What It’s Like To Live Like A Modern Day Royal
Queen Elizabeth II is now the longest-reigning British monarch, having held the throne for 66 years. But the British royal family is also getting younger, with the additions of Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle, along with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Taking the lead on the younger generation of the family are Prince William and Prince Harry, along with their cousins Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. These modern-day royals are doing things a bit differently, although The Crown may not always approve.
Their Car Collection Is On Point
While they're often driven and flown around by other people, members of the royal family also have quite a few cars of their own. And as expected, these vehicles aren't your average family car. Prince William and Duchess Kate have been known to drive seven different cars.
Their cars include a Range Rover SUV, Audi R8, Jaguar XJ and a Bentley Flying Spur. Prince Harry put his used Audi RS6 Avant on the market in 2018. The car he drove for a year, including picking up Meghan Markle on the way to Pippa Middleton's wedding, sold for around $94,000.
There's Pressure To Be Fit And Beautiful
Much like famous actors and musicians who are in the spotlight, members of the royal family receive massive amounts of media attention. While Buckingham Palace makes announcements from time to time, requesting that members of the family be left alone and given privacy during sensitive times, more often than not, royals are subjected to same unforgiving paparazzi harassment as Hollywood stars.
When Princess Beatrice was 22 years old, she saw an unflattering image of herself in a bikini published in the tabloids. and felt pressured to improve her appearance. She signed up for the London Marathon and lost weight training for the race. She then continued her fitness routine and in turn, the media backed off.
Princess Beatrice Lives in NYC and Works for A Software Company
After graduating from Goldsmiths College in London with a BA in History, Princess Beatrice wasted no time getting her career started. At 28 years old, she began working with Afiniti, a U.S. company who provides software to call centers. She left London for New York City to take the job, and is certainly not riding on the coat tails of her family.
Speaking with Town And Country Magazine on being a royal and a working woman, Princess Beatrice said, "We are the first: we are young women trying to build careers and have personal lives, and we're also princesses and doing all of this in the public eye." Beginning her career as a research analyst for a private wealth firm, Beatrice now serves as the Vice President of Partnerships and Strategy at Afiniti and oversees Afiniti's partnerships and client development.
Royals With Formal Roles Can't Use Instagram, But Eugenie Can
The rules differ between royals with formal roles and those who don't. Prince William and Prince Harry both have formal roles and duties, as well as their wives, Duchess Kate and Duchess Meghan. When Meghan became engaged to Harry, the American actress had to follow protocol of the Kensington Palace, and deactivate her Instagram account.
However, Princess Eugenie, who is William and Harry's cousin, is allowed to have personal social media accounts. Eugenie has 320,000 followers on Instagram where she shares photos of charitable events and classic family photos. She launched the account on March 8, 2018, stating, "I can think of no better day than today, International Women’s Day, to launch my personal Instagram. I hope to use this platform to share the causes, passions, and people close to my heart."
Down to Earth, But Still An A-Lister
Although many members of the royal family appear down-to-Earth, we can't forget that they rub elbows with the elite. Princess Beatrice dated Uber Executive Dave Clark, and the couple double dated with A-listers Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis.
Likewise, when Prince Harry was single, a mutual friend set him up with Meghan Markle, who was then a well-known American actress for her part in Suits. It was reported that the now-married couple joined George and Amal Clooney at their Lake Como mansion in Italy for a secret holiday soon after they became involved.
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie Don't Receive An Allowance
Although Princess Beatrice and her sister Eugenie appear at large royal events, they don't receive a royal allowance like their cousins Prince William and Prince Harry. Daughters to Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York, the women aren't close enough to the throne to have their clothing and other purchases paid for.
For Princess Beatrice, this means the 30-year-old royal has to work a job like the rest of us in order to afford her lifestyle. Although she's the fifth grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and eighth in line to the throne, she doesn't receive a salary of any kind for her royal appearances or duties.
