Meghan Markle has embarked on a new lifestyle ever since she became Prince Harry's wife in 2018. Markle was formerly known for giving life to the role of Rachel Zane on the popular show, Suits. Markle gets to live her dream of being a Princess these days but things aren't as simple as you imagine it to be. There are numerous rules that she needs to follow when it comes to her behavior, things she says, and fashion. You are about to read the protocols our Duchess needs to follow on a daily basis and this will show you that being a member of the Royal family is not really that simple.
Posting Random Selfies Is In The Past
Now that Meghan Markle is living a life of a Royal and is not known for being a Hollywood actress anymore, she will have to follow the rule that restricts her from taking any kind of selfie. If you have noticed, none of the Royal family members have any selfies. Well, they are also not really allowed to have Social Media accounts so they'll have no place to post selfies as well. This rule somehow helps a certain Royal engage with people more rather than just being hooked on their phone. Markle officially became a Royal when she tied the knot with Prince Harry in May 2018.
She Can't Ever Be Alone
The members of the Royal family are known by many people across the world. While most people are fans, others can still be a potential risk to them. This is why the Royal family has to treat their security as a worthwhile investment. All of them are always escorted by some guards everywhere they go. While this is good for their safety, this also means that they won't be able to have any "me time" anymore. The last thing Markle would want to happen is for her privacy to get hijacked just like what happened to Prince Harry when photos from his strip billiards game surfaced back in 2012.
Sitting Like A True Princess
If you have watched Princess Diaries, then you might be quite familiar with the fact that Royals have to know how to behave themselves in public. In the movie, Anne Hathaway's character is taught how to sit a certain way and Markle can actually relate to this because she is not allowed to cross her legs like what most people in the world do. Markle has to now have her legs slanted pressed together and such a position can be dubbed as the 'Duchess Slant.' Slanting her legs just makes her look way more elegant no matter what kind of clothes she is wearing.
No Time To Show Off Those Legs
People spend a lot of time and money to work for their dream body. One of the best feelings ever is showing off your nice figure with some outfits that show some skin. Unfortunately, Meghan Markle can never show off her legs anymore since all her skirts and dresses have to be below the knees. This is not really a problem for Markle since she has a ton of gorgeous ensembles that all follow the Royal dress code. With all the iconic looks Markle has been having over the years, it's safe to say that she is somehow a Royal fashion icon.
Following A Dress Code 24/7
Meghan Markle has a ton of public appearances that she has to make regularly so she needs to have a very good stylist that will help her with her outfit choices. There are a number of protocols Markle needs to remember when picking out her clothes. Vulgarity is a huge no-no and Markle has to ditch her old clothes that somehow shows too much skin. Markle recently made an appearance at the British Fashion Awards in December 2018 and she went against the usual Royal protocol when she wore black nail polish. Markle matched her nails that day with a black dress from Givenchy which highlighted her baby bump.
Even Drinking Tea Has Rules
Drinking tea is an old tradition in England. Some even say that it can somehow help you with losing weight as well. For a member of the Royal family, they can't just drink tea whichever way they want to because even this has a certain rule that needs to be followed. According to Myka Meier who is an etiquette expert, Royals have to use only their index finger and thumb when holding the handle of their teacup. The use of the middle finger is just for support. Hence, no matter how thirsty you are to drink your tea, when you're a Royal, check your fingers first!
Choosing The Right Color For Her Nails
As we've already mentioned, having dark nails is a huge no-no for members of the Royal family. The only reason Markle got away with wearing dark nail polish during the British Fashion Awards was probably that it was not really a Royal event. Usually, women in the Royal family have to sport a pale shade on their nails or they can also choose to have no nail polish at all. During Meghan Markle's wedding day in May 2018, she reportedly followed the nail color protocol and sported the Ballet Slippers shade of Essie.
Extra Rule For When They Travel
King George VI is the father of Queen Elizabeth II and when he passed away, the Queen was actually on vacation with her husband Prince Philip. This meant she was unprepared to mourn for her father's death and she didn't have any black clothing at all. She literally had to wait inside the plane until someone sent a black dress over to her. The Queen has learned her lesson so she has now made a rule whereby every person in the Royal family has to be prepared and bring clothing they can wear to a funeral wake every time they go to another country.
