The monarchy of Great Britain has been around for centuries, and because of that, there
are so many stories and rumors about the royal family flying around that it's hard to keep
track of what's what.
Here are a few lies you can finally stop believing about the royal family.
To look at the royal family, or even just think about them, you'd probably assume that
they don't have to worry about money.
And while that's certainly true, it's not as lavish over at the palace as you might
think.
Yes, the royal family is definitely comfortable and has plenty of money, but they are far
from the richest people in the world.
In fact, they aren't even the richest people in England.
According to CNN, there are more than 300 British people who are richer than Queen Elizabeth,
who's worth an estimated $470 million.
Additionally, the way that the money works in the royal family is pretty complicated.
For one, the income that the royal family receives is only 25% of the Crown Estate income,
while the rest goes to the British Treasury, according to Forbes.
And what money the royal family does receive is only used for official expenditures like
travel, security, maintenance, and payroll.
So basically, the money that the royals have isn't all theirs, and it isn't as much as
you'd think.
Perhaps one of the biggest myths about the royal family is that they have no real power
and are nothing more than symbolic figureheads.
And while some members of the royal family don't have the power that people like presidents
or other officials have, that doesn't mean they're completely powerless.
In fact, the royals can do quite a lot, and though much of their time is spent on charity
work or working to raise national morale, there's more to the job than just looking
good and shaking hands.
Queen Elizabeth, the highest-ranking member of the royal family, does still have some
official power.
In addition to opening the Parliamentary session each May, she can also sign off on bills before
they become laws, appoint cabinet officials, pardon people accused of crimes, and even
command the military.
So yes, the royal family isn't just there to look good and hold meaningless titles;
they do have powers and are an important part of British culture and governance.
The royal family hasn't always had an easy time when it comes to their public image.
Notably, back when Camilla Parker Bowles first joined the royal family, people thought that
she should never be called "queen," as she was Prince Charles' second wife.
In a statement from Clarence House after their engagement, it became clear that Camilla's
title would be a little complicated.
The statement read,
"It is intended that Mrs Parker Bowles should use the title HRH The Princess Consort when
The Prince of Wales accedes to The Throne."
Still, Vanity Fair reported that Camilla will actually be known as "queen consort" once
her husband becomes king, which is customary for spouses of kings or queens.
Additionally, the rumor that Camilla would never be called "queen" in any way likely
started because she and Charles actually had an affair that became public before his marriage
to Princess Diana ended, causing the public to be wary of her in general.
So it's not that Camilla will never be called a queen — it will just be a different kind
of queen.
Because Queen Elizabeth has been queen for so long, and seems so healthy for her age,
it's only natural that people would be interested in her daily habits, including what she eats
and drinks.
Because of that, some rumors got started that the queen drinks a lot more than she actually
does, but you can stop believing that little lie.
As Town & Country reported, there were some rumors and speculation that Queen Elizabeth
would drink upwards of four drinks per day.
And if that sounds like a lot, especially for a woman in her 90s helping to oversee
the wellbeing of an entire nation, it definitely is — and it's also not true.
Former royal chef Darren McGrady told CNN that the notion that the queen is a heavy
drinker is a myth, and he was misunderstood in previous interviews on the topic.
He told CNN,
"She'd be pickled if she drank that much.
All I said was she likes a gin and Dubonnet . That's her favorite drink.
She doesn’t wake up in the morning and have a large gin and tonic."
So, while the queen doesn't completely abstain from alcohol, she also isn't a heavy drinker.
"Dubonnet!
The drink for all occasions."
Because the royal family, and especially Queen Elizabeth, are so well-known and famous, it's
only natural for people to want to meet her.
And one thing people visiting or residing in London want to know is whether or not the
queen is home so they might spot her.
But while there's one way to tell, it isn't what you think.
According to Londonist, the Union Jack flag flying above Buckingham Palace doesn't mean
what you probably think it means.
