Weird Rules the Royal Family Followed Under Queen Elizabeth’s Reign: Are They Still Used Today?

Royal family members were expected to follow a series of rules under Queen Elizabeth’s reign. These royal blueprints were important enough to the late monarch that not adhering to them created quite a stir. Here are some weird rules the royal family had to follow, including how to eat, sit, and excuse themselves to use the bathroom.

Weird rules the royal family followed per Queen Elizabeth

The royal family learned specific rules they were expected to follow early on. Queen Elizabeth instilled these range from social skills to how to dress many others.

One of the strangest of all the rules was how the royals excused themselves to go to the bathroom. Per Readers Digest, if royals needed to use the restroom during a meal, they didn’t announce their intention.

Rather, they simply said, “Excuse me,” and left it at that. If they were not done eating, they crossed the utensils so the wait staff knew not to take their plate.

However, when they were finished eating, they used a different signal so the waitstaff knew what to look for. Royals typically placed their utensils at an angle, putting the handles at the bottom right of the plate.

Also, per protocol, royal family members hold knives in their right hand and forks in their left with the tines facing down. Instead of stabbing their food, they balanced it on the back of their forks and brought it to their mouth. 

When Queen Elizabeth reigned over the United Kingdom, she set a pace to follow

Queen Elizabeth was the undisputed leader of royal signals throughout her reign. She also used silent messages to communicate with her staff.

For example, when dining with the queen, others at the table followed her lead. As soon as she took her last bite and put down her fork, everyone else followed her lead, whether or not they were done eating.

Also, while the queen was alive, shellfish was never served. It was due to an ancient royal rule regarding food poisoning.

The royal family also does not vote in elections. This is in an attempt to remain as neutral as possible.

Finally, one of the most well-known ways Queen Elizabeth used her purse was to signal her staff. She used it for everything from when she wanted to leave an event to when she needed to end a conversation.

However, the strictest rules belonged to female royals

Perhaps the strictest rules belonged to the female members of the royal family. There are dozens of rules related to fashion, sitting, and how to wear makeup, many of them instituted by the late Queen Elizabeth.

Royal women were never allowed to sit with their legs crossed at the knee. Legs and knees were kept together, and crossing at the ankle was OK. 

They also rarely showed cleavage. And, if their outfit was cut lower in the front for a formal evening event, many royals used purses or wraps to cover themselves while exiting and entering a vehicle.

The women of the House of Windsor could also only wear light-colored nail polish. All female family members were also expected to wear pantyhose at all times when at royal events and follow a makeup rule of a bold lip.

While many of these rules remained steadfast during Queen Elizabeth’s reign, it is uncertain whether or not they remained a part of royal life under King Charles’ leadership. Queen Elizabeth died on Sept. 8, 2023, at 96.