Parts of being in the royal family seem like they would be a lot of fun, but it also comes with a lot of rules — many of them imposed by Queen Elizabeth herself. As we all know, the famous monarch is all about honoring tradition and following royal etiquette, and she doesn't often waver from protocol the way we've seen younger royals like Prince Harry and Kate Middleton do in the past. Rules are rules, and if the Queen made them, the royals better follow them!
Over the years the Queen has put certain rules into place based on her own experiences, and some of them make a lot of sense … and some of them don't. But hey, what the Queen says goes, even if it's something we don't necessarily understand.
From different foods to dress codes, and even board games, here are things the Queen has banned the royal family from doing, wearing, and eating. There's a lot the royals miss out on by virtue of being born into the family, but don't feel too sorry for them — they do get to live in a literal palace, after all.
She's Banned Certain Words
According to what royal commentator Marina Viro told Italian outlet La Vita in Diretta (via The Daily Mail), certain common words are banned, and the Queen would prefer her fellow royals use other words instead.
"Woe to talk about couch — the royal settee is called a sofa — and living room. The royal room is called the sitting room, and the courtyard is simply called the terrace," she said. "In short, these words would be too banal, not very chic, unpronounceable at court."
Elizabeth has also banned other words, like restroom (the word lavatory should be used instead) and fragrance (she prefers scent).
Seafood
The Daily Mail shared that the Queen has banned seafood from being served during royal engagements to help prevent anyone in her family getting food poisoning while they're working. This one makes a bit of sense, even though it's possible to get food poisoning from other dishes.
Garlic
When cooking for the Queen, garlic is also a big "no" because the Queen is worried about it ruining everyone's breath.
"The Queen is a wonderful lady, the Royal Family are wonderful people but they're missing out on garlic because at Buckingham Palace you don't cook with garlic," former royal chef John Higgins told The Daily Mail.
Sandwiches With Crusts
Here's a royal rule that the kids might be fans of. According to what a royal chef told The Telegraph, sandwiches should never be served with the crusts still on (and Elizabeth isn't a huge fan of starchy foods like bread to begin with).
"A chef told me off for serving the sandwiches with crusts," former chef Owen Hodgson told the outlet.
Playing Monopoly
Unfortunately, it sounds like Charlotte, George, and Louis may never know the joy of beating their family at a rousing game of Monopoly because the Queen has said it's never to be played by the royals. As Express reported, Prince Andrew once said during a 2008 royal engagement that they aren't allowed to play the game at home because "it gets too vicious." They sound like a competitive bunch!
Not Wearing Stockings
When the Duchess of Cambridge wears a skirt or a dress, always expect her to be wearing nude stockings instead of showing off her bare legs — it's something else that the Queen disapproves of. As royal expert Victoria Arbiter told Insider, the Queen requires nude stockings to be worn as her main fashion rule for royals.
Taking Selfies
Though this is a rule the royals have broken under special circumstances, the monarch has also banned them from taking selfies. According to journalist Victoria Murphy, the Duchess of Sussex once told a fan in 2017 that they weren't allowed to do them, and this may stem from safety issues as well as the rule that people aren't supposed to turn their back to a royal.
Nicknames
Because the Queen is a rather formal lady, it's no surprise that nicknames are another thing she's banned the royal family from using. Instead, they must call each other by their full names: Kate will always call her husband William, and Will will always call his wife Catherine in public.
Traveling Without a Mourning Outfit
This is a rule that's based in practicality. No one in the royal family is allowed to travel without a black outfit packed in their bag, should someone die while they're away. As The Independent pointed out, this rule came about after then-Princess Elizabeth was traveling when her father died and she didn't have a black outfit with her, so she had to wait for one to be brought to her before she could get off the plane.
No PDA
Wondering why Will and Kate are never publicly exchanging smooches or holding hands? It's because Queen Elizabeth herself set a precedent to avoid showing PDA by abstaining from getting too handsy with Prince Philip out in public. Now, the other royals follow her lead.
Using the Title the Duke of Windsor
According to British Heritage, Queen Elizabeth has banned the title Duke of Windsor from ever being used again after her uncle, Edward VIII, abdicated the throne to marry Wallis Simpson. Supposedly, the Queen feels that the title has been forever sullied by him and wouldn't want to pass it on to anyone else.
Bright Nail Polish
Despite the fact that the Queen loves wearing brightly colored suits, the same doesn't go for her nail polish. The royals are to stick to nude colors only, and according to People, the Queen's favorite shade is Ballet Slippers from Essie, a pinkish nude tone.
Touching Her Purse
As royal protocol expert Capricia Penavic Marshall told People, no one is to touch the Queen's purse because it's more than just a vessel for her essential items. It's also something she uses to signal her entourage. If she lowers the bag on her arm, it means she's done having the conversation she's currently engaged in and wants to leave.
Eating After the Queen Has Finished
As far as mealtimes with the Queen are concerned, if she's done eating, then so is everyone else at the table. According to her rules, she sets the speed at dinner. Once she's signaled that she's finished and wants to get up, that means everyone else must finish and do the same.
Dresses Above the Knee
Another one of the monarch's dress code requirements is that dresses and skirts must not be above the knee. She follows that rule to the letter, but we've seen Kate break it when wearing shorter dresses during more casual outings. Hopefully, she got permission from her grandmother-in-law first!
