Who wouldn’t enjoy living in a palace, a castle or possessing an enormous wealth? While it is true that royal life comes with a lot of perks, being a royal is not a piece of cake, as this position is also full of complex protocols, rules and traditions that are attached to centuries-old history. From specific diets to standards of dress, take a look at this list of regulations the royal family is required to follow.
They cannot play Monopoly
Back in 2008 the Duke of York, Prince Andrew, visited Leeds Building Society’s Albion Street headquarters to commemorate its renovation. Before leaving he was gifted with the classic trading game Monopoly, to which he had to politely refuse, hinting that the game is not allowed among the royal family, since “it gets too vicious.” We can’t argue with that – the beloved board game can break up families.
Eating shellfish in public is banned
This restriction is related to the fact that this kind of food is more likely to cause food poisoning than most other foods do. This advice also applies to eating meat that is cooked rare due the same concerns. We understand they look after their health, but it doesn’t really explain the “in public” part.
When dining, everybody should follow the queen’s pace
When dining with the queen on gatherings or family events, royal etiquette is expected to be followed, which includes the pacing of the meal. From invitees to the members of the royal family, everybody must follow the queen’s every move. Only when the queen has started to eat, everybody else can start, likewise, when the queen has taken her last bite, everyone else at the table is expected to stop eating.
They are not allowed to sign autographs
The duchess of Cambridge is well-known for being friendly with her fans at official engagements, and while she gladly accepts flowers and shakes hands, there is one thing she is not allowed to do: sign autographs. The royal family is banned from signing autographs for security reasons, especially in this digital age. However, this rule did not stop Meghan Markle from signing a young girl’s autograph book. To bypass this rule, she did not sign her name, but rather left a sweet note, “Hi Kaitlin” with a heart and a smiley face.
No colored nail polish
You might have noticed that no women in the royal family has ever been spotted with colored or bright nail polish. This is because the strict dress code that the royal family must follow includes nail polish colors. The restriction only allows women in the royal family to wear a natural-looking nail polish, and rumor is the queen’s favorite brand is Essie.
Politics are off limits
There are millions of fans around the world who are interested in knowing the royal’s family political preferences. However, not only are the members of the royal family not allowed to vote, but they are also banned from speaking publicly about politics and sharing their opinions. The official website of the UK Parliament states that, “although not prohibited by law, it is considered unconstitutional for the Monarch to vote in an election.”