10 Royal Rules That Give Us a Glimpse Into Their Private Lives

Despite being one of the most famous families in the world, there is still a lot to learn about the British royal family. And it turns out that they live by a strict set of rules, making sure that they look their best. These traditions set them apart from the rest of us, as we would never think of using many of their rules in our daily lives. That’s what makes this royal family one-of-a-kind and so interesting.

To quench your curiosity, Bright Side has found some of the more unusual traditions that they must follow, with the bonus of the Queen’s full name and title at the end.

1. They weigh themselves before Christmas dinner.

This is an old tradition from King Edward VII to make sure that all the guests are well-fed. The idea is that you are heavier after the meal when the guests weigh themselves again after the dinner. Although it started at the beginning of the 20th century, the Christmas tradition is still kept today, according to some reports.

2. They don’t have 13 guests for dinner.

This is not because the Queen believes the old wives’ tale that 13 is an unlucky number. She has this strict rule in case one of her guests is superstitious. Therefore, she always has more or fewer quests attending her formal dinners, never 13.

3. They have 3 or 4 names each.

Royals having multiple names is quite a tradition, one that ties the family across generations and centuries. They all use royal names of their ancestors, like Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, whose name comes from her great-grandmother (Queen Elizabeth II) and her grandmother (Princess Diana).

4. They don’t have a title when they are children.

All royals have official titles as adults, which is used in place of their last name. Historically, kings and princes used the names of the countries they ruled, but more recently, this changed to just the House they belonged to. Prince George is known as George Cambridge for the time being, after his father, Prince William the Duke of Cambridge. Only when George is older will he get a title himself.

5. They can’t show too much skin.

The royals are required to dress modestly and not too provocatively. This means that showing cleavage is not allowed, something that Diana famously avoided with her clutch bags to stop the paparazzi from snapping any revealing photos.

6. They used the same christening gown for 8 generations.

This silk and lace gown has been worn by 62 royal babies over 163 years. It was commissioned by Queen Victoria in 1841 for her first daughter Princess Victoria’s christening. Since then, it has been worn at all royal christenings, including Princess Elizabeth’s and Prince William’s. In 2004, the Queen requested an exact replica to be made, which has been used since, lastly, by Prince Archie in 2019.

7. They aren’t allowed to meet world leaders as babies.

Although this is not normally allowed, Prince George once had permission to stay up late and meet a world leader at Kensington Palace in London in 2016.

8. They don’t wear fur.

As of 2019, the Queen has banned the use of real fur within her closet, meaning that she will only be commissioning faux-fur clothing from now on. However, she still reuses the fur she already owns, from her hats to her coats. She has become the first royal to ban it publically.

9. They don’t eat potatoes, rice, or pasta for dinner.

Apparently, the Queen doesn’t like eating too much starch in her meals, meaning that she has banned certain foods from being served at her table. One of her former palace chefs stated that she would instead have fish or steak with vegetables and salad.

10. They aren’t allowed to earn money.

Members of the royal family who receive public money aren’t allowed to have a private income or have a daytime job. This famously hit the spotlight when Meghan Markle and Prince Harry announced that they didn’t want to be senior royals anymore and would prefer to be financially independent, allowing her to continue her career as an actress.

Bonus: this is the Queen’s full name and title

Name: Elizabeth Alexandra Mary

Title: Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of her other realms and territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith

Who is your favorite royal? Have you ever been to Buckingham Palace?