Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made the decision to step down from their roles as senior members of the royal family in early 2020, and their story continues to captivate us just as much today as it did when they were still active members of the monarchy. After facing a series of challenges that pushed them to their breaking point, leaving them feeling they had no other option but to give up their royal titles, the couple relocated to Meghan’s home state of California, where they began a new life as ordinary citizens (though “ordinary” is a term used loosely in their case).
As we mentioned, we’re still captivated by the couple, maybe even more than before, and there are plenty of reasons for that. A royal couple of their stature hasn’t left the monarchy in modern times, making their departure truly unprecedented. Additionally, they made the choice to move to the United States, giving Americans a deeper look into their lives than ever. However, the most intriguing aspect of Megxit is comparing their former life to the one they have now, especially Harry’s past. Harry grew up as an actual prince in the world’s most powerful monarchy, so his upbringing was completely different from everyone else’s, particularly due to the rules he had to adhere to. Some of these rules made sense, while others were just downright odd. Here are the strangest ones he had to follow as a royal.
Prince Harry Needed the Queen’s Approval Before Tying the Knot
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It’s a long-established Western custom for a man to seek the father’s blessing before proposing to his partner. For Prince Harry, however, the situation was different—he had to seek approval from his paternal grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. The former senior royal detailed this process in his 2023 memoir, Spare, revealing the steps he took before marrying Meghan Markle, which included securing his late grandmother’s consent. In the book, Harry admitted he found the requirement somewhat absurd, especially since he hadn’t heard of Prince William seeking the Queen’s permission to wed Princess Catherine. (He did, however, note that King Charles III had to ask his mother’s approval before remarrying.)
Harry later shared the details of a conversation he had with his grandmother regarding his desire to marry Meghan. According to the prince, after Queen Elizabeth suggested she wasn’t aware of this “rule,” he explained that both her team and his had led him to believe he needed her approval first. “I looked at her face, but it gave nothing away,” he said (via People). “Finally, she responded, ‘Well, then, I suppose I have to say yes.'” The royal family officially announced the couple’s engagement in November 2017, and they were married in May 2018.
Prince Harry Slipped Behind His Niece and Nephews in the Line of Succession
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No matter how rich in tradition your own family may be, it pales in comparison to the Windsors. The British royal family is deeply committed to their customs, with roots that stretch back for centuries. Since 1701, the monarchy has adhered to a specific line of succession, and no exceptions were made for Prince Harry (though some modifications have been made to the statute governing succession). Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately, depending on your perspective) for him, this meant that his place in line was moved down by his niece and nephew. As it stands, the firstborn child of the reigning monarch is next in line to the throne, followed by the monarch’s other children. However, if the firstborn has children, those children are placed next in the order. As a result, when Prince William had children, they moved ahead of Prince Harry in the succession.
Prince Harry doesn’t seem bothered by being fifth in line to the throne (and yes, technically, he could still become king). In his memoir Spare, he reflected on the birth of his first nephew (via Newsweek), saying, “I was thrilled for Willy and Kate, and I was indifferent to my position in the line of succession. … I had once heard a courtier say that when you’re fifth or sixth in line, you’re ‘only a plane crash away.’ I couldn’t imagine living like that.”
Prince Harry Might Have Been Banned from Playing Monopoly
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Every family has its peculiarities, and the British royal family is no exception. According to rumor, Prince Harry and the rest of his family were banned from playing the popular board game Monopoly. This supposed rule came to light in 2008 when Prince Andrew was visiting a new building in Leeds. As reported by The Telegraph, after being gifted the game during his visit, he remarked, “We’re not allowed to play Monopoly at home. It gets too vicious.” As Snopes has pointed out, this may very well have been a lighthearted comment. Regardless, Prince Harry has not publicly disclosed whether he has since embraced the game after moving to the United States. (If Andrew wasn’t joking, Harry has a lot of “Go” squares to catch up on.)
