Kate Middleton ‘Constrained’ by 1 ‘Ridiculous’ and ‘Abnormal’ Royal Rule: Commentator
Kate Middleton is “constrained” by one “ridiculous” and “abnormal” royal rule. This mandate prevents her from doing something royal fans expect. Here are all the details.
Kate Middleton is held to an ‘abnormal’ royal rule
There are many rules the royal family has to follow. Some appear to be quite strange to casual fans of the House of Windsor.
However, the family is bound to follow these standards. Kate Middleton is no exception.
Kate is not allowed to sign autographs. Royal commentator Daniela Elser explained in a story for News.com.au, “Members of the royal family, you see, don’t ‘do’ autographs,” when they meet people.
She explained, “This was illustrated last year when Kate made a surprise visit to the Chelsea Flower Show’s inaugural Children’s Picnic. When the princess was asked to sign her name by one of the primary school pupils, she replied, ‘I can’t write my name, but I can draw.’” According to reports, Kate subsequently drew a flower, a tree, and a pond with plants.”
Another time, Elser writes that Kate was asked about an autograph in a separate instance. She responded, “My name’s Catherine. I’m not allowed to write my signature; it’s just one of those rules.”
“How abnormal, ridiculous, and artificially constrained royal existence still is,” she continued. “An adult woman barred from signing her own name.”
What’s the reasoning behind the royal no autograph rule?
Daniela Elser weighed in on the royals’ no autograph rule for News.com.au. She explained the concept likely came from thoughts of forgery by unsavory individuals.
“I cannot come up with one sensible reason why, in 2024, working members of the royal family should be restrained from giving autographs,” Elser said. “One argument previously floated is that their signatures could then be sold or forged. But there are images of their John Hancocks all over the internet. That horse has long since bolted.”
She continued, “This autograph rule is a neat reminder of how creaky and moldy and fogeyish the palace can still be. It would not surprise me if they still sent their weekly Harrods’ food hall orders via Telex or used a Morse Code beep-beep gizmo to contact their stockbrokers.”
Is the no autograph rule going too far, even for the royal family?
All of the royal family do not sign autographs. However, in a recent appearance at a children’s hospital in late March, Meghan Markle was seen signing Polaroids for children during her visit. She is no longer a working royal, which is why she was allowed to do so.
This brought the topic of royal family autographs to a head for commentator Daniela Elser. She believes that Meghan inadvertently allowed the subject to resurface again by accommodating her youngest fans.
Elser wrote, “Watching Meghan sign her name, so simple of an act yet so meaningful, tells us something about royal captivity. That last year Kate couldn’t make a little girl’s day because of some holdover rule from the days when the sun never set on the British Empire and the Buckingham Palace staff photo was whiter than a Napisan commercial exquisitely illustrates what it must be like to live in royal captivity.”
Kate Middleton will not interact with the public until her doctors clear her to do so. She is currently undergoing a course of preventative chemotherapy as she battles cancer.
