16 Seemingly Difficult Fashion Rules The Royal Family Has To Follow

Living a life in the spotlight is hard, but when you're a member of the royal family, extra steps must be taken to ensure that you don't embarrass or ruin the rest of the clan - or the country that you call home.

The etiquette rules the current British royal family live by are numerous, with Queen Elizabeth II calling the shots (some of which make sense and others that seem dictated by her whims), but their fashion rules are a little less recognized by the public. For example, we know that Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, and the Queen are big fans of hats - and newcomer Meghan Markle has been spotted with some head ornamentation since her engagement to Prince Harry - but do you know why? Or, why is it that the leggy Kate has had to confine herself to pantyhose and stockings whenever she wears a dress or skirt? And what about Prince George rocking short pants for a Christmas portrait? Aren't Decembers in Britain too chilly for that fashion choice?

As it turns out, there are 16 rules regarding fashion that the royal family has to follow to maintain decorum, modesty, and the overall image that they've been honing for decades.

16 Always Have A Black Outfit On Hand

Thanks to all the traveling royals are required to do as part of their royal duties, they always have a stellar, designer-filled wardrobe on hand. However, one of the absolute must-haves for any occasion, climate, or country is an all-black ensemble - no ifs, ands, or buts.

It might sound morbid, but according to Cosmopolitan magazine (as well as multiple other sources), this is an entirely practical fashion etiquette rule. Since the royal family might suffer a death or similar tragedy, it would look improper for them to be photographed anywhere in an outfit that isn't in the color traditionally reserved for mourning. Thanks to the Internet giving us up-to-the-minute news, the Royals are expected to respond in kind. Once a tragic occurrence has been made public, they must respectfully dress to acknowledge it.

15 Black Is For Mourning Only

When Kate Middleton attended this year's BAFTA ceremonies, tongues were wagging about her choice not to wear a black gown, despite the almost-unanimous decision among other attendees to wear the shade out of recognition for the #TimesUp movement. Well, in addition to the royal family being unable to show any political leanings one way or the other (in fact, they are prohibited from voting), black is a color reserved exclusively for periods of mourning or solemnity, like Remembrance Day ceremonies, where the hue is a requirement, alongside a poppy pin.

Nighttime events are the exception to this rule, according to InStyle magazine, and indeed the Duchess of Cambridge and the late Princess Diana have been photographed in black ensembles, but for daytime? Don't even think about it!

14 No Casual Fridays

While Kate Middleton has been snapped wearing jeans on her days off, or during casual photo ops, going about in sweatpants or pajama pants is forbidden. As for those jeans she loves so much, they're approved depending on the circumstances - but never in front of the Queen!

Jeans are rarely allowed, but when they are, they're still usually dressed up with a blouse, heels, and a blazer or cardigan for the ladies. For the royal men, on the other hand, jeans are almost universally shunned. Instead, even for casual outings, Princes William and Harry are often seen in a collared shirt - with or without a blazer - and a wrinkle-free pair of pants. Thinking of the royal family lazing around the house in sweats might be a fun image, but we'll never get any proof of it, that's for sure!

13 Absolutely No Cleavage

When you're a member of the royal family, paparazzi come with the territory. Far too often, eager shutterbugs await a celebrity - or princess's - departure from a vehicle in order to snap a salacious image of her underwear or other unmentionables. One of the major rules for female royalty is to never have any cleavage visible for photographs, in part because of the media's efforts to photograph a royal caught unawares!

Interestingly, Princess Diana had a way of covering up the lower-cut necklines she favored, especially after her split from Prince Charles. Using her tiny clutch purse, the Princess of Wales would hide her décolletage from the camera lens to preserve her modesty. It got to the point where the bags' designer, Anya Hindmarch, told The Telegraph that the two had taken to calling them “cleavage bags”!

12 Pantyhose Is A Must

When Meghan Markle was photographed alongside fiancé Prince Harry after announcing their engagement, there were collective gasps that the actress had broken royal fashion protocol because she was going bare-legged!