There were many other games the royal family enjoyed while Prince Harry was still a senior member. For instance, the queen had a fondness for playing games on a Nintendo Wii. “When she saw William playing a game after lunch at Sandringham, she thought the Nintendo looked so much fun and begged to join in,” a source shared with the Mirror. “She played a simple ten-pin bowling game, and by all accounts, she was a natural,” the source added, noting that the queen became quite the Nintendo enthusiast after discovering the game. Charades, Risk, the name game, and polo were also reportedly among the games the royal family enjoyed.
Prince Harry Had to Adhere to Strict Rules When Accepting Gifts
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When most people receive a gift, they typically accept it with gratitude, perhaps followed by a hug or expressing their excitement about it. Some might send a thank you note, and occasionally, a gift may be quietly regifted. But for royals, accepting a gift involves a much more elaborate process. When Prince Harry was still a senior member of the royal family, he couldn’t simply accept a gift — he had to go through a detailed procedure to determine whether it was suitable for him to keep whatever was given.
First and foremost, Prince Harry had to figure out if a gift was official or personal. A gift is deemed official if it comes from another head of state, a business, or someone the royal family does not have a personal relationship with. Such gifts must remain within the royal family in some form, whether they are used personally, stored, or displayed. On the other hand, a gift is considered personal if it’s given by someone the royal family knows personally, like a friend or relative. While royal family members can receive personal gifts from dignitaries, their value cannot exceed £150, or else they are classified as official. “Rules on not accepting gifts and disclosing any accepted are in place … to safeguard the reputation of the UK,” explained Susan Hawley, director of Spotlight on Corruption, to The Guardian.
Prince Harry Was Required to Carry an All-Black Outfit at All Times
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One of the core principles within the British royal family is maintaining proper decorum. From a young age, the Windsors are taught strict manners and how to conduct themselves in a particular way, which even extends to how they handle grief. When Prince Harry was still a senior member of the royal family, he had to adhere to a rule regarding the approach to imminent death, along with the rest of his family. Whenever a British royal travels, they are required to pack an all-black outfit. The Windsors wear black during mourning, and since death can occur unexpectedly, the family ensures they always have the appropriate attire packed just in case.
This rule wasn’t always in place. In 1952, when George VI passed away, Queen Elizabeth II was in Kenya. She hadn’t packed an all-black outfit, so she had to wear the clothes she had brought, which were deemed inappropriate for mourning. When her plane landed in the UK, a royal staff member brought an appropriate black dress onboard, and Queen Elizabeth quickly changed before being seen by the public. What the royal family saw as a misstep seems to have led them to adopt a rather grim rule: always be prepared for a loved one’s death, as it could happen at any time.
Prince Harry Wasn’t Allowed to Wear Black Just Any Time
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Although Prince Harry was required to carry an all-black outfit wherever he traveled, he wasn’t permitted to wear it at his discretion. While men in the royal family appear to have slightly more flexibility with this rule (Prince William has been spotted in all-black attire before), the tradition dictates that full black ensembles should be reserved for periods of mourning. This means the color isn’t meant to be worn in its entirety for casual or everyday events. “Typically, it’s believed that black shouldn’t be worn unless in mourning, though Princess Diana occasionally wore it for evening events, and The Duchess of Cambridge has also been seen doing so,” Alexandra Messervy, Chief Executive of The English Manner, explained to InStyle, as reported by Marie Claire.
Even after Prince Harry stepped down from his role as a senior member of the royal family, the Windsors still had a say in what he wore to certain events. In 2023, when Prince Harry returned to England for his father’s coronation, he wore a suit adorned with his military medals instead of his military uniform. Reportedly, he was not permitted to wear his uniform, likely because he is no longer a senior royal. Prince Harry was also prohibited from wearing his military uniform at his grandmother’s funeral in 2022.
Prince Harry Wasn’t Allowed to Open or Close His Own Car Door
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Being royal may seem wonderful on the surface — with every detail of life seemingly taken care of. However, in reality, it may not be as glamorous as it appears. There are everyday tasks that royals aren’t allowed to handle themselves, often for security reasons. One such task, if it can even be called that, is opening and closing a car door. According to etiquette expert William Hanson on BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat, “Usually, if you are a member of the royal family or a dignitary, you have a staff member to open and close the car door for you.” When Prince Harry was still a senior royal, he, like his family members, was not permitted to open or close car doors on his own.
