strong political sentiments is a logical one. It is to avoid the heavy political sway that the royal family could have on the public.
PDA is Frowned Upon
Although there is no official rule regarding public displays of affection, the Queen herself has set the tone by always walking a few steps ahead of Prince Philip and never being seen holding hands. most of the Royals have taken her example and the longstanding tradition has made PDA a rare thing amongst royals.
No touching
Myka Meier, a royal etiquette expert, explained that this tradition is why no one has spotted Prince William and Kate Middleton holding hands or kissing ever since their wedding. However, Markle and Prince Harry seem to be breaking this rule on a constant basis. The couple, who is bringing more of a modern feel to the royal family, are often seen holding hands and getting cozy in public.
“Meghan and Prince Harry holding hands at a royal engagement is a refreshingly modern approach to their new role both as a couple and as representative of the royal family,” Meier stated.
The Duchess Slant
It is not only in ‘The Princess Diaries’ where the royal women are forbidden to sit with their legs crossed. Although not an official rule, women of the Royal Family members are forbidden to sit with folded legs.
Sitting princess
You’ll never see the Duchess of Cambridge crossing her legs. Instead, she slightly slants her legs side-by-side and that tilt has been dubbed “the Duchess slant.” In fact, Princess Diana was the one to come up with the feminine royal seating position to avoid crossing her legs.
No Nicknames at Buckingham Palace
Nicknames are another thing in Buckingham Palace that is frowned upon since it is considered too informal. But what happens behind closed doors in another story! Lady Diana and Kate Middleton actually skipped the rule as people often referred to Diana as “Lady Di” and refer to the Duchess as “Kate,” instead of her full name, Catherine.
Call me prince
But the nicknames don’t stop there. Prince Harry’s close friends call him “Potter,” while Prince William and Kate were overheard calling each other endearing names such as “darling” and “babe”. Even the Queen has a nickname — she was called “Lilibet” as a child.
Hats Off; Tiaras On!
One of the best parts of watching royal events is seeing the fashion, especially the hats that the elegant women wear. However, those hats are not just a fashion statement. An outfit to an official event is considered incomplete without a hat, but if the event takes place indoors after 18:00, the hats need to come off to make room for a sparkly tiara.
Starting the tiara fashion
Tiara's also had their own meaning. The tiara rule is only for married women, so if a royal bachelor spots a woman at a former event without a tiara, he knows she’s on the market!
A Royal Beauty Routine
One huge perk which comes from joining the royal family is that a hairstylist is to be available under any and every circumstance. Just think about when the Duchess of Cambridge got her hair done after she gave birth. Kate Middleton is expected to look well-groomed, manicured, and healthy at all times, so she goes for monthly haircuts, facials, and bi-annual hair treatments.
The Duchess also goes for manicures, blow waves, dental and beauty consultations, as well as nutritionist appointments.
Beauty calls
Despite becoming royalty, Kate remains loyal to the Richard Ward salon she frequented before she got married to achieve her signature blowout hair and to The Hale Clinic in London to get her bee-venom facial done by the beauty expert Deborah Mitchell.
Free of Fur
The royal family jumped onto the ‘anti-fur’ bandwagon a long time ago when King Edward III banned anyone, including the Royal Family and the men of the Church, from wearing any fur in the 12th century. However, this is another rule that some royals, including Queen Elizabeth, turn a blind eye to now and then.
Save the animals
Despite being one of the worlds favorite couples, even Prince Willian and Kate can fall under the critique of the public eye, like in 2016 when they were seen wearing traditional scarves with an otter fur trimming and fur-lined ski gloves during a visit in Canada.
A Neon-Colored Dressed Queen
Modesty and elegance are two important factors when it comes to the royal family presenting themselves. You’ll almost never see any of them wearing very casual clothing. Even Prince George of Cambridge needs to sport some tailored shorts and polo shirts when seen out.
