Royal Children Who Got Caught Breaking The Rules

Rules, rules, and more rules! Welcome to the life of royal children. From the moment they can sit upright at a table, royal children receive rigorous etiquette lessons (via Express). According to Myka Meier, an etiquette expert, royal children are taught the correct way to behave in preparation for significant events. "They are raised having formal meals, going to formal events, and practicing everything from voice levels to dressing appropriately to even, of course, how to curtsy and bow," Meier told Express.

With an image to uphold and cameras watching their every move, the pressure can be a bit too much for royal children. So when the little royals feel tired or overwhelmed, they tend to throw the rules out the window and embarrass their parents. But, for the rest of us, something is comforting about knowing that even the royals sometimes struggle with controlling toddler tantrums.

While adult royals always look polished and guarded, it's refreshing to get a glimpse of the lives of royal children who like to be more spontaneous. So here are 12 times the royal children got caught breaking the rules:

While most royals greet members of the public with a wave or a smile, younger royals like to get a bit creative. Joining her parents at The King's Cup Regatta in 2019, the adorable Princess Charlotte opted to say hello to her fans by poking her tongue out at them. Ignoring her mom's instructions to wave at the crowd, the sassy 4-year-old was in a playful mood, and her silliness got a big laugh from the audience (via Town & Country). Although her mom, Princess Catherine, laughed at her second child's silly gesture, she quickly moved her away from the window and public view shortly after. This incident was not the first time Princess Charlotte broke protocol. 

When she was three years old, the young royal told photographers and reporters that they were not invited to attend her brother, Prince Louis' christening afterparty. While holding her parents' hands, Charlotte addressed the media waiting outside the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace and said: "You're not coming [to the afterparty]," according to Us Weekly. She may be third in line for the throne, but Princess Charlotte has already displayed that she had the attitude of a queen.

Prince Harry has never been a big fan of royal protocol. Once known as a "party boy," he has been caught breaking the rules numerous times. From closing his car door on his own to hugging an emotional member of the public (via PureWow), it's clear the Prince has a rebellious streak. Fans of the ginger-haired royal know that the Prince's mischievous side has been on display from a very young age. As a 5-year-old pageboy at his uncle Charles Spencer's wedding, his cheeky expressions caught the public's attention. In footage taken on September 1989, he was spotted poking his tongue out while standing between his cousins, Elenor and Alexander Fellowes, who were also part of the bridal party.

The devoted father of two has also proudly announced that the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree, revealing that he passed on his cheeky traits to his eldest son Archie. "I always try and keep that. I think that the cheekiness is something that keeps you alive," he told People. Making history, Prince Harry and his American wife Meghan Markle are famous for throwing out the royal rulebook and leaving the monarchy to live life on their terms. After moving away from Buckingham palace with his family, Prince Harry stated that his life now is about making the world a better place for his children (via People).

Prince George was an adorable pageboy at the wedding of his aunt Pippa Middleton to billionaire hedge fund manager James Matthews in Englefield, Berkshire. Dressed in a long-sleeve buttoned white shirt with gold silk breeches, George was well-behaved during the one-hour-long church ceremony but got into mischief when it was time to leave the church. When he saw his 2-year-old sister, Princess Charlotte, stepping on the train of his aunt's Giles Deacon designer wedding dress, he thought it looked fun and decided to join in. However, when his mom, Princess Catherine of Wales (back then known as the Duchess of Cambridge), spotted his naughty antics, the future king received a few stern words. 

George reacted to his mom's discipline by throwing a tantrum and was pictured looking grouchy outside the church. Determined not to ruin her sister's big day, his patient mother tried her best to calm him down, and when that didn't work, Prince George received a royal telling off, which eventually did the trick. When it was time to leave the church premises, the Prince looked chirpier as he took his mom's hand and made his way to the wedding cars, per Daily Mail.