Dining With The Queen Has Its Rules
Anyone in the Royal family can't just take their sweet time every time they dine with the Queen. All the people sitting in the same table with the Queen have to watch out for her every single action. First of all, they can only touch their food only when the Queen has started eating. Once the Queen has finished eating, then they have to be done eating as well. It is said that Markle loves pasta but the Queen does not allow pasta to be served in the Buckingham Palace because she hates having starchy foods in her diet.
The Rule For Those Who Sleep In The Queen's Home
It's not only dining with the Queen that has its rules. Sleeping under the same roof as the Queen has its rules as well. Everyone in the Queen's home is only allowed to retire after the Queen is in bed. They say it is very disrespectful to fall asleep before the Queen does. Fortunately, Meghan and Prince Harry got the right amount of privacy they needed when they moved into the Kensington Palace's Nottingham Cottage. It was confirmed in November 2018 that Markle and Prince Harry are making a big move to a countryside property in Windsor dubbed as the Frogmore Cottage.
No Political Comments Allowed
Now that Meghan Markle has become an even bigger public figure, everything she says will leave a huge impact on people. Her bigger platform means that she can't just voice out her opinions on certain political issues whenever she wants to. Everyone in the Royal family has to remain neutral when it comes to politics and whatever opinions they have should be kept to themselves. During the BAFTA awards in 2018, women were all wearing black clothes to support the Time's Up movement. Kate Middleton attended the ceremony but she didn't really show any obvious support to the movement because she was wearing green.
How To Enter A Place With The Royals
When Meghan Markle attends different events with the Royal family, there is also another rule she needs to follow aside from her fashion choices. The members of the Royal family enter a place following the order of the succession to the throne. Of course, the Queen will always enter first but she is always followed by Prince Charles and his wife. Following Charles is Prince William and Kate Middleton. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are right after William and Middleton. Prince William's eldest son, Prince George, is only five years old but he is third in line to the throne so this means that he will become king one day.
Goodbye Social Media
Meghan Markle grew quite the fan base when she was still a part of the Suits cast. The show had helped Markle grow her net worth because she was a regular on the series for seven seasons. As her name became more known, her Social Media following just kept growing. Her Instagram followers were estimated to be nearly two million back in December 2017. She apparently also had around 350K people following her on her Twitter account. Once she became the Duchess of Sussex, it was time to say goodbye to her Social Media accounts. We wonder if she has a private Facebook or Instagram account for staying in touch with her close friends...
No Messy Hairdos Allowed
Aside from being a style inspiration to many, people also get inspired by how Meghan Markle presents herself. Many women often sport a ponytail because it is one of the simplest things they can do with their hair. Markle can't just sport a poorly fixed ponytail because it would look very un-royal. She always needs to look regal and sophisticated wherever she goes so this means her hairdo always needs to be well-thought of. Markle already broke the protocol earlier in 2018 when she made an appearance in Belfast Northern, Ireland sporting a messy bun.
Always Covered Up
Meghan Markle always had a nice physique and back when she was an actress, she wore numerous outfits that highlighted her figure. Now that she is a part of the Royal family, she has to be mindful about the amount of skin her outfits are showing. She is not really allowed to wear a dress that would show even a hint of a cleavage. She has to look proper and respectable in every event she goes to. These days, Markle wears more loose outfits since she is pregnant with her first child with Prince Harry. Markle is expected to give birth during spring in 2019.
Coping Advice From One Female VIP To Another
The previous First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, has some suggestions for Meghan Markle on her new life as Prince Harry's wife. Her biggest tip is that Meghan shouldn't be in too much of a rush to get things done. Obama told Good Housekeeping magazine that she imagines that the Duchess most likely is probably feeling sometimes overwhelmed, and pressured - both from herself and others, to meet performance standards, However, she says Meghan should take time to evaluate situations carefully, pick the platforms she can happily operate in and that personally appeal to her. The Duchess is giving birth soon, expectedly in April 2019.
