18 Times Both Meghan And Kate Broke Royal Protocol

Out with the old and in with the new is what seems to be the mantra of the British Royal Family as the next generation takes precedence. Though the Royal Family is probably still a bit more traditional than not, there are still outdated traditions that they no longer want to pay any mind to. After all, this is no longer the medieval times and we are out of the dark ages. The women who have married into the family have put a new face on what it means to be a noble lady of England.

Kate Middleton and Prince William have been married for six years so we have watched them define their roles as Royals. Now that Meghan Markle has entered the picture, she has taken England by storm because there literally hasn't been anyone like her before. At least no one who has entered the Royal Family. There is a lot of speculation that the Queen secretly disapproves of this match, but only time will tell. Then again, the Queen might not be around for that much longer given her age.

There were certain traditions and protocols that Queen Elizabeth had to adhere to that Kate and Meghan don't. Here were the 18 alarming instances that Kate and Meghan both broke Royal protocol and tradition.

18 She Opened Up About Her Relationship In Vanity Fair

It is not unheard of for a Royal to grace the cover of a magazine. After all, Kate Middleton and the late Princess Diana were featured in Vogue. It is shocking, however, for a Royal-to-be to dish on their relationship with the public via an interview. This is exactly what Meghan Markle did on her cover story of Vanity Fair in the September 2017 issue.

In the interview, she revealed what it was like to be in a relationship with Prince Harry.

“We're a couple,” she explains. “We're in love. I'm sure there will be a time when we will have to come forward and present ourselves and have stories to tell, but I hope what people will understand is that this is our time. This is for us. It's part of what makes it so special, that it's just ours. But we're happy. Personally, I love a great love story.”

17 She Also Has A Diamond Engagement Ring

Traditionally, when Americans think about wedding rings, they think nothing other than diamonds. That is the marketing that we have bought into since De Beers holds the largest monopoly in the world. Though, that is really beside the point. Royals, on the other hand, are more into rare and precious gemstones. Prince Diana's ring (now Kate Middleton's ring) features a sapphire. As does the Queen Mother's and Princess Anne's. Princess Margaret and Sarah Ferguson don a ruby ring.

Meghan Markle's sparkling white diamond ring chimes in that an American is going to break Royal tradition.

We are sure Harry just wanted the ring that she wanted to wear. In the famous words of Marilyn Monroe, diamonds are a girl's best friend. I mean, just look at that rock and tell me you're not jealous.

16 Neither Kate Nor Meghan Are Of Royal Blood

Yes, both Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton are "commoners" in the eyes of the Royal Family.

Royal tradition states that if you are a Royal blood, then you cannot marry anyone who is Catholic, a commoner or anyone who has been married before.

Kate came from an upper-middle-class family that was affluent enough to send her to the same university Prince William attended. Meghan Markle also came from a working-class family where her dad was the light director on the set of Married With Children. Though both Kate and Meghan come from different backgrounds, they both grew up having no idea that they would marry a prince. Lucky them. If it can happen to them, then surely it can happen to anyone, right? At least we would like to think so.

15 They Indulge In PDA

Though Kate Middleton and Prince William are generally on their best Royal behavior getting on planes and dressing up in public, sometimes they just need to let their hair down.

Here, they are seen wrapping their hands around each other after a victorious win for England's football team.

That wasn't really the first time, but there is a time and a place for everything. Even before Meghan came along, they were seen holding hands in public. For the Royal Family, this is not formidable behavior. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip have never been seen touching each other. As long as they are not making out or being crass in public, then really… who cares?

14 Meghan Has Been Married Before

Yes, it is true that Meghan was once married to her ex-husband, Trevor Engelson from 2011-2013. Though before we go into mentioning that this is not Royal tradition, consider her ex-husband for a minute.

How horrible must it be for him to see his ex-wife now engaged to a Prince out of all people?

That must be the strangest feeling in the world. Anyways, Meghan Markle is probably secretly happy that her first marriage did not work out because it paved the way for Prince Harry. At least Meghan will already know what to expect when it comes to marriage, but she will have no idea what it will be like being married to a Prince. In any case, you have to wonder how the Queen feels about this.

