15 szigorú szabály, amit a királyi család gyermekeinek be kell tartania

Being a member of a Royal Family may seem glamorous and prestigious, but of course it isn’t all fancy hats and corgis. There are some pretty strict rules that even the children are forced to follow. We’ll let you in on fifteen shocking rules that royal kids have to abide by. Now, onto the rules.

Board games

Yes, there are some toys that members of the Royal Family are forbidden to play with. One in particular is a classic board game, and it’s not banned for reasons you may think. Prince Andrew was once presented with a board game that he was forced to decline because it’s against the rules. What game was it? That would be Monopoly, and it’s not banned for the reason you might think. It has nothing to do with politics and everything to do with the combative nature of the game. Much like most families even the Royal Family can’t play Monopoly without delving into viscous arguments and betrayals, so the game was officially banned. We are sure there are many players out there who just landed on park place wishing that it was banned in their household as well.

Language

After binging on enough of Dora the Explorer many kids know basic Spanish phrases, but it’s a requirement for royal children. No, not Dora, but learning multiple languages. The Royal Family travels frequently, and it’s both important and impressive that they know how to converse with people in their native tongues. Prince Charles and Prince William even teamed up to film an anti–poaching message in which they spoke six languages between the two of them: Arabic, Spanish, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Swahili, and of course, English. Little Prince George and Princess Charlotte will get there someday as the two tots have already begun learning how to speak Spanish. It’s the second most commonly spoken language of the world, so it seems like a good starting point for these two. Already, Prince George has learnt to count to ten in Spanish, and that’s just the beginning.

Dress code

You’ve probably noticed that you don’t see members of the Royal Family wearing ripped jeans and cropped tops. That’s because they actually have a very strict dress code in place. Think of all the photos you’ve seen of Prince George, and you might notice that he’s nearly always in shorts regardless of the weather. Pants on young boys are considered quite common, while shorts indicate his status as the member of the upper class. He probably won’t be allowed to wear pants until he is seven or eight years old. And if Princess Charlotte is dreaming of playing with nail polish when she’s a little older, she might be disappointed. Family members aren’t allowed to wear non-natural looking polishes, so no glitter or bright colours allowed. In fact Kate Middleton’s favourite shade is allure by Essie, while the Queen favours ballet slippers. We wonder what shade Meghan Markle will opt for.

Travel

This rule is one that has thankfully been relaxed a bit in recent years, so time will tell how it will evolve as the Royal children grow up. For a long time air travel was considered quite dangerous and it was forbidden for heirs to ride in the same aircraft even if they were travelling to the same place. This ensured that if there was an accident there would be survivors to carry on the lineage of the family. So the Queen, Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince George won’t be taking any family holidays aboard the same aircraft any time soon. However with air travel becoming increasingly safer the Queen has been known to relax this rule on rare occasions. Such as when William and Kate were permitted to take little George with them on their flight to Australia. When it comes to travelling the Queen has the final say.

Family holidays

Depending on how you feel about your own family, this one could be seen as a blessing, or as a curse. There is no arguing about which set of grandparents the kids are going to spend Christmas with, because it’s the Royal ones. Christmas at Buckingham Palace is a big deal, and participation is mandatory, even for the children. However, there have been a few times when this rule has been disobeyed, such as when Prince William and Duchess Kate took the kids to visit Kate’s family instead. And Meghan Markle got a pass to spend Christmas with the Royal family, even though she wasn’t technically a member yet. Maybe in a few years Prince George and Princess Charlotte will be subjected to arguing over which side of the family to spend holidays with, but at least they won’t have to play Monopoly with whichever side they end up with.

Eating

There are a lot of that the Royal Family has to follow when enjoying a meal from which hand to hold your fork in to how to fold your napkin, but those are in keeping with etiquette that most of us follow, or at least try to. But when you are dining with the Queen, you are not allowed to take another bite after she’s finished her meal. That means the kids have to hurry up and chow down or they miss their chance for their Christmas dinner. Queen Victoria ate notoriously quickly, making family dinners with her a rather hectic and hurried affair. However, since Queen Elizabeth II is in her 90s, we are guessing it isn’t hard to finish up a meal before she does.

Nicknames

Many of us recall having childhood nicknames, some were cute some made us cringe as we grew up, but they are practically a rite of passage. However, this is something Prince George and Princess Charlotte won’t get to experience. Nicknames are strictly forbidden in the Royal Family. Even calling Kate Middleton “Duchess Kate” isn’t good enough if you meet her in person. She should be addressed as “Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge Countess of Strathearn and Lady Carrickfergus” or the slightly shorter “Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge”. Even though he is still a little boy, Prince George’s official title is “His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge” which is quite a mouthful for a boy who just learned how to count to ten in Spanish. But it’s sort of a trade off since it means he won’t have to risk entering adulthood while saddled with an embarrassing nickname.