It's not just the British royal children who like to break protocol every once in a while. A young royal from Norway has also caught the internet's attention for his charming and quirky personality. Prince Sverre Magnus, third in line for the Norwegian throne, likes to have a little fun during formal events. During an official balcony photoshoot celebrating his grandmother Queen Sonja's 80th birthday at the Royal Palace in Oslo, the 11-year-old Prince decided to do a "peace out" sign at the cameras before being shoved by his elegant cousin, 12-year-old Leah Isadora Behn (via Grazia). The shove didn't seem to bother Sverre, who then dabbed (a popular dance move, especially among members of Gen Z) and started pulling a few funny faces. 

While his grandparents (the king and queen), his dad Crown Prince Haakon, and his older sister Princess Ingrid Alexandra posed more traditionally, Sverre seemed to enjoy amusing the crowd with his comical personality and has since become an internet sensation. His father, Crown Prince Haakon, didn't seem to mind his son's silly moves, possibly because he is also a fan of breaking royal protocol. According to Time, Haakon reportedly shaved off his beard during the dinner birthday celebrations.

Is it naughty or nice to open Christmas presents on Christmas Day? According to the royal protocol, it's a bit naughty! The royals are of German descent, so they weave German traditions into their celebrations, which means Christmas gifts are not to be opened on Christmas Day. "After afternoon tea, they open gifts on Christmas Eve, as is the German tradition," former royal chef Darren McGrady told The Sun. The royals traditionally open their Christmas gift at 6 pm sharp every Christmas Eve. This ritual has been the way presents have been exchanged in the royal family since the time of Queen Victoria when her husband Prince Albert first adopted the German tradition, according to Express. 

However, in 2018, two cheeky little royals broke this tradition. Prince Catherine revealed that her children love Christmas and that they had been singing Christmas songs and putting up decorations leading up to the big day and decided to wake up "very early" to open their gifts on Christmas Day (via Hello!). So much for a holiday sleep-in!

Traveling with toddlers can be challenging, even for royals. In 2017, Prince William and Princess Catherine of Wales (formerly the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge) bravely took their two little children on a jam-packed five-day tour of Poland and Germany. Unfortunately, on the last day of the tour, 2-year-old Princess Charlotte threw a tantrum on the tarmac in Germany right before departing home to England. Although her family enjoyed a peek inside a helicopter at Hamburg airport, especially Prince George, a massive helicopter enthusiast, Charlotte was not a fan, and she showed the cameras that she was not impressed (via The Sun). 

Looking adorable in a pink floral dress and red shoes, the teary-eyed Charlotte stomped her feet and threw herself to the ground. Princess Catherine showed off her supermom skills when she picked Charlotte off the floor and immediately calmed her with some soothing words. A few moments later, William helped a more-relaxed-looking Charlotte step onto the plane as the family made their way home after a very hectic family tour, per Yahoo!

Prince Louis is the youngest child of Prince William and Princess Catherine and arguably the cheekiest of their three children. He was pictured pulling faces and bouncing around at Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebration in June. Louis struggled to endure the lengthy celebrations, so he entertained himself by annoying his older sister, hugging family members, and at one point even shushing his mother by placing his hand on her mouth, according to Marie Claire. Catherine kept her cool the entire time, but Louis' older sister Princess Charlotte had enough. When Louis started wildly waving his arms around to greet the crowd, Charlotte placed a firm hand on his left shoulder as she appeared to tell him to "Stop it!" per Heart. 

A body language expert has praised Princess Catherine for her effective parenting style when dealing with energetic Louis. "As Kate interacted with Louis, you'll notice that she positions her face very close to him, she also bends her head to reduce her height while interacting with him—such a gesture is one of a nurturing nature; it allows her to build a deep rapport with her son," he told Marie Claire.

Prince George is a big fan of helicopters, but he doesn't seem to enjoy how noisy the aircraft can be. When he attended England's Royal International Air Tattoo in 2016, the young royal threw a tantrum on the tarmac just before boarding a helicopter with his mom and dad. Although the exact cause of his frustration remains unknown, George was given a blue pair of noise-canceling headphones, which seemed to solve the problem, according to E! Online. This is just another moment where Princess Catherine displayed that she can handle parenting situations like a pro; after giving her toddler a comforting hug, she was able to get 2-year-old George onto the helicopter. When George got inside the aircraft, he looked very happy. 

