Although many of us think the Royal Family has it made in the shade, there are actually
a lot of strict guidelines they must abide by.
From modest clothing to cutting out carbs, here are nineteen rules all Royal Family members
have to follow from birth:
19.
Ravens - Although it’s most likely a fable, the Royal Family follows some ancient guidelines
instead of taking chances when it comes to their country’s fate.
One rule is that there must always be at least six ravens living at the Tower of London.
They keep seven most of the time, in case one escapes.
Legend says that if these birds leave the tower, the kingdom will come to an end.
The person tasked with looking over the ravens makes sure they’re well fed with fresh meat,
bird treats, and the occasional egg.
18.
Legs Crossed - It’s common courtesy for people of all backgrounds, especially for
women, to sit with their legs crossed.
However, there is a specific way to do so as a member of the Royal Family.
Although crossing one’s legs at the knee is accepted by the vast majority, if you’re
related to Queen Elizabeth II, you should rethink your sitting position immediately.
The women of the Royal Family only sit with one ankle over the other, their knees pressed
tightly together, and their feet positioned slightly off to one side, so their shins are
at a diagonal angle to the ground.
It is very important for the royal women to be seen in only their best postures, so a
slip-up isn’t possible while being photographed.
17.
No PDAs - It’s a requirement that the Royal Family keep up their unblemished reputations
as they’re known for being modest and classy at all times.
So, it makes sense that they aren’t allowed to be too touchy-feely in public places.
Even for those of us who aren’t of noble status, it’s considerate of people around
us to refrain from over-the-top displays of affection.
Remember back in high school when teachers weren’t too happy about students making
out in the hallways?
Things haven’t changed much since then as it still makes others uncomfortable.
But, for the Royal Family it’s not only mindful, keeping passionate acts in the bedroom
lets them maintain their status and avoid bad press.
16.
Curtsy - A widely known fact about the Royal Family is that women must take curtsy when
greeting someone of higher stature.
Doing this is proper etiquette and shows respect for those in a superior position.
The type of curtsy can vary depending on how prominent the person is.
Most can be quick and slight, with only a faint bow of the head and a small bend in
the knees.
However, when meeting someone as important as the Queen, the curtsy should last a little
longer, and the overall action should be a bit more thorough.
15.
Modest Dress - All members of the Royal Family must dress to impress but stay mostly covered
at the same time.
Since keeping up appearances is crucial to life in the limelight, it should be no surprise
that choosing an outfit for the day is an important task for members of this noble group.
Many of us can pick out low-cut dresses or short shorts to wear out on the town or during
daily tasks, but that isn’t allowed for queens and princesses or their male counterparts.
Revealing clothing is frowned upon by royalty for the same reason public displays of affection
are a no-no, it puts their public image in jeopardy.
However, even though they have to dress modestly, they can still spice things up with bright
colors and fashionable taste.
14.
Tea Time - Proper etiquette is expected twenty-four seven and having tea is no exception when
it comes to manners in the royal household.
Just as there’s a specific way to behave throughout most daily activities, there’s
also a right and wrong approach to take when holding a teacup.
If you grasp the dainty mug with your finger going through the handle, you’ve been truly
misguided in appropriate tea-drinking practices.
You should support the cup by holding the small handle between your index finger and
thumb, resting your other fingers underneath.
The only time a digit should curve around the handle is if you’re drinking coffee
instead of tea.
Also, make sure your pinky stays in.
Opposed to common belief, members of the Royal Family don’t stick their little fingers
out while sipping their beverages.
If you’re a lady, remember to drink from one part of the cup so that lip-prints aren’t
left all over the rim.
As you can see, a lot of thought goes into even the simplest tasks for this famous family.
13.
Eating Habits - Just like teacups, properly handling eating utensils is essential when
dining with the Queen.
Have you ever seen members of the Royal Family shoveling cereal into their mouths with a
spoon?
Probably not.
They’re very careful and precise when it comes to just about everything, including
their everyday meals.
When using a knife and fork, they hold the former in the right hand and latter in the
left hand.
The keep the fork facing downwards, so they don’t stab themselves with the tines, gently
push food onto the back using the knife, and transport it to their mouths.
This may seem unnecessary, but maintaining manners is imperative for luncheon with royals.
12.
Formal Dinners - A lot of us cozy up on the couch with a Hungry Man frozen dinner after
a long day at work, but for the Royal Family, this is totally unacceptable.
Formal dining is a must in this diplomatic home.
Just as they dress to impress in public, they must do the same for stay-at-home suppers.
Some may think wearing anything other than pajamas is fancy for dining in, but the Royal
Family goes all-out, even when they don’t go out.
They wear their usual modest clothing at home with men in suits and women in knee-length
skirts and formal blouses.
There isn’t a time this family doesn’t pay attention to detail.
11.
No Outside Food or Drink - This should be a no-brainer for most of the non-royals out
there.
This group of nobles can’t accept drinks or food from anyone outside their inner circle
unless it’s at an official gathering.
This makes sense for numerous reasons.
First of all, they have no idea where the offering is coming from.