Princess Eugenie Has Nerves and a Pinterest Board
Just like many young women getting ready for marriage, Princess Eugenie was nervous about the big day, but found calm in knowing that she'd be walking down the aisle to the man of her dreams. She told British Vogue, "It’s very nerve-wracking because you want it to be perfect but then you realize that you’re going to be with the person you love forever and nothing else really matters."
She also finds inspiration on Pinterest for her wedding decorations and cake, proving that just because she's related to Queen Elizabeth II doesn't mean she's any different than other modern brides. Princess Eugenie began dating her fiance Jack Brooksbank seven years ago. The couple became engaged in January 2018 and was married later that year.
Prince William and Duchess Kate Have a Nanny for the Kids
Three kids is a lot to keep up with, and with all of their royal duties, Prince William and Kate Middleton chose to enlist the help of a nanny. Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo is the nanny to Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. She studied at the prestigious Noreland College where the top nannies in the country are trained.
Nicknamed the "real life Mary Poppins," Maria lives in the royal household, with her own quarters located in Kensington Palace. She's seen taking care of the children and taking them to the pond on the palace's property. It's estimated that the couple spends between $36,493 and $58,552 on Maria's salary to take care of the three youngest members of the royal family.
Princess Eugenie's Wedding Was Plastic-Free
The health of the environment is very important to Princess Eugenie, who is an ambassador of Project 0, a charity that aims to eliminate plastic pollution in the ocean. The Princess does not use plastic in her home, and made sure that her October 12th wedding was plastic-free as well.
The princess says making her household anti-plastic has been "eye-opening." She also encourages others to adopt the plastic-free lifestyle, stating, "We aim to inspire people to make sustainable choices to stop the ocean from drowning in plastic."
Princess Ayako Chose Love Over Royalty
There are plenty of rules when it comes to being a royal female. In Japan, it's imperial law that if female members of the royal family choose to marry someone who does not have royal or aristocratic family ties, they must forfeit their royal title.
In October 2018, 28-year-old Princess Ayako chose to marry her now-husband, 32-year-old Kei Moriya, who works at a shipping company. After their marriage was finalized, Princess Ayako collected $950,000 from the Japanese government and surrendered her title and duties as a Japanese Princess.
The Duchesses Love Designer Labels
Since Prince William and Prince Harry are within close succession to the throne, they are given an allowance for not only themselves, but their wives. When Kate Middleton was welcomed into the family, it was the first time since Princess Diana that the People of Commonwealth had a young female royal to look to for fashion cues.
This was dubbed as the "Kate Middleton Effect" as the Duchess of Cambridge's outfits would quickly sell-out at stores. Designers including Sarah Burton and Alexander McQueen have seen a spike in sales after the Duchess wears their designs. Meghan Markle's favorite designers include Givenchy, Roland Mouret, Emilia Wickstead, and Dior.
Since Meghan Joined The Royal Family, The Budget (Substantially) Increased
According to The Telegraph, before Meghan Markle married Prince Harry and joined the royal family, Prince William, Prince Harry, and Kate Middleton shared $4.6 million for purchases. We have to imagine that a lot of that budget is going towards Kate Middleton's wardrobe, as well as the three kids.
However, when Meghan Markle joined the family, the budget was boosted $2 million, up to $6.5 million annually. It does appear that the couples will be taking over some appearances for the Queen, so it makes sense they would need to increase their budget in order to do so.
Their Vacations Are Luxurious
The royal family takes their vacations seriously. Prince William and Duchess Kate make sure to have a family holiday twice a year, along with a few smaller trips. The couple enjoys taking their family on skiing trips in Meribel, France, and thawing out by the beach in Biarritz, France. To get some privacy and alone time, William and Kate sneak off to private islands like North Island and Seychelles, off the coast of East Africa.
Before they were married, Prince Harry took Meghan on trips to Botswana, Norway, Jamaica,and Zambia. The couple loves traveling, and they're sure to be spotted jetting off to more exotic destinations soon.