The jury has been split on this one, with some sources like Bustle saying that pantyhose is an absolute requirement and others, like Cosmopolitan explaining that, while it's not a steadfast rule, it's highly suggested and preferred by the Queen. In fact, in almost any image where they are wearing skirts or dresses, Kate Middleton and Princess Diana are seen with some type of hose on. The Duchess of Cambridge has gotten so adept at wearing the pantyhose, in fact, that her stockings are so sheer you can only see them from up close! It's just another example of the royally required modesty.

11 Miniskirts Are Not Allowed

Speaking of modesty, it shouldn't shock anyone that the royal family are forbidden from wearing skirts that are deemed too short. In all photos of Kate Middleton, her skirt or dress is knee length, or, at its shortest, three to four inches above the knee. However, despite abiding by this rule from the Queen, the Duchess got into hot water during her tour of Canada back in 2011.

Photographs emerged of Kate's dress flying upwards while standing on the tarmac, giving the public quite an eyeful of her shapely legs. The Queen was furious at the break in royal protocol and insisted that her granddaughter-in-law begin sewing weights into her skirts to prevent it from happening again. According to one of her couturiers, Stewart Parvin, who dished in an interview with the Daily Mail, any sort of cheap weights will do to prevent the wind from showing more than is royally proper.

10 The Queen's Head Must Be Covered

The Queen has been Queen for quite a while now, and if these rules have shown you anything so far, it's that she's very traditional. Indeed, that traditional outlook extends to herself, too, which is why you'll be hard-pressed to find any image of Her Majesty without something covering her head!

In an interview with the BBC, etiquette consultant Diana Mather explained that the Queen sticks to the traditions that were practiced when she was crowned in the 1950s, which is that reputable ladies were never seen without something covering their hair in public, as it was not considered “the thing” to do. While the hats are reserved for daytime, at night, the Queen will usually don a crown or tiara, or, in more casual settings, a headscarf.

9 Flamboyant Colors Are Reserved For The Queen

Kate Middleton - and now Meghan Markle - gets all the press for being the most fashionable members of the royal family, but, most of the time, their outfits are in subdued hues, or with some fun patterns, giving them a classic and stylish edge. The Queen, on the other hand, prefers to peacock it up - and she's one of the few allowed to do so!

The Queen's rainbow-hued wardrobe is something she has become known for, especially as she's aged, with bright, monochromatic outfits being her signature. As a bonafide celebrity, especially in Britain, the Queen obviously attracts plenty of fans when she's out and about, and so her proclivity for dressing in flamboyant colors is really for their benefit - it's so that they can see her better! According to her biographer, Robert Hardman, she was even quoted as saying, “I can never wear beige because nobody will know who I am.”

8 Clutches Are The Purse Of Choice

We've already mentioned Princess Diana's ingenious hack for covering up her cleavage when exiting a vehicle in order to preserve her modesty from the paparazzi's prying eyes, but clutches are actually the purse of choice among the royal women.

Rather than look ungainly and sloppy carrying around a heavy bag, Kate Middleton is often photographed holding a petite clutch - and for good reason. In addition to giving her something to do with her hands so that she doesn't look awkward during events, a clutch also prevents people from attempting to shake hands with the royal, something that is a definite no-no. The Queen, partial to small handbags, uses hers to communicate with her staff when a conversation should end, when she's finished dinner, and when she wants to leave!

7 Hats Required For Official Functions

You might have thought it was simply a British quirk to see the royal family photographed wearing hats 85% of the time, but it's actually a must-do for any official functions!

As we've already mentioned, the Queen comes from an era where covering one's head in public was deemed proper, and going hatless or bare-headed seemed slovenly and rude. It seems that she has passed this tradition onto her granddaughter-in-law, Kate Middleton, who is seldom seen without a hat for formal events. That being said, there are also strict rules about which hats are appropriate and which aren't. Kate's hats must be large enough to be considered hats, but not so large that they cover her face or prevent her from entering or exiting vehicles and doors.

