You know the drill by now: there are a lot of rules surrounding royal protocol and etiquette. Members of the royal family have a bunch of very specific rules [1] they have to follow about everything from curtsies to fashion to conversation topics — and members of the public have to deal with that as well when they meet royalty [2]. But as we've seen over the past few years, royal protocol is broken [3] more often than we realise [4], both by royals and "commoners" alike. We've gathered a few of the most notable examples of breaches in royal protocol over the past several years — you can take a look at these moments in the gallery ahead!
Not Wearing Skirt Weights and Stockings
Royal women typically wear stockings at all public events, and for outdoor events where wind might be an issue, the queen started a tradition of weighting dress hems to avoid any possible skirt flips. But in 2011, the newly married Duchess of Cambridge broke both rules on a trip to Canada, by being spotted arriving on a windy runway without stockings and with a lightweight dress rippling in the wind.
Not Wearing Stockings
Like her sister-in-law, the Duchess of Sussex also has stepped out stocking-free on a couple of occasions, as she did when she and Prince Harry attended a performance of Hamilton [6].
Multiple Heirs Travelling Together
For safety reasons, protocol dictates that heirs to the throne travel separately [7] in case of an emergency. So, for instance, Prince Charles and Prince William wouldn't share a car or a plane. However, the Cambridges have broken that rule from time to time, travelling as a family on the same plane, even though it puts two direct heirs (Princes William and George) in the same vehicle.
Signing Autographs
To avoid the possibility of forgeries (and because royals are not "celebrities" in the typical sense of the word), royals do not sign autographs. In 2018, though, Meghan was spotted signing an autograph for a young fan — although this was technically before she was royalty, since she was only engaged, not married yet.
Hugging Royalty
This is probably the rule that gets broken the most. Technically speaking, hugging members of the royal family is a no-go, but it's starting to get relaxed more, particularly when younger royals (and younger members of the public) are involved. The Duchess of Cambridge, for instance, hugged a young girl during a tour of Germany . . .
. . . while the Duchess of Sussex hugged coordinator Zaheera Sufyaan when she visited a community kitchen . . .
. . . and Prince Harry has become quite the hugger [8], here seen embracing an athlete at a reception in Australia.
Not Carrying Clutch Bags
In order to avoid awkward encounters or invasions of personal space, women in the royal family carry clutch purses to keep their hands occupied. The Duchess of Sussex, however, has been seen with a more practical, hands-free crossbody bag.
Public Displays of Affection
Royal displays of public affection are very much frowned upon (aside from the now-traditional kiss on the balcony after a wedding), but some of the younger couples have started bending that rule a bit, as when the Sussexes shared a kiss at a polo tournament . . .
. . . and the Cambridges have occasionally engaged in casual touches or hand-holding (as at Princess Eugenie's wedding) or even a rare public kiss.
Taking Selfies
It's considered a breach of protocol to ask a royal for a selfie, and a breach for a royal to take a selfie. A few of the younger royals, such as the Duchess of Cambridge, have broken that rule once or twice.
Not Staying With Their Security
It's a no-brainer: members of the royal family are supposed to remain near their security detail at all times. Prince Harry, though, slipped away from his team at the 2015 Royal Variety Performances to go backstage and pet a dog. We think that's a pretty good excuse!
Walking in Front of the Queen
According to royal etiquette, it's very rude to walk in front of the Queen. But that's exactly what Donald Trump [9] did when he first visited the UK in 2018.
Keeping the Queen Waiting
One of the lesser-known rules of royal protocol is that the queen should always be the last to arrive; no one should keep her waiting. This is rarely broken, but it does happen on occasion, as when the Trumps arrived at Windsor Castle when the queen was already waiting for them.