15 Everyday Words That You Won’t Hear Come Out of the Royal Family’s Mouths

Handbag, lounge, or even perfume — there are so many words that we use in our daily life, however, The Royal Family would prefer to avoid some of them. The reason why the royals have to watch their language is because historically, they’ve been separated as the upper-class. Social anthropologist Kate Fox explains in her book, Watching the English, what “deadly sins” you’ll likely never hear royalty say.

The Bright Side team grew curious about this topic and enjoyed reading the aforementioned book. And now we can’t wait to tell you about some more intriguing insights on the rules of The Royal Family.

1. Tea

In many parts of England, the word “tea” is used to describe the evening meal that takes place between 5 p.m and 7 p.m. Though this can be associated with the working class, the upper class has “tea” around 4 p.m. when they usually drink this warm beverage together with cakes or scones. To describe their evening meals, they would use the words “dinner” or “supper.”

2. Serviette

There was speculation that the word “napkin” was replaced with the French word “serviette” by lower middle-class people because it reminded them of the word “nappy.” However, the upper-class, like The Royal Family, would not consider using such foreign words in their vocabulary, no matter how refined they would sound. They would use a traditional “napkin” to wipe their mouths and fingers while eating.

3. Mom and dad

Prince Charles calls Queen Elizabeth “Mummy.” Names like “Ma,” “Pa,” “Mommy,” and “Daddy” aren’t used by upper-class people while talking to their parents. “Mummy” and “Daddy” are used in this case, and when talking about their parents, they use “my mother” and “my father.” Even as grown-ups they stick to these names.

4. Handbag

Even a common word like this is not used by the upper-class. The women of The British Royal Family don’t take “handbags” with them when they go outside, they would carry simple “bags” with them.

5. Toilet

If you visit Buckingham Palace and feel the urge to relieve yourself, you should look for a “loo” or “lavatory.” Again, thanks to the French origin of this word and its association with the working class, this word was banned from the royal vocabulary.

6. Perfume

The royals enjoy pleasant fragrances too. But unlike many of us, they would avoid calling them “perfumes” and instead, “scents.” For example, Meghan Markle has 2 favorite aromas by Jo Malone — London Wild Bluebell and Wood Sage & Sea Salt.

7. Refreshments

This is most people’s favorite word when it comes to partying and having a good time. However, this is another taboo term for those who are upper-class like The Royal Family. When they would like to renew their energy during a meeting, they’ll look for some “food and drink.”

8. Function

If ordinary people participate in an event organized by their work, they might say they’re going to “attend a function.” But the royals refer to such social meetings differently — they just call it a “party.”

9. Portion

When it’s about monitoring healthy eating and keeping fit, the members of The Royal Family don’t watch their portion sizes. For example, Kate Middleton manages to keep her perfect shape because she always watches her “helping sizes.”

10. Dessert

If the Queen wants a sweet course at the end of the meal she won’t ask for some “dessert,” “sweets,” or “afters.” She’ll call it a “pudding,” even if it’s a piece of cake, ice cream, or sorbet. By the way, according to Queen Elizabeth’s former personal chef, she enjoys chocolate biscuit cake the most.

11. Posh

When talking about being luxurious, stylish, or fancy, the correct word that the upper-class would use is “smart.” Meanwhile, “posh” is considered slang and is used only in an ironic context, like when someone wants to make a joke, showing that they know such a word.

12. Pardon

This word might be worse than swearing, according to upper-class people. If you meet someone from The Royal Family and want to excuse yourself, you should say, “Sorry.” If you want to ask them something, then avoid saying a simple, “What?” — or even worse, “Wha?” Instead, you should say, “Sorry, what?”

13. Couch

The British Royal Family sits on “sofas” and not on “settees” as this world is considered too common for them. Because of the influence of American English, the word “couch” can be used sometimes by younger generations, but the older generation prefers to avoid it too.

14. Lounge

Simple “couches” and “setees” are placed in rooms called “lounges” or just “living rooms.” These, however, are avoided by those in the upper class. Instead, they have their sofas in “sitting rooms” or “drawing rooms.”

15. Patio

During warm summer evenings, a lot of people love to relax on their “patios” while having some snacks or drinks. If Prince Harry and Meghan Markle decided to enjoy some warm weather, they would sit on their “terrace.”

What words do you avoid using in your daily speech? Let’s share them in the comment section!