Traditionally, you should not touch Queen Elizabeth II unless she initiates physical contact, usually by offering her hand for a handshake, as touching her arm or shoulder is considered a breach of royal etiquette, though this rule has been bent by some, like Michelle Obama, who received a hug, which was later described by the Palace as a mutual gesture, and others like Donald Trump or LeBron James who made brief contact. The official guidance from the Royal Family website notes there are no obligatory codes, but many observe tradition, emphasizing waiting for the monarch to offer contact.
Traditionally people aren't allowed to touch a Royal unless one offered their hand.
What was the one thing Queen Elizabeth was scared of? “She was only afraid of one thing, and that was helicopters,” revealed royal biographer Robert Hardman in the Daily Mail's podcast Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things. “She could put up with everything else.
And now we've discovered another rule the royals have to follow - and it's all to do with their bedtimes. According to Sir William Heseltine, one of Queen's private secretaries, when staying with Her Majesty, members of the royal family should wait until the Queen retires to bed before they also hit the hay.
This one is slightly more obvious. Instead of using “toilet,” royals use the word “loo” when they need to use the facilities. “'Toilet' is French by origin, so it is apparently avoided,” The Mirror writes.
In the Tudor times, there existed a belief that bathing in warm water led to the pores of the body opening up and letting in 'miasmas', or air that was believed to be dangerous to the body.
10 Words the British Royal Family Won't Say
Do the royals still sleep in separate beds? It seems many royals still do, from the King and Queen to the Prince and Princess of Wales. Still, while they maintain separate bedrooms, it's fair to say they have sleepovers whenever the mood hits them!
The "3-2-1 bedroom method" isn't one standard thing, but often refers to either sleep hygiene rules (stop food/alcohol 3 hrs before bed, work 2 hrs before, screens 1 hr before) or creative floor plan solutions for small homes, like turning a sunroom into a bedroom or dividing a large room to get more sleeping areas, especially when adding a third bedroom is needed, focusing on clever layouts and dividing spaces efficiently.
Meghan Markle has publicly shared that she experienced postpartum preeclampsia, a serious and rare condition involving high blood pressure and excess protein in the urine that occurred after childbirth, describing it as a "huge medical scare". She revealed this on her podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder, highlighting the life-threatening nature of the disorder, which can happen weeks after delivery and impact new mothers' ability to care for their newborns.
But there was one in a small mining village in south Wales that she never forgot. In fact, her reaction to the disaster in Aberfan was said to be one of the biggest regrets of her reign.
The Prince and Princess of Wales remain the most positively viewed members of the family, with 76% having a good opinion of William and 73% of his wife Catherine. These figures are both largely unchanged from last month, as is the 70% with a positive opinion of Princess Anne.
The Queen was diagnosed with a form of bone marrow cancer called multiple myeloma in 2022, and was told she only had months to live.
Body language expert Darren Stanton shed light on the sitch and told The Sun that it simply comes down to royal protocol, especially given William's position as next in line to the throne.
The main rule to follow when meeting the queen
Arguably, the most important thing to remember is that you should never touch the monarch and only shake his hand if she offers it. In fact, Michelle Obama violated the traditional protocol in 2009, when she was seen with her arm around the queen.
Sharing a bed might be seen as too intimate or common for someone of their status. Separate beds or even separate bedrooms emphasised their royal position. Hygiene and Health: In times before modern sanitation, sharing a bed could mean sharing germs and potentially spreading illness.
Yes, the Navy SEAL sleep trick (an 8-minute power nap with elevated legs) is a real technique for quick rest, popularized by former SEAL Jocko Willink, that helps improve alertness and reduce fatigue, though its effectiveness depends on individual relaxation skills and it's not a substitute for full nighttime sleep. The method involves lying down, elevating your feet above your heart (on a chair or couch), relaxing facial muscles, dropping shoulders, and clearing your mind for about 8-10 minutes to promote relaxation and blood flow, preventing grogginess.
Three hours before sleep: No more meals or heavy foods. Digestion requires energy, and eating right before bed can keep you awake. Aim to finish your last meal at least three hours before you plan to hit the sack. This gives your body ample time to digest and ensures you won't be awake from indigestion or heartburn.
In his piece, he revealed that through his years of research, he's found that rumination is the biggest thing that causes poor sleep. He says that being worried about something at night has affected his own ability to fall asleep.
Yes, Prince William and Kate Middleton sleep in the same bed, often with their dog Orla, a revelation Prince William shared, highlighting a more modern, relatable approach to royal life compared to past generations who sometimes used separate beds for status or privacy. While they have separate bedrooms for some downtime and might use separate beds when traveling on the royal train due to its layout, their usual arrangement at home is together, with their dog as a regular bedfellow.
At Clarence House, they are privileged to have their own bedrooms as well as their shared bedroom." Not only do the couple have separate bedrooms, but they also stay in separate homes for some healthy alone time on occasion, according to royal experts. Chard told Fox News Digital, "They are both independent people.
"Toilet"
Blame this word's French origin for why it's banned in royal circles. If you're looking for a restroom in Buckingham Palace, ask for the loo or the lavatory. And when you find the loo, here's the etiquette you should follow.
Oh shut you gob. Put a suck in it. Stop you gasping hush your mouth yeah. Don't tell me to zip it.
Never complain, never explain. "Never complain, never explain" is a public relations strategy that has become particularly associated with the British royal family.