There is this saying that even if one can do it, it doesn’t mean he has to. The British royal family seems to live by that rule religiously. It turns out that for all the glitz and glamor of their public life, the royals are actually kings and queens of scrimping and saving.
The Windsors are not big on spending. They try to save as much as possible. Many would probably picture waking up to a long table of fancy breakfast with an army of butlers and helpers at their disposal. But it really couldn't be further from the truth.
Take a peek behind the curtain of their picture-perfect life and discover all the fascinating ways the British royal family shows their frugality.
1. Anyone seen that outfit before?
If the royal family can scrimp on one thing, it's the wardrobe. Their savings have a lot to do with maintaining the same set of wardrobe. They value tradition and aim to preserve their clothes to get as many years out of them as possible. That said, they invest in high-quality clothing that will last them a lifetime or three. Instead of getting a dress or suit made for each and every occasion, they'd rather dig up old reliables.
Princess Anne is definitely the winner in this department, reusing outfits for three decades. She holds on to clothes that are older than her children. A staple in her rotation is a white dress that she has worn in the same event held 26 years apart, once in 1988 and another in 2014. Before that, she rocked it at a wedding and then in 1994 and 1995 again. Just last year, she broke out a 40-year-old cream and navy ensemble.
2. That 30-year-old suit will do — it just needs a little repair
To prolong the life of their clothes, the royal family seems to get them routinely repaired. The suit that Prince Charles wore on the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan is reportedly as old as the son he watched get married at the altar. Prince Charles keeps his pair of five-decade-old shoes going through countless repairs.
The Queen was also known to have dusted off a gold, silver and grey fabric to wear to banquet 20 years after it was given to her.
3. The duchesses know how to stay in style in repeat clothes
Kate Middleton is notoriously frugal when it comes to clothing as well. She has been seen wearing the same outfits at different events. She even did her makeup for her own wedding. She isn't above wearing street brands either, often sporting casual outfits from Zara.
As the latest member of the family, Meghan Markle quickly acclimated to the tradition, taking notes from the Duchess of Cambridge. It’s only been a few years since the actress married into the family, but she has already repeated a few outfits and has been wearing economical yet stylish clothes. Both duchesses are quite the trendsetters.
4. Fans wouldn't believe what the Queen uses to keep her nails ready for a series of waving and handshaking
The Queen has always stuck with Essie's Ballet Slippers nail polish for her manicure needs. This product is just priced at £7.99.
In fact, this timeless shade of pink could use the tagline “What royalty trusts.” Meghan and Princess Eugenie of York wore it on their weddings, while Kate rocked the Allure shade from the same brand when she tied the knot.
5. The British royal family keeps several generations’ worth of hand-me-downs
When one grows out of his toys and clothes, another one gets to enjoy them. It may be hard to believe, but the royal family believes in that. All of the Queen's children played with the same toys and slept in the same cot.
Clearly, Prince William took after his mother. Prince George was once seen donning an outfit his dad wore back in 1984. His shoes as a small kid were also worn by Princess Charlotte.
Possibly one of the most impressive demonstration of this frugality, however, is a royal christening gown that has been used by 62 royal babies since it was worn by Prince Victoria's first child in 1841. More than a century later, it has definitely seen better days, so the Queen had to get an exact replica made by senior dresser Angela Kelly in 2008. This is the gown that has been used for every christening ceremony ever since.
6. Don’t kick the front seat — a prince might be sitting there
The family is always on travel mode, but they don’t take first class every time. To get home from Memphis, Prince William flew a coach flight on American Airlines. He and Kate prefer commercial flights over private jets. Meghan really shows she integrated into the family well by following suit, flying commercial for their two-week royal tour.
7. No limousine for the Queen — a train will do
The Queen still hops on a train for Christmas to go to Sandringham Estate, where the royal family spends the holidays. The royal highness lit up Twitter last year after she was seen all-smiles boarding a public train on such a busy time of year.
Learn more about the British royal family's frugal ways in Part 2 here.
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