No voting? A ban on selfies? And just why can't the royal family eat shellfish?
There's a lot Kate Middleton has had to give up since she found
her Prince Charming. Keep watching to learn more.
The royal family has a lot of restrictions — from what they can wear to whom they can spend time
with — but, perhaps, one of the most surprising limitations is what Kate Middleton and the family
are allowed to eat. Darren McGrady, a former royal chef, shared with The Telegraph that the queen
does not like carbohydrates, which limits the entire family's dinner menu. According to McGrady,
this means there often are no potatoes, rice or pasta for dinner with the queen.
The former chef revealed to The Telegraph that the queen typically prefers fish or
game for dinner and always ends the day with a gin and Dubonnet.
One of the more serious rights that the royal family cannot participate in
is the right to vote. Metro UK explains that, even though it would violate Article 39 of the
European Union's Charter of Fundamental Rights to ban the queen from voting,
Parliament deems it unconstitutional for the queen and her family to do so. In fact,
the official royal website states that the queen has to remain neutral in political matters.
However, the family's decision not to participate in public voting is actually a modern development.
Author and historian Sarah Gristwood explained that staying out of politics is a part of the,
quote, "major reinvention of the monarchy following the end of World War One and the
establishment of the House of Windsor." So, while it may seem completely unfair that Parliament
discourages the royal family from something that seems to be a basic constitutional right,
the Duchess of Cambridge and the rest of the family's decision to not vote is voluntary.
It has always been customary for members of the royal family to dress modestly,
but the women of Buckingham Palace have an especially long list of restrictions when
it comes to their clothing, hair, and appearance. While some of these rules make sense for a family
that is constantly in the public eye, there are a few regulations that seem a little over the top.
According to a source close to the royal family, Kate Middleton cannot wear
wedges in front of the queen because she doesn't like them. Women in the royal
family are also expected to wear pantyhose whenever their legs can be seen in public.
Although you may think that hosiery is only worn by older generations,
Women's Wear Daily reports that since a fashion icon like Kate was seen wearing
nude tights and pantyhose, retailers noticed an uptick in sales in 2011 and 2012. In fact,
as Laura Godsal, the founder of Mytights.com, explained,
"I think most people agree that wearing sheer
tights is much more glamorous now thanks to Kate Middleton."
Speaking of rules when it comes to wardrobe, did you know that Kate Middleton is required
to bring a black dress with her whenever she travels abroad? According to the Independent,
the Duchess of Cambridge and the rest of the royal family are always required to pack
black garments when they travel in case another family member dies during their trip.
This policy was depicted in The Crown, which showed then-Princess Elizabeth's travels to
Kenya in 1952. The princess had to travel back to England after her father, King George VI, died
of lung cancer, but she could not leave the plane until someone brought her a black outfit to wear.
Much to the dismay of royal family fans, Kate Middleton is strongly discouraged
from taking selfies and is not allowed to have a personal social media account.
"This really isn't something that we're going to be able to change quickly and overnight."
Meghan Markle first broke the news of the no-selfie rule to a crowd in
Nottingham where she politely had to decline a fan's request for a selfie.
As CNN Royal Commentator Victoria Arbiter later reported to Insider,
"From a security standpoint, they're also not ideal as they warrant a certain closeness."
While the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge do have their own official Instagram account
where fans can get a glimpse of their royal life, there are numerous guidelines when
it comes to the content of the account. According to the official royal website,
"The aim of our social media channels is to create an environment where our community
can engage safely in debate and is free to make comments, questions and suggestions."
This means there can be no comments that contain spam, defamatory comments, or hateful or obscene
language, and, additionally, all comments must be on-topic and relevant to the post.
We hope that Kate Middleton does not like to go to bed early, because, according to what former
Australian private secretary to the queen, Sir William Heseltine, shared in the book
The Royals in Australia, it is seen as bad form to go to bed before the queen. That being said,
Queen Elizabeth is 95 years old, so we don't think a late bedtime is too much of an issue these days.
