Revealed: The Royals’ Strict Toilet Paper Rule and Other Palace Bathroom Dos and Don’ts They Follow
Thanks to people who used to work at the Palace, we know all about some of the strange rules and protocols members of Britain’s royal family adhere to in their daily lives. From King Charles having someone actually squeeze a half inch of toothpaste onto his toothbrush every morning to cooks wasting several eggs just to get one right for breakfast to Prince Andrew having housekeepers who make up his bed arrange his teddy bear collection correctly.
And some bizarre rules extend to the Palace bathrooms from not only what they have in them, but how they should refer to the place where they relieve themselves and how the toilet paper should be folded.
Here are the royal family’s odd restroom rules.
The royals’ toilet paper rule and the truth about King Charles’ toilet seat
According to ADI Leak Detection, there are several dos and don’ts royals have when it comes to their bathrooms. One long-standing rumor is that when Queen Elizabeth II was alive, no one was allowed to go near the restroom for any reason while she was in there. And apparently, there are a few other bizarre rules those within the royal households follow today.
Peter Jones from ADI Leak Detection said: “These royal bathroom rules might seem over-the-top to the average person, but they’re all about maintaining an air of elegance and tradition. A strict focus on decorum is the lifeblood of royalty, and even something as simple as folding the toilet paper over and not under becomes part of a broader commitment to keeping everything in perfect order.
“Every detail, no matter how small, is considered a reflection of their dignity. While we may never get the chance to experience these rituals firsthand, it’s fascinating to see just how far the monarchy goes to maintain its timeless image.”
In Tom Bower’s biography titled Rebel Prince, The Power, Passion and Defiance Of Prince Charles, the longtime investigative journalist claimed that now-King Charles has always traveled abroad with luxury Kleenex Premium Comfort paper and his own toilet seat.
When Charles was asked about that during a royal visit to Australia, he said: “My own what?! Oh, don’t believe all that crap. The very idea!”
Other bathroom rules the royal family has
Another rule the royals have when it comes to their bathrooms and toilets is that they never say the word “toilet.” Where they relieve themselves is called a “loo.” They don’t use the word “bathroom” either, unless there is an actual bathtub inside the room. So, if a royal is in a powder room that would be referred to as the “lavatory.”
Royal etiquette expert Myka Meier also shared that in a royals’ lavatory you won’t find liquid soap. She told HouseBeautiful that “many upper-class British homes prefer bar soap to liquid” and the soap would most likely be lightly scented.
Meier added that something else you won’t find in royal lavatories are any type of reading material as they consider that “unhygienic.”
There is also a protocol the family members follow if they are attending or throwing a dinner party and need to use the lavatory while the event is going on. According to The Mirror, they can’t discreetly go off during a banquet or state dinner for a restroom break but they can’t just “announce their intentions” either.
So when nature calls, they get up from the table and say “excuse me” and must cross their knife and fork as a signal to staffers that they are not finished eating. However, if they have finished up prior to heading off to the loo then they would turn their silverware on an angle with the handles at the bottom right of the plate.
