5 Popular Royal Family Protocols Debunked

The British royal family is known for having a ridiculous amount of rules and regulations that every member must follow. These regulations within the family can be daunting for new members, as Meghan Markle would know by now, and is undoubtedly even more confusing for regular folks outside of the family’s hold.

Most of these rules are made and upheld out of practicality or tradition more often than not — such as not having political affiliations or heirs not traveling together. There are some, however, that raise more eyebrows and questions, putting to question whether there is such a rule or tradition that backs certain actions of the royals. Here are a few of the rumored royal rules and regulations that have already been debunked.

1. Royals Carry At Least One All-Black Attire During Trips

One popularly held notion is that the royal family members must always bring at least one all-black outfit during trips in case a family member passes away. This “rule” is definitely steeped in sensibility and seems to stem from a time when the Queen did not have any proper mourning wear when her father, King George IV, passed away. This notion, however, is more practical than traditional as this has been proven not to be a royal regulation.

2. Playing “Monopoly” Is Forbidden In The Palace

The world-famous board game “Monopoly” is a widely popular pastime for everyone, so it comes as no surprise that Prince Andrew was once gifted the time-consuming game. The prince, however, famously said that they were “not allowed” to play it as it would get “too vicious.” Although a lot had taken his statement to heart, this was actually nothing more than a joke.

3. Shellfish Is Forbidden

The alleged rule that royals are not allowed to eat shellfish is actually more about practicality rather than imposition. Members of the royal family typically avoid them as it contains a heavy risk for food poisoning, although some royals actually enjoy the delicacy once in a while.

4. The Queen Dislikes Vegans

The Queen has previously been thought to not allow her great grandchildren to be vegans. This is entirely untrue, and the royal family has been known to host vegan options in their parties as well.

5. Royal Are Not Allowed To Hold Hands In Public

A widely popular notion is that PDA in public appearances — even mere hand holding — is looked down upon by the Queen. This is actually untrue. Although excessive displays are of course generally unaccepted by the public, royal couples have their subtle signs of affection, which is of course dependent on the nature of the event they attend. Hand holding is definitely not disallowed, as shown by Meghan and Harry, who have rarely been seen with their hands not linked.