Look at me
It’s impossible to miss the queen when she makes public appearances, largely due to the fact that she is renowned for her neon-colored ensembles consisting of a matching coat, dress, and hat. One of the main reasons behind her daring and trademark fashion chooses, according to Countess Sophie of Wessex, is so people can be able to say “I saw the Queen” or spot a bit of her hat.
A Somber Wardrobe Requirement
One of the most somber rules of the royals come into play when they travel aboard. Every member of the royal family is required to pack an all-black outfit in their luggage, even the neon-color-loving Queen. Why? You ask, read on to find out…
The reason is that every family member should be prepared for mourning and funeral appropriate outfit. And this rules actually comes from experience! When the Queen was informed of her father King George VI’s death while she was in Kenya with Prince Philip she had no mourning outfit on her upon her return to England.
No Shellfish
Even when it comes to what they eat, there are rules for royals in place. An old rule in England declared shellfish off limits for the Royal Family to eat because of the potential chance of food poisoning. However, this one is slowly phasing out.
Easy food
The Queen bent the rule during former President Barack Obama’s visits to the U.K., and a few private chefs at Buckingham Palace have revealed that they served lobster on several occasions. But the queen is known to be very picky when it comes to what she put in her mouth and has band certain condiments from all the residence of Buckingham Palace.
Garlic Breath Prevention
One of the foods she has banned is garlic! The queen despises garlic. She also doesn’t like her food served with too many onions and steers away from potatoes, pasta, and rare meat. Chef Carolyn Robb, who worked as a full-time private chef at Kensington Palace, told OK! Magazine that the reason for the garlic ban is that the Royals have to talk at so many public occasions that garlic breath is a real no-no!
Hold the garlic
When royals are traveling, they are also instructed to stay away from spicy foods or tap water to avoid upsetting their stomachs and not Bering able to make all the public appearances they have planned.
What the queen does enjoy is strawberries and chocolate biscuit cake! Her breakfast is said to consist of English Breakfast tea and Cornflakes served in plastic Tupperware containers for her and Prince Philip.
Dinner with the Queen
When it comes to dining with the matriarch Queen Elizabeth, there are strict rules in place. No one is allowed to start eating until Her Majesty the Queen has lifted her cutlery to take her first bite of the meal.
After me
It doesn’t end there- All members of the Royal Family and the other dinner guests need to keep their eye on the Queen because as soon as she stops eating, everyone has to stop as well even if there is food left on their plates. What’s worse is that the queen is known to be a speedy eater, so if you ever dine with the queen be sure to gobble that food down!
Small Talk with the Royal Family
No matter what meal you attend with the queen, be it high tea or dinner, even the mealtime conversations have rules. The Queen starts the conversation with the guests by turning to the person seated to her right to converse during the first course. She then switches to the guest seated to her left during the second course.
Right and left
Random seating is not a thing when it comes to Buckingham Palace. The seating is decided by people in the offices of the Marshall of the Court. They are careful to arrange the seating for the guests according to certain criteria ranging from age, language, and interests.
Queen Elizabeth’s Secret Conversation Code
If you ever find yourself talking to the queen, be sure to let her have the last word. She always needs to be the first to leave so as to avoid people turning their backs to her
Don't turn your back to me
How does one know when she is finished talking? Well the regular citizen may not, but the queen has a secret language with her staff. When the Queen moves her purse from her left arm to her right one, it’s a subtle hint to her staff that she’s ready to end off the conversation. When she places her purse on the table, it indicates that dinner needs to come to an end within five minutes.
Touching a British Royal
While there is no official rule to what one’s behavior should be when meeting a royal, there are a whole lot of traditions fans usually follow. Bowing or curtsying or addressing the Queen as “your majesty” and the members of the family as “your royal highness.” To name a few.
Touching is caring
Touching a royal when you meet them is off bounds save a formal handshake. But there have been a few mishaps like when LeBron James placed him arm around the Duchess of Cambridge, when Queen Elizabeth hugged Michelle Obama, and when the former Prime Minister of Australia Paul Keating placed his arm around Queen Elizabeth.