No Tilting At All
Another rule that comes with being a Royal is how one positions his or her face. Women from the Royal family are not allowed to tilt their heads and their chins and the floor have to be parallel at all times. This is not the most simple thing to do and they might even suffer from a stiff neck at times! Meghan had to master such a thing since she will be having this lifestyle for as long as she's a Royal. Thankfully, the rule shows off Markle's amazing jawline and she barely even needs any face contouring!
No Saying No
No matter how big or small a salary people have, they are often fond of giving gifts to the members of the Royal family. There is a rule in the Royal family that they have to accept all gifts that are given to them and saying no is really not an option. As a former celebrity, we are sure that Meghan Markle had already been given gifts by her fans and maybe she had even said no to some in the past. Today, she has to appreciate every little token people give her since they really went out of their way to do such a gesture.
Spending Christmas Differently
You might've seen a lot of articles saying that Megan Markle went against a certain Royal protocol but other members of the Royal family have also broken a number of protocols in the past. In 2017, Meghan had spent Christmas with the Royal family. This was breaking the protocol because she was not yet the wife of Prince Harry. The Royal family celebrates Christmas quite differently because they exchange Christmas gifts during the eve of Christmas. Usually, people exchange gifts during Christmas day. In case you didn't know, Prince Harry and Meghan first started dating back in 2016 after a friend had set them up on a blind date.
Curtsying 101
Whenever Meghan Markle sees the Queen and greets her, she has to curtsy first before anything else. Bending your knee with one foot in the back is not really hard to do but she still needs to make sure she does it properly. Kate Middleton, Prince William's wife, has been a part of the Royal family since 2011 so she had definitely mastered how to curtsy properly. After Middleton's wedding to Prince William in 2011, Middleton took on the role of Duchess of Cambridge. In 2018, the couple welcomed their second son and their third child named Prince Louis.
The Queen Is Not Really Into Wedges
Back when Meghan Markle was still allowed to share a lot of moments on her Instagram page, she would often show off her unique style and her love for fashion. As an actress, she was given the opportunity to wear the best gowns, shoes, and accessories available. Now that she is a Royal, she might have to give some of her old shoes away because wedges are not exactly approved by the Queen. Kate Middleton used to be seen wearing a lot of wedges but she hasn't been wearing them for some time now.
Bye Bye Shellfish
Every single member of the Royal family has to exert an effort in maintaining good health. Whenever they eat out, there are certain food items that they are not allowed to order. Shellfish is one of those which is not allowed because it reportedly increases the risk of getting food poisoning. Despite this rule, it was revealed in 2018 that Prince William and Kate Middleton still love eating sushi. The Royal family is also not allowed to drink tap water when they visit foreign countries since they are not 100% sure it's clean. Raw meat apparently also has to be avoided.
Mrs. Prince Harry
Ever since Meghan Markle became Prince Harry's wife in May 2018, she is not just known as simply Meghan Markle anymore. Markle is now referred to as the Duchess of Sussex. Aside from this, she is also known as Her Royal Highness Princess Henry of Wales. It is really stated in Royal law that the wife needs to take on the name of her husband. Some of you might not know this but Markle had been married once way before she met Prince Harry. She was married to producer Trevor Engelson but they got a divorce after nearly two years of marriage.
Mastering Self-Defense
The Royal family knows how important an investment it is to have the right security around them at all times. Even if they have a lot of bodyguards escorting them wherever they go, members of the Royal family still have to know how to defend themselves if ever they get attacked. This is why all of them go through self-defense classes. Kate Middleton underwent such classes when she got married to Prince William and now, Meghan Markle has done the same as well. Sources also say that every room in the Royals' home has a panic button should an emergency happen.
Giving Back
Meghan Markle was bringing in a lot of earnings when she was still in show business. She knew how much of a blessing her career was and it was very nice to see that she knew how to regularly give back by supporting different charitable causes. Not much has really changed ever since Meghan Markle became the Duchess of Sussex because her position still entails her to do a lot of charity work. Although, Markle can't just choose any cause she wants to support for there is a certain list of charitable causes provided by the Royal family.
