9 Important Rules That Members Of The British Royal Family Are Supposed To Follow
Niharika has a passion for all things art, music, and travel and has over 4 years of experience in writing for social media. During her spare time, she likes experimenting in the kitchen, playing vide... read full bio
Image: Instagram
The British Royal family has achieved celebrity status not just in their own country, but across the world. Whether you love them or hate them, there is no denying that they have been making the news for hundreds of years. From Prince Harry and Megan leaving their senior roles in the royal family to the unexpected passing of Princess Diana, the British royals have been in the media limelight for years. But being a royal is not as fairy tales may make it seem. Just like real life, there are no happily ever afters, and the royals are expected to take on specific duties and responsibilities just like the rest of us. They are expected to be the pinnacle of sophistication and aren’t given any room for slacking. So, if you’ve ever wondered what kind of rules The British Royal family have to follow, here are nine of them:
1. Jeans Are Only Allowed At Casual Events
While jeans are a part of nearly every person’s attire in The United Kingdom, members of the royal family are expected to avoid wearing them. You’ve probably spotted Kate Middleton and Megan Markle wearing dresses for most formal royal occasions and public gatherings. This is because they are only allowed to wear jeans during casual events like Polo matches. While they perform their royal duties or greet the public in the UK, they are expected to wear dresses and coats. The same goes for male members of the royal family who are expected to wear trousers or shorts (depending on their age).
2. Boys Under 8 Are Only Allowed To Wear Shorts In Public
Young boys in the royal family are expected to wear shorts until they reach the age of eight. The term is called “breeching.” Once they are above the age of eight, they are allowed to appear in public wearing trousers and are no longer allowed to wear shorts. This has to do with the fact that royals associate wearing trousers at a young age as “middle class.”
3. They Have To Carry Black Attire
Whenever a member of the royal family is traveling, they are expected to pack at least one black outfit in their luggage. This is in the event of a member of their family passing away unexpectedly. This rule was set in place because in 1952, before Elizabeth II took her place on the throne, she was caught off guard by her father’s untimely passing. She was on a diplomatic visit to Kenya when she received the news. As she did not have a black outfit at the time, she had to wait on the airplane once she reached London to have her moursing outfit delivered to her. This is because it would have been considered highly inappropriate if she got off the plane without wearing any mourning attire.
4. Open-Toed Shoes Are Not Acceptable
Royals consider wearing open-toed shoes as highly informal. If they are out and about and representing the family, they are always expected to wear shoes that are closed-toed. Even if they are attending royal and official engagements, they are expected to wear closed-toed shoes.
5. They Can’t Dye Their Hair In Funky Colours
A royal’s hair is expected to be as natural as possible. You will never spot the Queen of England rocking a bright pink mohawk. Dyeing their hair an unnatural or crazy color is considered highly inappropriate, and they are expected to keep their hair neat. Wacky hairstyles are out of the question for royals too.
6. Women Are Advised Not To Take Off Their Coats
Royals see it as unladylike for women to take off their coasts during any public appearances. Hence, you will never spot the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, doing this. Neither would you spot Princess Margaret or any of the other royal women of the family taking their coats off in public. However, they are allowed to take off their coats during certain events or when the camera is not around to capture them.
7. Gloves Are A Must
For members of the royal family, wearing gloves is considered a must, and thus you will never spot the Queen skipping on wearing gloves when she is outside. Although not every royal member of the family follows this tradition, you will always spot the Queen wearing gloves when she is outside. At one point, all women in the royal family were expected to wear gloves, but this is not the case anymore. These days the Queen is the one person keeping the tradition alive. Not only does she consider wearing gloves as stylish, but wearing gloves also protects her from being exposed to germs.
8. The Queen Has To Wear Bright Colors
The Queen is expected to wear bright colors because she is supposed to stand out from the crowd and be distinguishable. They also expect her to do so as they do not want her to be mistaken for a commoner when she is out interacting with members of the public. Talk about main character energy!
9. Not Every Royal Can Wear A Tiara
Not every member of the royal family has the freedom to wear a tiara. Women who are married into the royal family like Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle are expected to wear their tiaras only at formal white tie events. Princesses, too, are expected to wear the tiara at white tie events. During her royal wedding, Meghan wore a tiara that she had borrowed from the Queen as she did not have one of her own yet.
Being a member of the royal family does have its perks, but it has its limitations too. They are constantly under media scrutiny, and their personal life is often aired out in the public on various newspaper tabloids. Do let us know all of your thoughts on this article in the comment section below! Tell us which of these rules came as a surprise to you!
