Duchess Catherine's Long List Of Strict Royal Rules Regulating Her As A Royal Family Member

Sep 22, 2022 by apost team

The entire world watched on Apr. 29th, 2011, when Prince William and Catherine Middleton wed in a beautiful ceremony at Westminster Abbey, London. The heavily publicized wedding prompted all kinds of celebrations, including street parties across England, William and Kate merchandise and plenty of speculation about how the royal couple would navigate their roles as the Prince and Princess of Wales. 

The couple is particularly prominent in the royal family given that William is next in line to the throne after his father, King Charles III, who ascended on Sept. 8th, 2022, after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, passed. At the time of their marriage, the couple had been together for eight years after they started dating when they were both students at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, where the two completed their undergraduate degrees. 

A lot has happened since those days, including the couple’s official engagement announcement on Nov. 16th, 2010, followed by their wedding, which took place in April 2011. Since then, the Prince and Princess of Wales have been busy building a family, which includes the future king, Prince George, 9, Princess Charlotte, 7, and Prince Louis, 4. 

Even though Kate lives a public life for the world to see, she still has plenty of rules that she must follow and abide by being in the royal family. Some of the rules may seem strange or outdated. However, the royal rules are in place for a reason. Read on to see and learn about royal family rules that Kate Middleton must follow. 

According to CBS News, there are handfuls of rules that the royal family, including the Princess of Wales, must follow. For one, her engagement to Prince William could not just be on a whim or done at any romantic moment. CBS reports that “According to the Succession to the Crown Act of 2013, the first six people in line for the crown cannot marry without the consent of the reigning monarch. Failure to do so would immediately disqualify them (and their descendants) from ever ascending to the throne.”

For Prince William to propose and marry his now-wife, Kate, Queen Elizabeth II had to give her seal of approval. “In April 2011, Queen Elizabeth gave her consent for Prince William and Kate Middleton to get married. The official notice of approval (known as the “Instrument of Consent”) was written in calligraphy, closed with a red wax seal, and covered in custom artwork that represented the groom and bride-to-be,” CBS reported. 

Women in the royal family have many rules pertaining to their looks as well. There are several rumored rules they must follow, such as staying away from dark nail polish as well as wearing skin-colored pantyhose, according to CBS. While dining, women must also “try to always drink from the same spot on their cup, so as not to smear their makeup on the glass any more than absolutely necessary.” Women in the royal family who choose to wear a purse in public must wear it on their left arm. CBS shared, “The queen herself was often seen carrying a handbag during public outings, making this rule a part of her everyday life.” They added, “This rule is in place so the right arm is free to wave, shake hands and greet people.”

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Most importantly, according to Harper’s Bazaar, Kate must always dress conservatively. “Royals are required to dress modestly and avoid any looks that are too racy or provocative. Cleavage is also deemed unacceptable,” they reported. 

There are quite a few rules Kate Middleton must follow when out in public as well. The royal family is always photographed mingling with people; however, they are never allowed to sign an autograph for a fan. According to CBS, “Royal protocol prohibits family members from offering their signature to fans, lest someone try to forge it.”

They don’t just shake hands, but they also accept many gifts from members of the public. “...when it comes to giving and receiving gifts, ranging from people they must refuse gifts from, to the monetary value of gifts they can keep,” CBS shared. They went on to add, “But regardless of the present itself, all items must be entered into a log. According to the Royal Household’s gift policy, ‘Official gifts should be acknowledged wherever possible, recorded and be traceable at all times.’”

As for pictures with royal fans or the public, the modern act of a selfie picture is also off-limits. “Royals are reportedly not allowed to take selfies,” CBS said.  

According to Harper’s Bazaar, the Princess of Wales and her husband aren’t allowed to display public affection when out in the public eye either. “Public displays of affection are frowned upon for the Royal Family–especially when traveling. Royals are expected to never make those from another, more conservative, culture feel uncomfortable by showing signs of affection publicly,” they report. 

What do you think of all of these royal rules?! Would you be able to follow them all? If you love learning more about the royal family— send this article to others who are interested too!