There’s no way for the Royal Family to check the ingredients in those home-baked cookies
and it’s impossible to tell whether someone has tampered with the food.
The same issue arises when it comes to beverages.
Since there’s no effective way to identify if a stranger has done something mischievous,
it’s best that the Royal Family refuses all edible items in general.
10.
Order of Entry - Just as a proper entrance is important for the Royal Family, the order
in which each person goes into a room is just as significant.
The line always begins with the person highest in status, currently, Queen Elizabeth II,
if she’s in attendance.
Then each person after the Queen is organized by his or her royal rank, meaning whoever
would assume the throne in case she was no longer able to rule.
This arrangement is important because it openly displays the different levels of the royal
household, and also depicts who’s next in line regarding authority.
After entering a room, they sit down in the same order, so even if Her Majesty would rather
be next to little Prince George, she must remain in her designated spot.
9.
Tiaras - There are rules for just about everything that has to do with the Royal Family.
This includes accessorizing.
We already know that women must remain modest when it comes to clothing choices, but they
also have to swear off the coveted tiara until their wedding days.
It is a longstanding tradition that until they’ve officially become part of the family,
they can’t wear one of these shiny bejeweled headdresses.
By only allowing brides and married ladies to wear tiaras, it’s easy to differentiate
who is off the market or becoming a new royal member.
These women usually don these sparkling accessories after the clock strikes six, as it’s not
deemed appropriate to wear a hat inside during evening hours.
8.
Kids’ Clothes - Just like the adults of the Royal Family, the children have a strict
dress-code to follow as well.
It may seem odd, but the little ones aren’t allowed to wear full-length pants.
Maybe it’s to keep them looking as young as they can for as long as possible, or it
could be a way to preserve the innocence of youth through outward appearance.
But either way, royal children have to wear shorts, even in the dead of winter.
They can’t begin sporting ankle-length trousers until they’re eight years old.
However, the original tradition required that the young ones wore skirts, so the guidelines
have eased up slightly over the years.
7.
Travel Apart - This rule makes a lot of sense if you think about it, although flying without
your baby next to you would cause a lot of parents discomfort.
Generally, direct heirs to the throne are not supposed to travel together.
Logically speaking, this tradition is important.
In case something happens to one of the successors, one is still there to rule in the other’s
stead.
However, there are exceptions to every rule, and Prince William often accompanies his son
on long-distance flights.
6.
Put Down the Knife - We’ve already talked about some royal protocol when it comes to
dining with such a prestigious family.
But, there are even more rules one has to follow while enjoying a home-cooked meal in
a house of queens.
Elizabeth II is the present ruler of the British throne.
So, many follow in her footsteps when considering what proper etiquette is, what they should
wear to formal events, or even how they should eat their meals.
So it’s not surprising that during a dinner party, everyone follows the Queen’s lead.
Although you don’t want to force your food down like a ravenous animal, it’s best to
stop eating once Her Majesty has called it quits.
It’s considered rude to continue after she’s finished, and if she places her handbag on
the table, you should put the fork down because it means she’s getting impatient.
5.
Pack Black - Every time this family takes a trip away from their hometown, they always
pack one all-black outfit.
It may seem a little morbid, but they have to prepare for all occasions, including funerals.
Although the loss of a family member while attending official out-of-state celebrations
is highly unlikely, the Royal Family does their best to plan for any situation.
Plus, they have to intentionally pack black clothing, because they only wear the color
when in mourning.
Otherwise, you’ll see the Queen sporting mostly bright and happy hues.
4.
No Men Allowed - Many women would love for their husbands to be in the room while birthing
their sons and daughters, but unfortunately if you’re a member of the Royal Family,
that’s not an option for you.
Only fellow ladies are allowed to go in the delivery room when gestation comes to an end
for female royalty.
There’s no real explanation for this, but it has been the tradition for decades.
Maybe old rulers thought it to be inappropriate for a man to observe the womanly process,
but whatever the reason, there’s no space available for the husband during his wife’s
labor.
3.
Two Children - New married couples of the Royal Family are expected to have a minimum
of two kids.
It makes sense to add more heirs to the throne in case of unfortunate circumstances.
So, older generations began the tradition of creating two more little royals instead
of just one.
Although most of these distinguished lovebirds stick to the two-child expectancy, it’s
fine for them to have a couple more kids if they’d like to.
2.
No Carbs - Carbohydrates are the preferred food among most people, considering they’re
difficult to resist.
However, these fillers never make it on the dinner plates of the Royal Family.
It could just be Elizabeth II’s preference, but apparently, they don’t include rice,
pasta, or potatoes on the menu for supper.
It could also be for health reasons or just to keep slender figures, but the Queen likes
sticking to lean meats and vegetables for her evening meals.
1.
No Monopoly - This popular board game has a place in most households as a fun family
activity.
But when it comes to royalty, the game is off-limits.
It’s understandable since Monopoly is known to set people against one another, and the
Royal Family needs to remain cohesive at all times.
They’ve even stated that they can’t play because they become far too competitive.
I guess this group of nobles needs to stick to other, less-cutthroat entertainment options,
like Candy Land.