13 Meghan Is Not A Member Of The Church Of England

England has had a brutal history of the power struggle between the Protestants and the Catholics throughout the Holy Wars. Needless to say, that England has been historically more particular in their beliefs. In modern times, the country has come a long way in accepting all religions. Although, traditionally, you had to be a member of the Church of England if you wanted to be part of the Royal Family. This is something that Meghan Markle is definitely not, and it's not her fault. According to People magazine,"in order to remain in the line of succession, members of the Royal Family cannot be Catholic."

Meghan actually went to an all-girls Catholic school growing up, but that is still not stopping Harry from marrying her.

Recently, it's been confirmed that Meghan has been baptized in a secret ceremony in order to be a fully fledged member of the Church Of England.

12 Kate And William Are Not Raising Their Kids In London

The Royal Family has always been at the center of everything, and London is the biggest city where it's all happening. It would make sense for the Royals to grow up in England. For Kate and William, that is clearly not the case.

Just like many other parents, they would rather raise kids away from the city in a quieter environment.

They currently reside in Anmer Hall which is located in Norfolk near the North Sea. The estate was a wedding gift from dear grandmother, Queen Elizabeth. She probably knew that the children were better off away from the public eye if they could help it. Though this is an unusual choice for future Kings of England, it has provided the family with a certain degree of privacy. This was definitely a smart move on their part.

11 Kate Did Her Own Makeup For Her Wedding

There are not too many brides who do their own makeup for their wedding, even if they are balling on a budget. That is why it's so strange to hear that Kate Middleton did her own makeup for her wedding. Maybe she secretly watched some YouTube tutorials and just wanted to do it her own way.

On the day that you officially become a Princess-by-law, you would think that only the best of the best would be flown in to do your makeup.

She definitely could have fooled us, but it looks like she pulled it off. Maybe she just wanted to do it for the story in order to make her look more modest, you never know. Kate always keeps it natural, simple and elegant, so she will always be a fashion icon for that.

10 She Also Took Pole-Performer Dancing Lessons

Yes, even Kate Middleton has an edgy side to her. After she gave birth to Prince George, she started taking pole dancing lessons to shed the baby weight and get back in shape.

Star Magazine stated that Kate attended these classes in disguise.

That would be awesome if the paparazzi caught her while she was taking these pole dances. This would be something that if the Queen saw firsthand, she would get into some trouble for it. Kate probably loved them because she was getting away with something a little more promiscuous. Clearly, the classes worked because she has the body that most women would kill for. Though she could never perform these dances at a formal Royal event, there is no doubt that she does it for Prince William in private. Oh-la-la!

9 Meghan Wore Her Hair In A Messy Bun For A Public Appearance

This hairstyle is cute and many girls would love to know how she got it to stay like that. Virtually every woman has worn her hair similar to this at one point or another.

Believe it or not, however, this hairstyle just doesn't cut it for Royal tradition.

When you become a member of the Royal Family, wearing your hair in an informal style is pretty unacceptable. Meghan Markle's style is known to be laid back and minimalistic, so it will be interesting to see how her style evolves in her many years being married to Harry. She is an elegant woman and can pull off any style making it look polished. Who would ever guess that wearing your hair in a messy bun goes against Royal protocol? It looks like they have more rules than we could ever imagine.

8 She Also Ignored The Panty Hose Rule

Now, this one was a big one that had everyone talking. Meghan Markle *gasp* didn't wear any pantyhose during her engagement announcement to Prince Harry.

We have to wonder if she did this on purpose just to stir up the waters.

She could just humor the Queen every once in awhile and actually abide by Royal tradition the complete way for one day. But nope, sorry. It was her wedding engagement after all and she didn't have to answer to anybody. On the off note, look at how tiny her ankles are. We haven't really noticed how petite Meghan was until we got a close up of her legs. In any case, Kate Middleton is usually wearing pantyhose if she is wearing skirts out in public.

7 Kate And William Both Have A University Degree

This is probably one of the best Royal traditions that Kate and William have both broken. Normally, Royals do not enroll at a university that "commoners" attend.

Back in medieval times, they had private tutors that were the best of the best to educate them.