The Gift of Giving
One of the royal families roles is to accept gifts from the public which they receive, usually, they are presented with things like flowers or symbolic souvenirs, but sometimes they get a bit crazy such as the elephant Jumbo III, who was gifted to the Queen in 1972?
For me?!
When a royal family member receives a gift, the queen gets to decide what stays and what goes. The only thing forbidden is re-gifting and selling. Due to this rule, it is very common to see some of the other royals wearing the late Princess Diana’s jewelry because it wasn’t really hers in the first place.
The No Selfie Culture
Another big change for Meghan (and her fans) is the rule that she can no longer take selfies! Fans were pretty bummed when, after the announcement of the royal engagement, the Duchess of Sussex revealed that selfies are from a time of the past.
Don't look back
The reason or the seemingly ridiculous rule is just as absurd. Jenifer Gehmair, an expert on Royal Family etiquette, explained the reason behind why it is forbidden for royals to take selfies. She explained that it is considered rude for someone to turn his or her back on a duke or duchess.
A Full-Time Royal
Marrying into the royal family is a full-time job which doesn’t allow much time to have another job on the side. Kate Middleton knows this too well, prior to her royal wedding on April 29, 2011, Kate worked as a website designer, photographer and marketing officer for Party Pieces, her parents’ events planning company. Prince William was a working man too but stopped his pilot profession after the wedding as well.
100% Dutches
Prince Harry and Markle have also had to say goodbye to their careers to become full-time royals. However, the accomplished actress saw this coming and retired from acting months prior to their wedding.
High Tea at Buckingham Palace
The Royal Family are known to be crazy for their afternoon teas, which are filled with an abundance of finger-foods, cucumber sandwiches, pastries, scones, and of course a freshly-brewed pot of Earl Grey tea. The royal etiquette expert Myka Meier explains that there’s an art to holding a teacup at Buckingham Palace.
Drink up
Drinking tea like a royal requires quite a bit of thought. Meier says you will have to pinch the top handle of the teacup with your thumb and index finger, while the middle finger rests at the bottom of the handle as support. Meier told People Magazine that the handle should remain at a 3-0’clock angle so that one can take a sip from the same spot each time and to avoid lipstick stains around the rim of the cup. Who would have thought so much could go into holding a teacup!
No Monopoly
In 2008, Prince Andrew was presented with the board game Monopoly to mark his visit at Leeds Building Society’s revamped Albion Street headquarters to which he remarked, “We’re not allowed to play Monopoly at home. It gets too vicious.”
No game no shame
The royal family is no stranger to rifts and public scandals. So if the bard game is too intense and may cause some fights, it makes sense to just ban it.
The Life of a Royal Corgi
Not only does the Queen not reprimand her Welsh Corgi companions, she also ensures they eat homemade gourmet meals every day prepared by the private in-house chef at Buckingham Palace. These dogs are more pampered than most citizens!
A former private chef of the Queen, Owen Hodgson, described to The Telegraph how he used to prepare the food for the royal corgis: “I simmered rabbit, cooked down some chicken, then finely chopped the meat, sieved the stock and returned the meat….It was the corgis’ dog food.”
Little Fibs at Buckingham Palace
Darren McGrady, who used to work as the private chef for the Royal Family from 1982 to 1993, revealed in an interview how the staff would have to lie about dinnertime owing to Queen Elizabeth’s notoriety for being late.
Cheers
McGrady recalled how dinner at the Balmoral castle was at 20:30 when Her Majesty the Queen was in attendance, but the royal staff would tell her to arrive at 20:15 seeing as though she’d always be the last one down.
The Super Nanny
It’s tough work for the nannies of the Royal Family. Not only do they have to care for the children and regularly coordinate with Kate Middleton and Prince William to organize family outings and activities, they also have to ensure the privacy of the children is protected at all times.
King of the children
When the nannies are out and about with the Royal Children in public spaces, they have to safeguard them against the attention of the paparazzi and from anyone snapping photographs of them. However, while they are juggling all that, they also have to walk the dogs at the same time.
