At this point, the British royal family doesn't have much political power. The laws of the UK are decided by Parliament, and the reigning monarch mostly acts as a figurehead. But that doesn't mean Queen Elizabeth is not influential. The royal family has changed the course of history on several occasions, from what brides wear on their wedding day to how celebrities deal with the paparazzi.
Unsurprisingly, one of the royals who shifted history the most was Princess Diana. The young Princess of Wales came into the royal family and upended a lot of its old practices and traditions. She connected more with the public than any royal had before and she used her fame for good. Her legacy lasts even decades after her death.
But she's not the only member of the monarchy to leave a mark. Here are 15 times the royals changed history.
Henry VIII Founded a Religion
King Henry VIII wanted to get a divorce from his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, but that was against the Catholic religion. So what did he do? He created a whole other religion instead. He founded the Church of England in 1534, which the royal family still subscribes to and heads up today.
Caroline of Ansbach Helped the Vaccine Drive
The idea of infecting someone with a small portion of a deadly virus as a way to protect them sounds crazy, but that's just what King George II's wife,
Caroline of Ansbach, helped encourage the public to do. In 1722, she had her children were inoculated against smallpox, and in doing so, she encouraged countless others to follow her lead.
Queen Victoria Started the White Wedding Dress Trend
The reason brides today walk down the aisle in white is largely thanks to Queen Victoria. Before her 1840 marriage, women wore all kinds of colors on their wedding day. But Victoria wanted a white dress to better show off an intricate lace pattern, and brides have been copying her ever since.
George V Actually Spoke to His Subjects
Prior to the advent of the radio, it was difficult for royals to speak to the people they ruled over. But when the broadcast system came around, everything changed. George V became the first royal to use the radio to deliver what is now an annual Christmas address in 1932. A whole movie has been made about the moment — The King's Speech.
Edward VIII Followed His Heart
In 1936, Edward VIII became the first British royal to voluntarily abdicate the throne. He did so in order to be with the one he loved, American divorcée Wallis Simpson. His doing so paved the way for people like Prince Harry to feel like they could walk away from their royal jobs for love.
Princess Margaret's Wedding Was Televised
When Princess Margaret wed Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960, the occasion was broadcast on television, the first royal wedding to be televised. More than 20 million people watched the event, and it became the standard for future royal weddings to be televised — from Princess Diana's and Kate Middleton's to Meghan Markle's.
Princess Diana Encouraged Others To Get Help
When Diana spoke publicly about struggling with an eating disorder, it kicked off "the Diana Effect," where tons of people sought help for their own disordered eating following her brave admissions. "By sharing her story, Diana encouraged people who recognized their own symptoms in her experience to seek diagnosis and treatment," Lauren Smolar, senior director of programs at the National Eating Disorders Association told Elle.
Diana's Work With AIDS Patients
In the 1980s, there was a lot of misinformation floating around about HIV/AIDS. People incorrectly believed it could be transmitted through simple touch, so those who were sick were often treated like lepers. But in 1987, Diana infamously shook an AIDS patient's hand without wearing gloves. In doing so, she helped change the public's attitude toward those who had the disease.
Prince Philip Helped Identify the Romanovs
When remains were found in 1991 that many believed belonged to the Romanov family, there was only one way to know for sure: a DNA test. And because Philip was a relative of the Romanovs, he was asked to supply his DNA to match against the bodies. Sure enough, they were the Romanovs, and Philip helped solved a decades-old mystery.
Philip Also Popularized Polo
The royal men still play polo to this day in part because of Philip. He picked up the sport while stationed in Malta during World War II. At the end of the war, he brought it back to England and established the Guards Polo Club and the Windsor Park team. While he didn't invent the game, he certainly helped popularize it.
Princess Diana's Paparazzi Tricks
Diana was so incessantly hounded by the press that she soon developed tactics to trick them. She would wear the same outfit multiple days in a row so their photos would all look the same and be worthless, and she would also sometimes walk backwards so her face would never show. Today's celebs now employ the same methods she developed.
Diana's Death Changed the British Press
Because Diana died while being chased by paparazzi, it heavily affected how the British media treated the royal family from then on. The privacy she was never afforded was suddenly extended to her sons via the Editors' Code of Practice, which stated that children could not be photographed while in school. Today, the press works with the royal family, photographing them at official events but mostly leaving their private lives alone.
Princess Charlotte's Gender Doesn't Affect Succession
In 2013, a law was enacted that changed how succession worked. It determined that women could rule in their own right, even if they had younger brothers. Because of this, Princess Charlotte's position for the throne remained unchanged when younger brother Prince Louis was born. For the first time in history, she maintained her status regardless of her gender.
The Queen's Reigning Title
No other British monarch has ruled as long as Queen Elizabeth. She became the longest-reigning in 2015, surpassing Queen Victoria's previous record of 63 years. Elizabeth inherited the crown when she was 25 and has now been in charge for 70 years. Her record will likely remain untouched for quite a while, as it's not feasible for either Charles or William to rule for that long.
Harry & Meghan's Daughter Is the First US-Born Royal
Technically, Harry and Meghan's daughter, Lilibet, could run for president and be the Queen of England. She's eighth in line for the crown, so a lot would need to happen for her to inherit that title, but still. It's there. She's an American with rights to the UK throne. It's pretty groundbreaking.
Check out our Meghan Markle page for all the latest news about Meghan, Prince Harry, and their growing family.