In fact, they first met each other at St. Andrew's University which seems like an un-Royal yet romantic courtship. "They were friends first, and able to live in this bubble shielded from the press," a mutual friend says. "They were ordering Chinese food and taking bike rides, and going to the pub like anyone else." They were roommates in the same flat at first and the rest is history. If Kate is to be coronated one day, then she will be the first Queen of England with a college degree.

6 Kate Isn't Ashamed Of Repeating Her Outfits

Kate Middleton has made herself a fashion icon ever since she started dating Prince William. Girls around the world were just dying to know how they should dress in order to attract a Prince. She has become famous for her thrifty sense of style most likely because she grew up having to budget before she became a Royal.

Duchesses in the past would have preferred to shop at high-street stores. Kate on the other hand still wears Gap and Zara.

Although she does from time to time indulge in designer clothing at events (after all, Alexander McQueen designed her wedding gown), she still has a practical approach to what she wears. She even has no problem wearing the same outfit more than once because why wouldn't you? Even though she now has unlimited funds, she doesn't see the point in wearing something only once and then getting rid of it.

5 She Is Also A Hands-On Mom Who Raises Her Kids Herself

Following in the footsteps of Princess Diana, Kate and William take a more hands-on approach to parenting when it comes to raising their children. Sure, they have one nanny who helps them out when they are traveling around the globe, but their kids are their responsibility for the most part.

Traditionally, the Royal Family have been busy people and have left the duties of child-rearing to the nannies.

No matter how busy her schedule is, it does not stop her from spending quality time with her two (and soon to be three) children. George and Charlotte are Kate and William's priority no matter what Royal duty calls for. Kate still does much of the routine stuff for parenting, like dropping George off at school and running errands.

4 Kate And William Regularly Release Photos Of Their Children

Royals of past generations did not have access to social media to Tweet or post anything online.

Although the Royals are not allowed to have social media accounts now, that doesn't stop the millions of users from posting pics of their children for the entire world to see.

Kate and William are proud parents and have no problem releasing photos of their children to the public because they are just that adorable. It's a bit more shrewd than sweet, though.

"William is very press-shy, for all the obvious reasons. He blames the press for his mother's death, to some extent," a source says. "Kate Middleton is the coolest head in the Royal Family. She knows how to handle them, and one way to handle them is to release photos on your own terms."

3 Meghan Will Wear A Contemporary Wedding Dress

The rumor mill is working overtime about what kind of dress Meghan Markle will wear for her wedding in May. Designers are rejoicing and fashionistas around the globe are waiting anxiously to see what the former Suits actress turned princess will be wearing for her big day.

Chances are that she will wear something more modern and unexpected than Kate Middleton's idyllic and classic style.

There has already been speculation and sketches have already been drawn out of what they expect the dress to look like. So far, it has a big train and there is nothing "simple" about it. It is intricate and will have to be maintained by at least 2-3 people holding on to the ends of it. All in all, we are all jealous and we all wish that we could be Meghan Markle.

2 Meghan And Harry Celebrated Christmas Together Before Being Married

Meghan Markle spending Christmas with the Queen and the rest of the Royal Family is an incredibly big deal and a huge milestone. It is every girl's dream to be taken seriously enough for their man to want to introduce them to their entire extended family. With Meghan, this step in her relationship was larger than life.

Technically, those who are not married into the Royal Family are not allowed to partake in holiday festivities but it looks like the Queen made an exception.

Prince Harry had to ask his grandmother for special permission for her to attend Christmas with the rest of the monarchy. Since she adores Harry so much, she gave him her blessing. It looks like the Queen is even willing to bend a few rules for the new addition to the family.

1 Kate And William Don't Keep A Low Profile

The whole crew of Kate, William, Harry, and Meghan are all very involved with philanthropy and spreading the word about good causes to the rest of England (and to the world for that matter). They are in the public eye and they know it. As public figures, the Royal Family are required to fulfill a certain number of duties and appearances each year.

Kate and William, in particular, have broken those rules. Even so much to the point were William had to make a pact with the Queen.

He agreed to stay out of the limelight in order to act as a helicopter pilot and cuts down his public duties so that he could spend more time with his family. Before, he was breaking the traditional route of making public appearances and acting as a patron of numerous charities as his day-to-day job and responsibility.