Kate Middleton's Fun-Filled List of No-Nos (Even Oysters are Off Limits)

Kate Middleton is adored the world over. Unlike the rebel Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Cambridge strictly follows royal protocol and traditions and never does anything she’s not supposed to do. So what are the things she can’t do?

Signing autographs

Surprised? It would seem there should be no harm in the Duchess signing a postcard or two for her fans. But Queen Elizabeth II feared a royal signature could be forged and used in a scam, so she strictly forbade all members of the royal family from giving autographs.

Carrying on with a meal if the monarch has already finished

It turns out there is an unspoken rule in the palace: during a meal, as soon as the ruling monarch puts down his/her utensils, everybody else must also set their plates aside, even if they haven’t finished their dishes yet. So members of the royal family have two options: either go hungry or adjust to the monarch’s pace. We can’t help but wonder whether now that King Charles has taken over from late Queen Elizabeth, the royals are having to eat faster.

Using social media

It seems like everybody has accounts on multiple social media platforms these days, even pets, but if you’re a member of the British royal family, you simply can’t have one. Kate and William do have an official Instagram page, but neither have personal accounts on any social media. The official page is more like a work thing. Royals can’t have personal social media accounts to minimise the risk of any confidential information getting leaked.

Holding down a normal job

Kate and William met in college where she was studying the history of art. Unfortunately, Kate can’t put her degree to use now because as a member of the royal family she can’t work. The Duchess is allowed to engage in social activities such as opening ceremonies, various international events that she represents the country at and educational projects. But she is not allowed to, for example, take photographs and charge money for it.

Showing affection in public

This is a rule that Meghan Markle broke most often. Compared to her and Harry, Kate and William always came across as aloof and completely uninterested in each other as spouses, even though in reality that couldn’t have been further from the truth. The thing is that Kate simply followed royal protocol and in her restraint she was surpassed only by Queen Elizabeth II.

Eating oysters, mussels and other shellfish

The royal family do not eat mussels, oysters and other molluscs because they can become poisonous if not stored properly. The royals cannot afford to run the risk of getting bad food poisoning and possibly dying for the sake of a fleeting gastronomic indulgence.

Wearing flamboyant manicures, makeup and flashy clothes

Under royal protocol, all members of the royal family must steer clear of flashy or flamboyant looks. When it comes to manicure, nude shades are the default. For example, the queen always applied the same colour of nail polish, which she started wearing back in 1989. Make-up must also be natural looking and subtle.

When she was young, Kate enjoyed experimenting with clothes but she quickly abandoned any such experiments when she married Prince William. Protocol demands that the Duchess wear low key austere outfits. And it has to be said that Kate’s been pulling this new look off admirably, seeing how millions of young women around the world have started copying her.

Furthermore, Kate can’t wear clothes made of real fur: the ban on wearing fur was introduced in the royal protocol centuries ago.

Shopping alone

Kate loves shopping, both for groceries and for boutique clothes. Unfortunately, she can no longer do it on her own: she has to be escorted by her bodyguards whenever she leaves the palace. She seems to have got used to the company and whenever she appears in public places with her bodyguards in tow she is totally at ease.

Voting

Now that she’s a member of the royal family, Kate can no longer vote in elections. The Duchess is forbidden to openly express her political views to avoid swaying public opinion in Britain.

At the same time, she has to attend public events and make statements, she even had to carry that on during her pregnancy. Everybody knows that the first few months of a pregnancy are always tough on a woman, but Kate never got to take time off. There were rumours that William tried to persuade his mother to go easy on his young wife, but the queen insisted that Kate keep performing her royal obligations.

Playing Monopoly

The ban applies to all members of the royal family: a long time ago Queen Elizabeth II banned all her relatives from playing the famous board game. Why? Prince Andrew once confessed that when they played the game, they got really carried away and things would often get out of hand.