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.