Out of Sight; Out of Mind
One of the cardinal rules for the Royal staff is that they cannot be seen or heard while they get to work to avoid distracting the Royal Family. With over 1,000 workers milling about performing their duties, it might sound like a difficult feat not to be noticed, but there seems to be an art to not being seen.
Underground staff
The Royal staff reside in their living quarters in Buckingham Palace, but during work hours, they go about their business with complete discretion. Besides for keeping really quiet and remaining unnoticeable, the staff have to sign a document binding them to secrecy about their job so that no one outside of the castle knows about it.
Jobs at Buckingham Palace
When you see the announcement “the queen is hiring” don’t take it too literally because any job postings at Buckingham Palace are handled by the Royal Household office, secretaries, and employment agencies, but that doesn’t mean the actual job postings aren’t attention-grabbing.
Wanted
One of the recent vacancies advertised on the British Monarchy website was an opening to polish the queen’s paintings and vases for 20-hours a week at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, Scotland. We bet you didn’t know that Her Majesty the Queen requires one person dedicated to that kind of chore!
Home Births
Hospitals might be thought to be the most popular place to give birth nowadays, but until Princess Diana gave birth to Prince William, all members of the royal family were born at Kensington Palace.
Baby patrol
That was where Queen Elizabeth was born and where she gave birth to all her children. Both Princess Diana and Kate Middleton chose to give birth to their children at the Lindo Wing of St. Mary’s Hospital in London.
Royal Birth Rules
As soon as a new member of the Royal family is born, it turns out that Queen Elizabeth must be the first to know about it. According to The Telegraph, when the newest prince was born on April 23, 2018, she was the first to know.
Say Hello
In fact, it turns out that Prince William made the special call to his grandmother via an encrypted telephone. After the family is notified, the official Town Crier, currently a man named Tony Appleton, makes an announcement to the public. This tradition began in the day when most people were illiterate.
Two Heirs to the Throne Cannot Travel Together
Those in line to the throne are not allowed to fly on the same plane together even if they are headed to the same destination, which means Prince William cannot fly together with Kate and their children George and Charlotte.
No fly zone
This royal protocol came about when air travel was riskier, however, the Queen has relaxed the rule over the last few years like in 2014, when William and Kate flew with Prince George to Australia. Ever since then, they have flown to Poland, Germany, and Canada together, but the Queen needs to have the final say on the matter.
The Art of Folding Diapers
In case you were seriously considering to apply as the nanny for the Royal Family’s children, it’d serve you well to know that you need to study for three years at Norland College. According to Reader’s Digest, the college has been training nannies for many decades.
Super nanny
People who study at Norland College, an affiliation of the University of Gloucestershire, earn a BA degree in Early Years Development and Learning. What’s more, the students learn how to fold cloth diapers if they want to work as nannies at the likes of Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace.
Adult Bridesmaids Are a No-No
You would think as a royal princess having an entourage of supportive bridesmaids is encouraged, however, the established law for Royal weddings is that the wedding retinue consists of young children and not adults. But this is another royal rule that has not been taken too seriously and many expected Markle to follow the trend of breaking tradition and have friends like Serena Williams and Priyanka Chopra standing by her side on the big day.
Kids only
The queen herself, as well as Kate Middleton, broke this rule for their weddings. Kate’s sister Pippa was her maid of honour in 2011, and Queen Elizabeth had a group of bridesmaids around the same age as her when she married Prince Philip in 1947. But Meghan surprised us all by actually sticking to this royal tradition and only having kids as part of her bridal party!
A Bouquet Fit for a Princess
While many were focussed on which wedding dress Markle would wear down the aisle, another important question was her bouquet! When the Duchess of Cambridge walked down the aisle, she clutched a beautiful white bouquet with a sprig of myrtle, myrtle is a royal tradition dating back to Queen Victoria’s era and many assumed Markle would stick to this tradition.
Last public kiss?
Indeed, her wedding flowers consisted of hand-picked flowers by Prince Harry, and of course, a sprig of myrtle to follow the long-standing royal tradition.
Marrying Out of the Faith