Since stepping down as a senior royal, Prince Harry has embraced many of his newfound freedoms, including opening and closing a car door by himself. When he returned to England in September 2022 with Meghan Markle for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, Prince Harry opened and shut the car door for Meghan before getting in, choosing politeness over security protocol. Prince William and Princess Catherine also ignored the usual security rules: both senior royals opened and closed their own car doors as well.
Prince Harry Had to Weigh In Before and After Christmas Dinner
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It’s often claimed that adults can gain up to five pounds during the holiday season. While studies have debunked this notion, it seems the British royal family either hasn’t caught up with the research or simply clings to an unusual tradition. Since the early 1900s, the Windsors have reportedly begun and concluded every Christmas meal at Sandringham with a weigh-in. As royal expert Ingrid Seward shared with Grazia, this practice, which Prince Harry participated in during his time as a senior royal, isn’t meant to humiliate anyone. Instead, it’s seen as proof of whether each guest enjoyed enough food during the festivities.
It’s said that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle haven’t had to weigh in at Christmas dinner for some time. The couple stepped down as working members of the royal family in 2020, and while they appeared to still be on relatively good terms with the Windsors to spend the holidays in England, the COVID-19 pandemic was in full swing, and travel restrictions reportedly kept them from returning to Harry’s home for Christmas. In 2021, Prince Harry and Meghan reportedly did not go back to England to celebrate Christmas with the royal family, nor did they in 2022 following the release of their Netflix documentary, Harry & Meghan. The couple hasn’t been photographed at Sandringham for Christmas since 2019.
Prince Harry Was Forbidden from Eating Shellfish
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The royal family is famously strict about their dietary choices. There’s a long list of foods Prince Harry was barred from consuming during his time as a senior royal, including certain types of seafood. “When dining, the Royal Family avoids shellfish due to the risk of shellfish poisoning, given their demanding schedules. As a result, you won’t typically find it on the royal menu,” former royal butler Grant Harrold explained to Express.co.uk regarding the family’s eating habits. However, being restricted from eating shellfish didn’t stop Prince Harry from interacting with it during his royal duties. In 2015, while on a visit to New Zealand, Harry was seen shucking oysters—though it’s unclear whether he actually ate any.
Shellfish weren’t the only foods Prince Harry was expected to avoid during his time as a senior royal. He was also reportedly forbidden from eating foie gras and rare meat while traveling. However, it doesn’t seem like giving up these restricted foods was much of a sacrifice for Prince Harry. In his memoir Spare, he revealed some of his favorite foods, and none of them included shellfish or duck liver. According to Tapas Magazine, Prince Harry’s preferred meals included roast chicken, bread pudding, pasta, and red wine.
Prince Harry Wasn’t Allowed to Clink His Silverware
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Did we mention how seriously the royal family takes manners? The Windsors host and attend more dinner parties in a single year than most people do in a lifetime (we don’t have exact numbers, but we’re confident it’s true). As a result, they adhere to a myriad of etiquette rules, particularly when dining, and even more specifically when handling cutlery. During his time as a senior royal, Prince Harry was expected to hold his utensils in the correct hands and use them without making noise. “It’s not a breach of protocol to accidentally clink silverware against a plate once or twice, but repeatedly doing so is considered particularly unfortunate,” etiquette expert William Hanson explained to Marie Claire. While Harry likely wouldn’t have faced formal consequences for noisy cutlery, he probably would’ve earned some sharp glances from his relatives.
The silverware rules didn’t stop there for Prince Harry. In addition to holding his knife and fork in the proper hands, Prince Harry had to place them on his plate in a specific way once he was finished eating to signal that his meal was over. “The cutlery is placed together in such a way to indicate to the staff (and other diners) that you’ve finished, so they can clear your plate without needing to ask,” explained Hanson. When it comes to manners, the British royal family certainly knows how to serve them.