His dad, who has trained as a search and rescue pilot, gave George a tour of the cockpit, which he enjoyed. Before the royal aircraft event, the official Kensington Palace Twitter account tweeted that "George will enjoy seeing the aircraft up close" (via Us Weekly), and after a short tantrum, he sure did.

Very few people can get away with meeting the President of the United States in a bathroom, and Prince George is one of those people. In 2016, at two years old, the future king made headlines when he wore his pajamas, bathrobe, and slippers to greet President Obama and First Lady Michelle. The iconic moment made headlines and proved that nothing gets between George and his bedtime routine. 

According to Jason Knauf, a spokesperson for Prince William and his wife, Princess Catherine, George "was allowed to stay up late" for the special meeting. In a statement released by the White House, Prince George was described as "smartly attired for bedtime in a light-colored robe and pajama pants." The Obamas had bought George a rocking horse that he played with immediately, according to Time. The historic moment was so well-loved by royal fans that Prince George's adorable dressing gown sold out just a few minutes after the photos of the Obama meeting were released and was not back in stock until 2021. George's style influence has been dubbed the "Prince George effect" (via Hello!).

A protocol for royalty is that all bridal parties are expected to comprise a crop of children. Young royals have special wedding duties and are responsible for scattering petals around the bride and groom (via Harper's Bazaar). Although this is a sweet tradition, long wedding ceremonies mean royal children are often bored, and boredom can lead to mischief, as it did when Prince William was a pageboy for his uncle. 

In 1986, during the wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, Willam was photographed in a charming sailor ensemble, yawning, blowing raspberries, and talking to his cousins in the church. At one point, William looked so bored he started playing with the toggle on his hat. Prince William's uncle, Earl Spencer, noticed his antics and commented on them before the bride and groom walked down the aisle. "I think it's the first time Prince William's been to church, he talks so much and is frankly so badly behaved that he doesn't usually go to church," said Spencer, "I think they're all rather worried about what he's going to do," according to MyLondon.

Zara Tindall (née Phillips) and Mike Tindall's two daughters are an energetic duo who were caught having a sibling dispute during Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebration in June. Footage of the royal event shows Mia, eight years old, and Lena, three years old, annoying each other during the ceremony. While seated on her dad's lap, Lena reached out to hit her older sister, who was clapping her hands, and Mia sought revenge and hit her younger sister back. Before things got out of hand, their dad told them off for misbehaving (via Hello!). The two sisters were on their best behavior moments after and enjoyed seeing their great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II's final Jubilee appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony. 

When asked about the event, their dad, Mike Tindall, said that it was very long for kids and that there were a lot of sweets around, so the children were all on a sugar high. "It's tough for them. They're all young, they sat there from 2 to 5 pm, it's a long time," the father of two told "The Good, The Bad & The Rugby" podcast (via the Express). "My two [daughters] are always mischievous, so it was trying to keep a lid on," he explained.

Prince Louis is arguably the most entertaining royal, and he has become a social media sensation thanks to his antics at the Trooping of the Colour in June 2022. Louis' different facial expressions were the subject of many tweets and memes. The young royal stole the show when he was spotted peering cheekily out of the Palace windows before the royal family made their formal appearance. When it was time for the royals to stand out on the balcony, Louis rushed to stand right next to his great-grandmother, the Queen, which meant he was the focus of all the cameras. 

The adorable 3-year-old was filmed pulling funny faces, which amused the Queen and the crowd. Louis' uninhibited nature saw him chatting to everyone around him, waving at onlookers, and saluting the air. After a while, Louis looked exhausted and annoyed when the RAF planes flew past, so he covered his ears (via Vogue) so his mom, Princess Catherine, comforted him. After a while, Louis caught a second wind and continued to be silly again; the Queen was pictured looking at him lovingly the entire time; grandmothers can be such softies.