Taking Care Of The Royal Family's Reputation
Bankruptcy might be the last thing that would cross Meghan's mind these days. Ever since she married Prince Harry, she no longer has to worry about any financial struggles nor does she even have to worry about settling any bills. Being a Royal definitely gives her a lot of security and stability in her life but of course, she has her own fortune before she met Harry. Markle has to make sure that she is always in her best behavior and that she takes care of the Royal family's reputation at all times. Unfortunately, Markle has been under scrutiny these days after an employee allegedly said she was difficult to work with.
Having The Right Knowledge Before Anything Else
Some might think that being a member of the Royal family is just all sunshine and rainbows but the truth is, it is such an enormous responsibility. Meghan Markle has a ton of royal engagements to attend to and before she even got to go on Royals tour with her husband Prince Harry, she had to study anything and everything about being a Royal. It was as if she was going to school again for the first time. But this was a piece of cake since Markle is a very smart woman. Markle majored in international studies and theater back when she was studying at Northwestern University.
Looking Fresh 24/7
As you might have already noticed, Meghan Markle always looks fabulous wherever she goes. She is often wearing the best pieces created by very talented fashion designers and you would rarely see her repeat an outfit. Whenever she gets ready to head out, Markle has to make sure that there is enough time for her to look polished. Markle can never be seen that she just got out of bed. It might take some time to get used to it but what woman would not want to look her best at all times, right?
No Touching Rule
Just like any other public figure, members of the Royal family can also encounter some fans that can get too touchy. There is a rule that says that no one is allowed to touch the Royals because it can be quite inappropriate and awkward. Meghan Markle still hugs some fans occasionally but she needs to be cautious at all times and more especially now since she is going through pregnancy. We wonder if Meghan's security did something to the guy who kissed her hand in the photo above - we hope not, for his sake.
Breaking Wedding Traditions
People always love seeing a member of the Royal family get married. Millions of people around the world tune into their TV screens and watch live streaming of Royal events like nuptials and they just want to witness a part of history unfold. During Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's big day in May 2018, the couple actually broke a protocol that has been followed for decades. Men in the Royal family are not supposed to wear rings but Prince Harry went against the tradition and exchanged rings with Markle during their ceremony. Prince William and Prince Charles both didn't sport wedding bands during their big day.
Being An Independent Woman
Meghan Marle sure looked like a real princess in her simple wedding gown. She wore a beautiful trousseau by Givenchy's Claire Waight Keller. Meghan, like the truly independent woman that she is, started her bridal walk without any escort but Prince Charles met her halfway down the aisle and escorted her proudly to the eagerly waiting groom. Meghan's father, Thomas Markle, couldn't make it to his daughter's big day. Markle and Prince Harry's coming together as husband and wife was a very memorable one but it definitely didn't come cheap. The entire cost is estimated to be more than $40 million, according to sources! Fortunately, the Royal family took care of everything.
The Hidden Power of the Purse
If you have noticed, most women in the Royal family carry clutches when they head to some public appearances. This is because a clutch keeps their hands occupied so they later won't have to shake the hands of the numerous people they cross paths with. For the late Princess Diana, she actually used her clutch to cover her cleavage before since her clothes were sometimes revealing. Meghan Markle has gone against the clutch trend because she once sported a crossbody bag from Strathberry. Markle is probably not ready yet to let go of the luxury bags she had purchased during her showbiz days.
Marrying A Divorcee
As you might have already known, Meghan Markle had been married once. Markle started dating Trevor Engelson way back in 2004 and Engelson is best known for producing projects like Remember Me, Zoom, and Snowfall. After seven years of being together, the two tied the knot in 2011 but they ended up getting a divorce a month before their 2nd wedding anniversary. Markle later went on to date celebrity chef Cory Vitiello. A protocol was definitely broken because Royals shouldn't be marrying a divorcee. The late Princess Margaret once wasn't allowed to marry a man because he was already previously married.
Pioneering Wedding Speeches
During Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's big day, certain traditions or protocols were not really followed. During their wedding reception, for example, Markle apparently gave a speech and this was not supposed to have happened. Meghan is actually the first ever Royal bride who was able to deliver such a speech during the reception. For everyone else in the world, this is quite normal since numerous newlyweds give speeches during the reception. You won't see any photos of the festivities during Markle and Prince Harry's reception though, because all the guests' phones were surrendered before entering the venue.