Weirdest Rules Royal Families Have to Follow
Being born into royalty comes with palaces, jewels, and global fame—but also a bizarre rulebook that governs everything from what you eat to how you nap. These traditions range from oddly practical to downright baffling, rooted in centuries-old customs that modern royals still can't escape. Which of these strange royal rules do you find the most ridiculous? Cast your votes below!
What counts: Ranked by how genuinely odd and restrictive the rule is; 'Weirdness' is a subjective 0-10 crowd rating, and all eras/enforcement details are approximate based on public reporting, which is often unofficial or disputed.
No Playing Monopoly
Prince Andrew once let slip that Monopoly is banned in Windsor households after games got so cutthroat they ended in tears and slammed doors. It's the pettiest ban on this list — a board game that torpedoed royal harmony — which is exactly why it earns its spot as pure comedy gold.
Monarchy: BritishEra Established: 20th centuryWeirdness: 7/10Still Enforced?: ✓
added by IJR
0Garlic Is Banned From Royal Meals
The late Queen reportedly refused to let a single clove near Buckingham Palace kitchens, fearing garlic breath before back-to-back diplomatic handshakes and photo ops. It's a rule born purely of etiquette paranoia, and it makes every royal chef's job needlessly harder for the sake of smelling neutral.
Monarchy: BritishEra Established: Elizabeth II eraWeirdness: 8/10Still Enforced?: ✓
added by IJR
0Must Pack a Black Outfit at All Times
Royals traveling abroad are said to always carry a black mourning outfit in case a monarch dies while they're overseas, a grim contingency plan hiding in every suitcase. It's less a fashion rule than a memento mori packed next to the toothbrush, and that morbid practicality is what makes it unforgettable.
Monarchy: BritishEra Established: 20th centuryWeirdness: 7/10Still Enforced?: ✓
added by IJR
0Lèse-Majesté: No Criticizing the King
In places like Thailand, insulting the monarch isn't just rude — it's a criminal offense that can land you in prison for years, turning casual complaints into jailable offenses. This ranks near the top because it's the rare 'weird rule' with actual teeth, criminalizing opinion itself in the name of royal dignity.
Monarchy: ThaiEra Established: Traditional, codified 20th centuryWeirdness: 9/10Still Enforced?: ✓
added by IJR
0Women Lose Royal Status by Marrying a Commoner
In several monarchies, a princess who marries outside approved bloodlines can be stripped of her title overnight, while her brothers marrying commoners face no such penalty. It's a rule dripping with old-world sexism, and its blatant double standard is exactly why it still sparks outrage whenever it's invoked.
Monarchy: JapaneseEra Established: Modern, per Imperial Household LawWeirdness: 8/10Still Enforced?: ✓
added by IJR
0Never Touch the Monarch
Michelle Obama's arm around the Queen's back caused a minor scandal because, technically, nobody is supposed to initiate physical contact with the sovereign. The rule turns basic human warmth into a diplomatic incident, which is precisely the kind of stiff-upper-lip absurdity royal-watchers can't get enough of.
Monarchy: BritishEra Established: TraditionalWeirdness: 7/10Still Enforced?: ✓
added by IJR
0Heirs Can't Fly on the Same Plane
To prevent a single catastrophe from wiping out the line of succession, direct heirs like William and George are historically kept off the same flight. It's a rule that sounds like disaster-movie logic made real, and that blend of grim practicality and royal paranoia earns it a solid middle spot.
Monarchy: BritishEra Established: Post-1960sWeirdness: 6/10Still Enforced?: ✓
added by IJR
0No Shellfish While Traveling
The Queen reportedly avoided shellfish altogether, especially abroad, over fears of food poisoning derailing a state visit, and the rule trickled down to other royals on tour. It's a sensible caution dressed up as a bizarre royal decree, proving even monarchs are just one bad prawn away from chaos.
Monarchy: BritishEra Established: ModernWeirdness: 6/10Still Enforced?: ✓
added by IJR
0Must Get the Monarch's Permission to Marry
Under the UK's Succession to the Crown Act, the first six in line must get the sovereign's blessing before marrying, or risk losing their place in succession entirely. It's a rule that turns royal romance into a bureaucratic approval process, and that mix of love and legislation makes it deliciously old-fashioned.
