Being a part of the royal family comes with a lot of perks, but it also comes with a lot of rules and traditions that must be followed — and there seems to be a lot of them when it comes to royal babies. While the royal ladies are likely used to following protocol in their daily lives, there's a whole new set for them to contend with while pregnant, and even while giving birth.
… and it sounds like it could all get a little overwhelming.
Through the years, though, we've seen Kate Middleton follow these rules with all three of her children — and although Meghan Markle definitely stood up for what she wanted when she was getting ready to welcome baby Archie Harrison in 2018 — she was bound by a lot of these traditions as well, both good and bad.
With more royal babies to come — and soon, since Princess Eugenie is now pregnant — it'll be interesting to see if these traditions continue to hold, or if things change with these new generations of royals. Read on for all the royal baby rules that these little ones are born following.
The Gender Must Remain a Secret
We've never seen a pregnant royal announce whether they're having a boy or a girl, and the most likely reason for that is that it's simply not allowed in the royal family. The Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchess of Sussex have kept their baby's gender a secret until the babies were born, and so far, it seems like Eugenie is following their lead on this one.
Baby News Must Go Through the Queen First
Considering the fact that Queen Elizabeth is, well, the Queen, of course she is to be alerted of new members of the royal family first. This rule makes plenty of sense … and considering that Elizabeth has been the great-grandmother of these babies who have been born, there's a good chance she was pretty excited to hear about the births.
Traditional Baby Announcement
Every time a royal baby is born, the announcement is the same: The details of the birth are put on an easel outside of Buckingham Palace. It's very formal, but it's also such a sweet tradition to see it continue through the generations. It's always an exciting moment when that easel is placed outside the palace!
Formal Introduction
The royal baby is always formally introduced to the public — usually with a photo shoot taking place. While Kate has opted to do so outside of the Lindo Wing soon after giving birth each time she has welcomed a baby, Meghan instead took a few days and introduced Archie to the public when she felt ready.
Multiple Godparents Are Chosen
Princess Charlotte, Prince George, and Prince Louis all have several godparents — we're talking as many as seven. While most kids only have two, that's not true for the royal family, and as royal expert Robert Jobson told ABC News in 2015, there's actually a reason for that. "There's a feeling that because of their role as members of the royal family that they need as many confidants as they can get apart from their parents," he said.
No Baby Showers
Though Meghan Markle did have a baby shower with her friends in New York, typically, royal moms-to-be don't generally have showers — not only because it's well-known that their family has money, but also because it's not as common in the UK as it is in the US.
"[Royals] are funded by the taxpayer and so they have to take public perception into account," expert Victoria Arbiter told ABC News.
Expecting Moms Must Use a Royal Gynecologist
Considering the fact that the royals are royals, their health care providers aren't just anyone, and that includes their OBs. According to The Telegraph, the royal OB-GYN is Dr. Guy Thorpe-Beeston, who works with a gyno-surgeon, Dr. Alan Farthing. (They delivered Louis, Charlotte, and George.) Sorry to any royal ladies who might have wanted to pick their own docs!
Traveling Is Kept to a Minimum
While flying to different destinations and going on tours usually makes up a big part of the royals' duties and engagements, while pregnant, royals are to limit their travel as much as possible. Like any other rule, there are exceptions to this, but it would make sense if the royals didn't mind taking it easy while they're expecting.
Names Aren't Announced Immediately
A royal baby's name has never been announced right away, and for good reason! According to what Arbiter told Town & Country, it's so they have time to enjoy their baby, and so they can make sure they've made the right choice.
"The reasoning is perhaps two fold. On one hand there's a desire to inform the families before a public declaration is made and any new parent appreciates having a little private time to get to know their new addition before the onslaught of announcements," she said. "Royals, however, also have to consider the great responsibility in naming a new member of the family and I expect they want to be a hundred percent certain of their choice before announcing the name and sealing the baby's place in history."
Christening Gown Gets Passed Down
Ever notice all the royal babies wear the same christening gown on their big days? They're following a tradition that began in 1841, when Queen Victoria's daughter first wore it. Today, the royal babies wear a replica of the gown, but it was still in use when Harry and William were christened. What a cool piece of history!
Queen Assigns Titles
It's not a given that a royal baby will have a title, but it usually does happen, and it is the Queen who bestows that title upon them — and to decide what it is. In some cases, as with Meghan and Harry, the parents will decide they don't want their child to have a title … but Louis, George, and Charlotte are obviously two princes and a princess.
Babies Are Christened With Special Water
It's not just the gown that's become a tradition for royal christenings — and this one is pretty cool, too. As ITV has pointed out, all royal babies are baptized with water from the River Jordan, where Jesus is said to have been baptized by John the Baptist. They're also baptized in the Lily Font, a silver gilt baptismal font, which is part of the Crown Jewels collection.
Parents Don't Actually Have Custody
As it turns out, it's not the parents who have custody of the royal baby: it's the sovereign. Technically, Queen Elizabeth is the custodian of all royal children, and she is allowed to make the final call on all the big decisions in their lives, from their living arrangements, to how they are educated, and even when and who they will marry.
Royal Babies Can Never Be Touched
Although touching any of the royals is usually off limits, strangers touching a royal baby is an especially big no-no, according to what royal etiquette expert Grant Harrold told Insider.
"Royal babies should be looked at, but never touched," he said. "The public must be respectful. As well as an etiquette rule, it poses a major security risk if someone is able to get so close that they are able to touch members of the Royal Family."
Babies Are Born in Hospitals
If a royal mom wants to give birth at home, unfortunately, that's no longer allowed. Although Queen Elizabeth gave birth to all her children at Buckingham Palace, the next generation changed things. All royal babies have been born in hospitals for decades, and the protocol is for royals to give birth at the Lindo Wing at St. Mary's Hospital. However, that's not always the hospital of choice. Meghan gave birth to Archie at Portland Hospital in London, and that's also where Eugenie and Beatrice were born.