A friend of the duchess and duke's even shared with People just what exactly the
couple's evening routine is like at their country estate in Norfolk, where they spent the majority
of their time during quarantine. According to People's source, the Duchess of Cambridge loves
to unwind after she puts her kids to bed with some online shopping or YouTube beauty tutorials.
If you're hoping that one day you might be able to frame a signed autograph from a member of
the royal family in your bedroom, we have some sad news for you. Among many measures
put in place to keep all the residents of Buckingham Palace safe, Kate Middleton,
Prince William, and the rest of the family are strictly prohibited from signing autographs.
According to Express, autographs are prohibited so they cannot be forged and sold for profit.
While you won't get a signed photo of Kate or William anytime soon, there are a few
rare exceptions to this rule. The family is permitted to sign visitors books at official
engagements as well as sign official documents. That being said, all you have to do is invite the
royal family to your next party, and you can get their signatures! We'd love to think so anyway.
Although Kate Middleton cannot earn her own salary as a part of the royal family,
she was already independently wealthy when she married Prince William,
thanks to her family's company, Party Pieces. According to a 2018 report from Wealth-X,
the Duchess of Cambridge is estimated to be worth between $7 to $10 million. However,
the Vanity Fair royal correspondent Katie Nicholl reported that members of the royal family do not
get to engage in commercial deals because of the potential for conflicts of interest.
However, BBC News reported that the duke and duchess primarily receive money from
Princess Diana's fortune along with income from the Duchy of Cornwall,
which comes from Prince Charles. It is also important to note that 5%
of the couple's income is funded by taxpayers and the Sovereign Grant.
"Well, first of all, I'm just fantastically excited to be here today."
If you thought the royal diet couldn't get any more strict, think again.
Not only do members of the family have to stay away from carbohydrates,
but they are also forbidden to eat shellfish. Darren McGrady explained to The Telegraph that
shellfish was considered too risky for the royals to eat, especially in public.
The public perception means a lot to members of the royal family, which makes it a little more
understandable why you won't see Kate Middleton cracking oysters when she's out for lunch.
That being said, it doesn't seem like the duchess really minds the ban on shellfish,
as it's widely-reported that she sticks to the "Dukan Diet." This diet mainly consists of lean
protein, vegetables, and healthy fats and oils while straying from carbohydrate-based foods,
so it looks like Middleton doesn't mind skimping on lobster and shrimp.
Other unspoken rules in the royal family come into play when it comes to public displays of
affection. Although Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were known for breaking the rules when
it comes to PDA, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have remained fairly modest when
it comes to their interactions in the public eye versus behind closed doors.
Royal etiquette expert and founder and director of Beaumont Etiquette Myka Meier explained to
People that Kate Middleton and Prince William likely keep to themselves in public to maintain
the public perception of working members of the British Monarchy. According to Meier,
"The couple are likely to show very little PDA, if any,
to remain professional during their designated roles abroad."
Although the couple tries to refrain from PDA during professional engagements,
they have been known to share some sweet moments throughout the course of their marriage.
After all, who can forget the iconic balcony kiss
the duke and duchess shared after their wedding ceremony in 2011.
"Hurray!"
In addition to limitations on her wardrobe, Kate Middleton faces restrictions when it
comes to her choice of nail polish. According to Woman & Home, although there's no written
rule about what nail polish colors women of the royal family can and cannot wear,
the Duchess of Cambridge only wears light pink or nude nail polish
to remain consistent and classy and rarely paints her nails in a dark color.
The good news: If you want to copy Kate's manicure, Town & Country says that the royal
family actually selects affordable nail polish from companies like Essie and CND
in colors such as Ballet Slippers, Unmasked, and Cashmere Wrap.
If none of those shades suit you, check out the nail polishes at any drug store,
select a light pink or nude color, and you'll have a manicure fit for a royal.
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