8 Rules Prince William and Kate Middleton Need to Follow That Other Royals Don’t

Prince William and Kate Middleton are the future King and Queen consort of England, so they are bound by special rules that don’t strictly apply to other members of the royal family. For example, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expected to seek the Queen’s approval on many things, including their wardrobe and holiday plans.

Bright Side would like to give you a glimpse of what life is like for a future monarch, so we listed some of the rigid rules of etiquette that Prince William and Kate are expected to adhere to.

1. The couple needed Queen Elizabeth II’s permission to get married.

The Royal Marriages Act 1772 obligated all members of the British royal family to seek the sovereign’s agreement before getting married. However, this was repealed and replaced by the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, which applied the requirement only to the first 6 people in line to the throne.

As the eldest son of Prince Charles and the apparent heir to the throne, Prince William, is currently second in line and is covered by this rule. His grandmother didn’t appear to have any objections and willingly gave her consent.

2. Their wedding wardrobes must be approved by Her Royal Highness.

The Queen has the power to “veto” the wedding dress if she feels like the ensemble doesn’t meet royal standards. This means Kate probably had to show Queen Elizabeth II her quintessential Alexander McQueen bridal gown before the big day.

As for Prince William, the tradition among royal men is to wear their military uniform for the wedding ceremony. And just like his grandfather, the duke decided not to wear a wedding ring — a custom that Prince Harry broke when he wore a platinum band after marrying Meghan Markle.

3. Kate’s pregnancy-related health issues are made public.

Protocols dictate that royals only announce a pregnancy after passing the first trimester. But when Kate was pregnant with Prince George, a statement was released earlier due to her diagnosis of hyperemesis gravidarum, otherwise known as acute morning sickness.

Buckingham Palace shares all relevant health issues and updates to explain why the duchess won’t be able to attend her scheduled engagements.

4. They are required to reveal their children’s names to the Queen before sharing them with anyone else.

Prince William and Kate don’t formally need the Queen’s approval for their babies’ names, but her blessing is usually sought. And names cannot be publicly announced until Her Majesty is told about them first.

The freedom to choose a name is also highly dependent on the line of succession. Descendants further down the line have more liberty to give unique or unconventional monikers.

5. Prince William and his son, Prince George, are not officially allowed to fly together.

Heirs are not supposed to travel together for the purpose of protecting the royal lineage in case of an accident. But the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been bending this rule with the Queen’s permission. Her Majesty allegedly relaxed the policy since air travel is deemed safer nowadays.

Right now, Prince William and Kate travel with all their children, but when Prince George turns 12, he will be compelled to travel separately.

6. They’re expected to follow the royal family’s holiday protocols.

The royal family’s Christmas tradition is to spend it all together at the Queen’s Sandringham estate, but William and Kate want the kids to spend time with both sides of the family.

Thankfully, the historical practice of casting aside in-laws or relatives without royal blood has changed with modern times, and the Queen granted their request to spend some vacations at the Middleton family’s house in Bucklebury, Berkshire.

7. They must dress to impress, and Kate can borrow any jewelry from the Queen’s collection.

Kate can pick any of Queen Elizabeth II’s precious gems, provided that she has the monarch’s nod. According to one royal expert, the Queen is very much willing to share her collection with the duchess, and over the years, Kate has been seen donning these crown jewels on various occasions.

In case you’re wondering why Prince William is always wearing chinos, it’s because they need to follow strict clothing etiquette. Jeans are considered extremely casual in certain places, while lightweight, cotton pants are considered more acceptable.

8. They need to exercise better judgment when it comes to public displays of affection.

While no rule technically bans the royals from showing affection toward each other, the Queen rarely held hands with Prince Philip, and this has set a precedent among other family members.

One royal etiquette expert explains that the appropriate amount of public displays of affection (PDA), usually depends on how formal or casual the event is. Prince William and Kate don’t normally share sweet moments in public, but there are occasional snaps of the couple holding hands or sharing a hug, like in this photo from their tenth wedding anniversary.

What do you think about these rules? Do you agree or disagree with them?