Monarchy: BritishEra Established: Succession to the Crown Act, 2013Weirdness: 6/10Still Enforced?: ✓
added by IJR
0Tights Are Mandatory for Royal Women
Kate Middleton and other royal women are expected to wear nude tights at all public engagements, bare legs apparently being a step too scandalous for the Firm. It's a rule so specific and so relentlessly enforced in every photo that it's become a running joke among royal fashion watchers.
Monarchy: BritishEra Established: Elizabeth II eraWeirdness: 6/10Still Enforced?: ✓
added by IJR
0No Autographs, Ever
Royals are barred from signing autographs because a forged signature could theoretically be used for fraud or fake official documents. It's a rule that sounds paranoid until you realize it's genuinely about security, making it one of the few 'weird' rules with real logic hiding underneath.
Monarchy: BritishEra Established: ModernWeirdness: 6/10Still Enforced?: ✓
added by IJR
0No Public Displays of Affection
Hand-holding, hugging, or anything more than a polite peck is frowned upon for senior royals in public, keeping even newlyweds looking like polite acquaintances at ribbon-cuttings. William and Kate's rare hand-squeezes make headlines precisely because the rule is so relentlessly enforced.
Monarchy: BritishEra Established: TraditionalWeirdness: 5/10Still Enforced?: ✓
added by IJR
0Can't Vote in Elections
By convention, the British monarch and top royals abstain from voting entirely, staying scrupulously neutral even though nothing legally stops them. It's a rule of pure symbolism — the most powerful ceremonial figures in the country silencing themselves at the ballot box — and that irony keeps it firmly ranked.
Monarchy: BritishEra Established: Constitutional conventionWeirdness: 5/10Still Enforced?: ✓
added by IJR
0No Selfies With the Public
Royals are trained to decline selfie requests, opting for traditional handshakes and photos taken by others to preserve a certain formal distance. In the smartphone era this rule feels almost quaint, a losing battle against fans' phones that makes every awkward refusal go viral.
Monarchy: BritishEra Established: Modern, smartphone eraWeirdness: 5/10Still Enforced?: ✓
added by IJR
0Can't Discuss Politics Publicly
Strict political neutrality means royals must dodge even the mildest opinion on hot-button issues, turning every interview into a masterclass in evasive small talk. It's a rule that has caused genuine gaffes when royals slipped up, proving just how tightly the muzzle is meant to be worn.
Monarchy: BritishEra Established: Constitutional conventionWeirdness: 5/10Still Enforced?: ✓
added by IJR
0Strict Order for Disembarking Planes and Cars
Royal protocol dictates a precise hierarchy for who steps off a plane or out of a car first, down to the exact second, so as not to upstage the senior-most royal present. It's absurdly choreographed for something as mundane as exiting a vehicle, and that obsessive precision is peak royal weirdness.
Monarchy: BritishEra Established: TraditionalWeirdness: 4/10Still Enforced?: ✓
added by IJR
0No Chewing Gum in Public
Chewing gum is considered thoroughly unbecoming for a royal, banned outright from any public appearance as simply too casual and unsightly. It's a small, almost silly rule, but it perfectly captures how even the most mundane habits get policed under the royal image machine.
Monarchy: BritishEra Established: TraditionalWeirdness: 4/10Still Enforced?: —
added by IJR
0Crown Prince Must Complete Military Service
In places like Sweden and historically Japan, the heir to the throne is expected to serve in the armed forces, trading palace life for barracks discipline before ever wearing a crown. It's one of the more legitimately demanding entries here, forcing future monarchs to earn stripes the hard way.
Monarchy: Danish/NorwegianEra Established: ModernWeirdness: 6/10Still Enforced?: ✓
added by IJR
0Abdication Requires Parliamentary Approval
When Edward VIII wanted to abdicate for Wallis Simpson, it took an actual Act of Parliament to make it official — you can't just quit being king on a whim. It's less 'weird quirk' and more constitutional bombshell, proving that even walking away from the throne is bureaucratically complicated.
Monarchy: SpanishEra Established: Modern constitutionWeirdness: 5/10Still Enforced?: ✓
added by IJR
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