6 No Long Pants For Prince George

Prince George might look like a total cutie-pie in his shorts and knee-high socks, but you're not alone in wondering if the little prince is awfully cold considering he spends most of his time in chilly Britain. While it might be considered impractical weather-wise to keep the tot in short pants, it's actually just another instance of crazy royal fashion etiquette!

According to Harper's Bazaar, young British boys are prevented from wearing long pants until they're about seven or eight, as shorts are considered to be childlike, whereas trousers are reserved for men, and so, the donning of trousers will signify Prince George's entry into manhood. Bustle has another guess as to why the young royal stays in shorts: they're a symbol of the aristocracy, whereas trousers for boys are considered more suburban and lower-class!

5 Keep Your Coat On In Public

Kate Middleton has a coat collection that is to die for, with streamlined silhouettes, beautiful fabrics, and designer embellishments to make any fashion fan swoon. However, these outfit accompaniments do a lot more than just keep the Duchess of Cambridge warm - they're a requirement for royals in public!

While Kate gets away with stylish outerwear or even coat-dresses, she is prohibited from removing the garment while outdoors and in public - and occasionally even indoors and in public! This one sounds like it's simply fashion for fashion's sake, with a little bit of etiquette thrown in. In a report by Harper's Bazaar, it was stated that removing one's coat in public is not only unladylike (how unfortunate if you're overheating!), but it also “disrupts the cohesiveness of the outfit”. Considering the style plate that Kate has become, we can kind of understand this one!

4 No Hats After 6 pm

You've probably noticed that the royal family - particularly the women - is a big fan of headwear, specifically hats. Fascinators, hats, and other intricate creations often adorn the heads of the royal family and are a must-have for formal events.

That being said, hats must be removed once the clock strikes six, because the accessory is considered daywear only! Hats must be removed once the royal family is indoors, and, in accordance with an old rule, exchanged for something a little more glamorous, even if it's just one of Kate Middleton's trademark blowouts or chignons. Most notably, the women of the royal family prefer to trade in their afternoon hats for some glitzy eveningwear - specifically, tiaras. Hey, it's a good life if you can get it, right?

3 Tiaras Are For Wives Only

On the subject of tiaras, only the very lucky and select few are able to feel like true royalty with these glitzy bits of jewelry on their heads! Usually reserved for wear during white-tie events (which is as formal as you can get), only members of the royal family are allowed to wear tiaras like the one Kate Middleton wore on her wedding day, and even then, they are exclusive to evenings or the afore-mentioned extra-special occasion.

But not even all royalty is allowed to wear tiaras! According to etiquette expert Grant Harrold, tiaras are for married women only, which is why you'll never see a little girl playing princess in one. According to Harrold, tiaras were “a sign of status and would show you were taken and not looking for a husband… For the gentleman, it was a clear sign not to make advances towards the lady in question.”

2 Wedges Are Banned In The Presence Of The Queen

The Queen has a lot of likes and dislikes that the royal family has to follow for as long as Her Majesty is seated on the throne, and one of the most surprising of that lengthy list is that the Queen absolutely cannot stand wedge shoes and has banned them in her presence!

While Kate Middleton has been seen rocking wedges shoes multiple times, especially for casual events, she is never photographed wearing them in the presence of the Queen, whose disdain is just a royal fact! In a story for Vanity Fair, a royal source divulged that, “The Queen isn't a fan of wedge shoes. She really doesn't like them and it's well known among the women in the family.” Along with garlic and pasta at the dinner table, what the Queen hates, everyone else must hate, too!

1 Colorful Nail Polish Is Forbidden

Like your own grandmother or perhaps a stricter parent, the Queen has decided that colorful, bold, or patterned nail polish is forbidden where official events and photos are concerned. Natural-looking nails are the only style that's allowed at royal events, and nails must be kept clean and short. While the Duchess of Cambridge has occasionally been spotted with a polish on her tips, she usually goes totally bare. The same goes for lips, too, which is why you're not likely to spot any female member of the Windsors rocking a bold lip!

The Queen, for her part, does enjoy some polish on her nails, but she's brand- and color-loyal - she's been wearing Essie's pale pink shade “Ballet Slippers” since 1989! Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?