For whatever reason, there's a myth that the flag flying at the palace means that the queen
is home, and you might just be lucky enough to see her.
But that myth isn't true at all — in fact, it's the exact opposite.
When the Union Flag is raised above the palace, it means the Queen isn't home.
However, when another flag, the Royal Standard, is flying above Buckingham Palace, it does
mean that the queen (or in the future, the king) is home.
So, if you're ever in London and want to know whether or not the queen is home, know the
difference between the Union Jack and the Royal Standard flag.
Because Prince Charles isn't exactly the most adored member of the royal family, many rumors
have swirled that he wouldn't become king after Queen Elizabeth dies.
Between the public's apparent less-than-stellar opinion of Charles and his affair with Camilla
Parker Bowles, in addition to fans' preference for Prince William and Kate Middleton, it's
no wonder there's a myth that Charles won't become King and the title will go straight
to his son.
However, that would never happen; as long as Charles is alive, he's the next in line
to the throne.
Additionally, Queen Elizabeth herself couldn't even change who becomes the next king, as
it's against the 1701 Act of Settlement, which requires that a monarch's heir be a direct
successor, and also a Protestant.
Additionally, Charles has made it clear that he's ready to become King, a title he's been
preparing to assume for decades.
So, while William will likely become king eventually, he won't skip over his father
in the line of succession.
Though the royal family might work hard to keep up with the times and appear modern,
there are still some ways in which the royals appear a little dated.
For instance, the dress code that's seemingly law within the royal family doesn't leave
a lot of wiggle room for fun or revealing outfits.
Specifically, because of Kate Middleton's modest fashion sense, there's been a myth
that royal women must always wear pantyhose, and so when Meghan Markle went without, people
freaked out.
But they really shouldn't have.
Royal expert Marlene Koenig told Harper's Bazaar that Meghan wasn't breaking any rules
when she skipped the pantyhose, saying,
"There are no rules for royal women regarding pantyhose.
While most women (royal or commoner) wear pantyhose with suits or gowns for a good slim
line, it is not required by any decree from the queen."
So, while some royal women may simply prefer tights or pantyhose to cover their legs at
all times, it isn't an actual rule.
Because the royal family is so important in England, many people regard them as almost
not human.
In fact, there's a myth that people aren't allowed to touch the royal family because
they're so special — but that's simply not true.
In 2014, when LeBron James put his arm around Kate Middleton, there was a bit of an uproar.
Etiquette expert William Hanson told the Daily Mail as much, saying,
"Mr. James should not have put his arm around [Kate].
Americans are much more tactile than we Brits and this is another example of an American
being too touchy feely with British royalty.
You'd have thought they'd have learned by now."
However, as The Atlantic noted, there's no real rule about touching the royals, or the
royals touching non-royals.
In fact, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson told the Daily Mail that, quote, "the queen
would have taken no offense," had someone touched her while out in public.
So really, the royal family isn't that different from other celebrities.
If they're comfortable shaking your hand or even giving a hug, you're not going to get
arrested for accepting the gesture.
If you've watched or read any news about the royal family over the past few years then
you've probably heard a thing or two about how the monarchy is modernizing and progressing
pretty quickly.
People cite Prince Harry's marriage to American biracial actor Meghan Markle as proof of this.
Well, that along with the fact that the rules of succession to the crown were changed to
no longer allow male heirs to take precedence over female heirs older than them, as the
Washington Post reported, makes the royal family look pretty cool.
But the Post also reported that that was all just smoke and mirrors for the most part.
"There's no class on how to speak, how to cross your legs, how to be royal."
After all, to watch Harry and Meghan's infamous interview with Oprah Winfrey was to learn
that the royal family allegedly wasn't all that accepting of her — and the fact that
the couple formally left and moved to California proves there's still some tension there.
Perhaps the royal family is hesitant to be truly progressive, regardless of the bad optics.
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