Kate Middleton Breaks An Unofficial Royal Rule With Fan
It's no secret that the United Kingdom's royal family has strict rules they must live by. Carrying a royal title comes with a thorough regimen on how to behave. According to PureWow, some of the guidelines are a bit intense.
Royals must follow a strict dress code: All members of the royal family must wear modest clothing, but never overly casual. On top of their strict dress code, the family must also travel with an all-black outfit, because they never want to travel somewhere and be unprepared for a sudden funeral arrangement.
Rules for the family stretch far past their outfit choices, too. If you even associate with a member of the family you have strict rules to follow. To date a royal, you must engage in a strict protocol. Want to wear a tiara? You have to wait until you marry into the family, unfortunately (via the BBC).
However, there are a few unwritten rules the family must follow as well, and it appears that Kate Middleton may have broken one.
Touching a member of the royal family is typically a no-no
Catherine Middleton, the Princess of Wales, was seen with a fan of the family engaging in a photo op (via The Mirror). This is nothing out of the ordinary for the family, as they are often seen speaking with the public. However, Kate was having a conversation with a fan when an unspoken rule was broken.
While there are no official protocols for engaging with a royal, it is an unspoken rule that a fan does not go beyond a handshake with the royals. However, this fan put his arm around Kate, and she followed through by doing the same to him for a photo.
While some members of the family, like Kate and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, who was seen hugging a fan following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, are warming up to more physical touch, it is still an unspoken rule. Even celebrities like Michelle Obama have faced backlash for putting their arms around royals (via Insider).