Windsor Wave

Just like mastering a secret handshake to get into an exclusive club even royal children are expected to learn certain gestures. One important hand movement is known as the “Windsor Wave”. This distinct style of waving accomplished by holding your hand vertically and twisting your wrist ever so slightly. It’s thought to convey regality and control, and certainly looks a lot better than frantically waving at people. Prince George showcased his skill publically for the first time when he was nearly two years old and his sister had just been born. As his father carried him into St. Mary’s hospital, the young prince delighted onlookers by displaying the signature Windsor wave. It was a sweet part of the special day in which Prince George was introduced to Princess Charlotte for the very first time.

Gifts

If you thought your in-laws gave your kids too many gifts, just imagine how Prince William and Princess Kate feel. But accepting gifts is another opportunity for the Royal kids to show off their proper manners. There is a protocol for everything, including graciously taking a gift from the giver. No matter how terrible the gift is, it’s required that you accept it with a smile and a sincere statement of thanks. If you think that’s just good manners, keep in mind that the Royal Family receives strange gifts that the average person will probably never encounter. These include rocks, slingshots, buckets of dates, and beanies made out of camel hair. And you thought it was tough mustering up a smile when you received socks for a Christmas present as a child!

Passport

Interestingly enough the Queen doesn’t need a passport when she travels. Since British passports are issued in her name, it would be sort of odd for her to issue one to herself, so she just foregoes the whole thing. But other members of the whole family do have to have them, even the children. Despite being as easily recognizable as the Queen, her family members have to pony up the fees to have official passports made up, and that includes the children. When it comes to Customs and Immigrations, the royal children do not get any special treatment, they are expected to follow the same rules and regulations as the rest of us. Even the Queen has to go through a quick identity check when she travels, just to make sure.

Security

Security is a subject that is taken very seriously with the Royal Family, and it starts early. As children get older and thus more mobile and adventurous, they generally get more security as they become harder to look after. Typically only your parents get excited about your first day at kindergarten, but if you are Prince George, you need a security force outside of your classroom. This is part of standard family protocol and is non-negotiable. This of course is in addition to the young Prince’s standard pair of bodyguards. They even take a different route to school each day, just to make it harder for someone to track them. A 40-year-old was once arrested for breaking into Prince George’s school, although thankfully the Prince wasn’t there at the time.

Posture

There are a ton of etiquette rules that the royal family has to follow, and the children are no exception. While other kids might get away with slouching, or tucking their hands into their pockets, it’s forbidden for Royal children. They are taught from the time they can sit up to do so with a straight spine, and when they stand their feet should be shoulder width apart.  Unsurprisingly, Royal girls have extra rules to follow. For example they are not allowed to cross their legs while sitting, and may only cross their ankles at the very most. Many sit with their legs together and leaning slightly to one side, which is known as the “Duchess Slant”. With your legs in the proper position you must make sure your back is straight and your chin is parallel to the floor.

Language

Maybe you experienced having your mouth washed out with soap after saying a bad word as a child, but a Royal child’s vocabulary is even more limited. In addition to the traditional forbidden words, there are certain words that people in the Royal Family are forbidden from uttering.  And if you’re fortunate enough to meet one of them, you should avoid them as well. Instead of asking where to find the bathroom, you should ask where the lavatory is. Apologetic words such as “Pardon” are also simply not used. Perfume may sound like an innocuous word, but Royal children are taught to refer to it as “scent” instead. Saying the word “posh”, or heaven forbid referring to yourself as such is definitely against the rules. It’s considered a low class thing to say, and the preferred term is “smart” among the upper class.

Birth

The birth of a Royal baby is a huge deal, and there are many rules that must be followed before they even come home from the hospital. A large team, all sworn to secrecy, is assembled. When Kate Middleton was pregnant her team consisted of two obstetricians, three midwives, three anesthesiologists, four surgeons, two special care staffers, four paediatricians, one lab tech and three or four managers. After the enormous team guides the newest member of the Royal Family into the world, a birth announcement is displayed on an easel in front of Buckingham Palace. People line up outside to read it, and they may even be able to hear the traditional 62 gun salute from the Tower of London.

Religion

We think it’s safe to say that most parents hope their children will choose to follow the same religion as them, but it’s mandatory for kids in the Royal Family. At least it is if they ever want to rule someday. They are officially Anglican, and the head of the Church of England, a Protestant Anglican Church. Up until 2013 they weren’t even allowed to marry a Roman Catholic, although that rule has since been amended. Now you can marry outside of the faith as long as you yourself don’t venture outside of it.  Royal kids must be raised Anglican and practice the religion into adulthood. Part of ruling is being head of the Church so this Royal edict makes sense.

True or false? You decide.

1. Monopoly is banned in the Royal family because of the rules of the game.

2. Prince George speaks perfect Spanish.

3. Prince George usually wears shorts regardless of the weather.

4. It has never happened that William and Kate and Prince George travelled by plane together.

5. For the Royal children it’s mandatory to spend Christmas with the Royal family.

6. When the Queen finishes her meal everyone else has to finish eating, too.

7. Nicknames are common in the Royal family.

8. The Queen issues a passport for herself.

9. Royal girls are not allowed to cross their legs while sitting.

10. The members of the Royal family can choose their own religion.

Key

1. false

2. false

3. true

4. false

5. true

6. true

7. false

8. false

9. true

10. false