10 weird things that British royals are forbidden from doing: from eating raw meat and signing autographs, to playing Monopoly and wearing fur – so how did Meghan Markle break with tradition …
These include chocolate, coffee, and garlic — all ingredients that can destroy your breath. Charles' wife confirmed this during an episode of "MasterChef Australia." Camilla Parker Bowles said garlic was the one food she wouldn't want to see at a royal reception, due to Charles' distaste for it (via Twitter).
For example, members of the royal family avoid shellfish for risk of shellfish poisoning, which could impede their busy work schedules at home and abroad.
Kate Middleton and Prince William don't often hold hands or publicly show affection. An unwritten rule saying royals must act professionally could be why they rarely engage in PDA. During rare occasions, the pair's been seen holding hands or touching each other's backs.
The prohibition against royal autographs is in place because there's a risk of royal signatures being copied or forged. So, you won't see Prince Harry signing autographs for well-wishers either, although that hasn't stopped him in the past.
Princess Eugenie is one of the only royals with visible tattoos. She showed off her small tattoo, a delicately inked circle behind her left year, at the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022. However, it is unclear when she first got the piece of body art.
Commoners aren't supposed to touch royals unless royals initiate contact. Celebrities like Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Allison Janney, and Ed Sheeran have slipped up. It's OK, though. Royals are forgiving and usually enjoy the change of pace.
But apparently there's a sweet and romantic reason that the Cambridges avoid PDA. According to body language expert Darren Stanton, William and Kate's don't feel they have to 'prove' themselves on outings because they know they have a 'deep connection'.
Why do the royals sleep in separate beds? Reportedly, the reason why some royals chose to sleep in different beds all comes down to an upper-class tradition which originated in Britain. According to Lady Pamela Hicks, Prince Philip's cousin, the aristocracy “always have separate bedrooms”.
The first time Her Majesty cried in public was in December 1997 when her beloved HMY Britannia was decommissioned. It was a rare sight for fans to see the normally stoic royal shed a tear. The Queen was saying goodbye to her luxury yacht, whose costs were too great to maintain.
Harry and William love fast food, especially McDonald's
Former royal family personal chef Darren McGrady told Marie Claire, “I remember Princess [Diana] came into the kitchen one day and said, 'Cancel lunch for the boys I'm taking them out, we're going to McDonald's.
Does the Queen ever cook for herself? McGrady says that while Prince Philip was an “amazing chef” and regularly enjoyed cooking on the grill and having family BBQs on the Balmoral estate, and the younger royals like William, Kate, Meghan and Harry, all enjoy cooking, the Queen herself stays out of the kitchen.
Hair must be perfect during all public appearances
For any public appearance, it is necessary for a royal's hair to appear silky smooth and neat at all times, and Middleton's swishy mane deserves credit to the blowouts she has done thrice a week.
Yes, royals do eat pizza! Many members of the British royal family are confirmed to be fans of the popular Italian dish. Prince William, his wife Kate Middleton, Prince Harry, and Prince Charles have all been seen out at restaurants, enjoying a slice or two of pizza. ...
"Every day begins with an egg, and they're eaten for tea, too – with crumpets, if you're Prince Charles. The Queen favours brown eggs, believing that they taste better. Her great-great grandmother, Queen Victoria, ate her boiled egg, served in a golden egg cup, with a golden spoon."
When the Duke of York was presented with Monopoly, he revealed that it's forbidden in the royal household because “it gets too vicious.” We can't help but picture Prince Charles flipping a table after Princess Beatrice purchases two or three properties of the same color. Royals—they're just like us.
Despite not being King and Queen juuuuust yet, Kate and William have a huge staff thanks to their position as senior working royals—though unlike King Charles, their aides are not "men in gray" (the nickname given to the power players pulling the strings at The Firm).
Apparently, she heads to bed at 10.30pm each evening in order to get a good night's sleep. The bling is stunning, obviously. Regular exercise is also said to help with sleep and Kate leads an active lifestyle, often talking about how she loves to get outdoors – it's thought that she runs or walks every day.
Their home may appear to be a cozy romantic love nest from the outside, but the couple actually sleeps in separate bedrooms.
She says: "These gestures reflect high levels of affection and attraction, so there might be a practical reason to avoid the hand clasp. "As senior royals at events, the hand clasp might be seen as a clumsy ritual when there are many hands to shake and so many people to greet one at a time."
"The general rule of thumb to remember is that a Royal Highness does not curtsy to another Royal Highness," Myka Meier, an etiquette expert and the author of the book Modern Etiquette Made Easy, tells PEOPLE.
Despite the ups and downs in their relationship, William and Kate are still very much in love and committed to each other.
Women who have famously refused to curtsy to the Royal Family include Cherie Blair, when husband Tony Blair was Prime Minister.
"The one thing they talked about a lot was no selfies, and the reason was that they didn't want people turning their backs to the Royal Family and the Queen. And that was very important to them," Greg Agnew said. "You do not turn your back on the Royal Family, and you do not attempt to walk up and talk to them."
One of the worst things a woman in the royal family can do—as far as etiquette rules go—is sit with her legs crossed at the knee. Legs and knees must be kept together, although crossing at the ankle is fine.