PDA is On Lockdown (But They Test The Boundaries)
Unlike other couples in love, members of the royal family are discouraged from showing affection in public. Many have noted that Prince William and Duchess Kate's two kisses at their wedding was the first and last time they ever witnessed the royal couple showing affection for one another.
Queen Elizabeth II rarely holds hands with her husband, and encourages members of the family to limit hand holding, kissing, and other affection while in public, in order to remain professional while at royal events. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been given more leeway, however, since Prince William is ahead of his younger brother in succession to the throne.
They Still Have To Use Proper Etiquette, Always
You may think that because it's 2018, certain rules of proper etiquette and poise would no longer apply. But they still do. Meghan Markle is getting the hang of the new protocol that she needs to follow being a royal, and representing the royal family.
While her and Prince harry were dating, Meghan enjoyed the last months of her freedom as a citizen, including being able to cross her legs. She officially wed Prince Harry in May 2018, and has since been required to follow all rules of royal etiquette, including slanting her legs and crossing her ankles, instead of throwing one leg over the other.
Royal Women Must Only Paint Their Nails Nude
Another rule that may seem outdated, but is still very much enforced for the most prominent women, is that ladies of the royal family must only wear nude nail polish. They can push the limit with light pink, but that's as far as they can go. You'll see that both Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle abide by this rule.
However, if you take a closer look at Princess Eugenie's nails, you'll see that she paints them however she pleases! When she was 22 years old she was spotted with Union Flag painted nails at the Epsom Derby in 2012. Her sister Beatrice doesn't appear to be testing the waters on this one.
They Have To Wait Until The Baby Is Born To Learn The Gender
Although gender reveal parties and creative social media announcements are wildly popular with expecting parents today, members of the royal family don't get to enjoy these moments for themselves. Sources say that Prince William and Kate Middleton didn't find out the gender of their children until they were born.
Likewise, the announcement of a pregnancy or royal birth is still done in a very traditional and formal matter, so Prince Harry and Meghan Markle followed the strict rules with their baby.
The Duchess of Cambridge Shook Things Up With a Candid Photo
The British royal family has traditionally taken very formal portraits on special occasions such as weddings and christenings. But in July of 2018, Kate Middleton and the royal family chose to release and publish a candid photo of Prince Louis at his christening ceremony.
The photo (not pictured), taken by Matt Porteous, was originally to be kept in the family's private collection, but they loved it so much they decided to share it with the world. Historically, it's rare for such candid photos of the family to be released, but Prince William and Kate Middleton are bridging the gap and making the family more approachable and relatable to the people of Britain.
Kate Has Quite the Shoe Collection
We've already mentioned that the British royal family has a certain budget for clothing and other expenses. And although the dress code, including shoes, for the royal women is rather strict (no open toed shoes, no wedges) Kate Middleton still enjoys adding to her shoe collection.
There are entire blogs dedicated to documenting which shoes she steps out in, not just for royal occasions, but casual events as well. Her shoe collection includes many pairs of Jimmy Choo heels, Gianvito Rossi pumps, Prada sandals, Monolo Blahnik heels, Oscar de la Renta pumps, and Aquatalia boots.
They Still Must Ask the Queen's Permission to Marry
It may seem like an outdated rule, but members of the royal family are still required to get permission from Queen Elizabeth II before they give or accept a marriage proposal. This is required by the Royal Marriages Act of 1772. Famously, Princess Margaret, the Queen's sister, had to ask her permission to marry Peter Townsend, who had been recently divorced. (She told her to wait, and they didn't end up getting married.)
Both Prince William and Prince Harry were required to ask the Queen for permission before they proposed, giving the decision to Queen Elizabeth II as to whether or not that person should be welcomed into the prestigious family.
Modesty, Always
Women of the British royal family must be extra careful in their wardrobe choices not to show too much skin, which can be a challenge for the younger women who joined the family and didn't always have to abide by the restrictions.
Princess Diana's purses jokingly became known as “cleavage bags.” The Princess was often photographed gripping her clutch tightly to her chest to prevent any unwanted paparazzi photos. Anya Hindmarch, who designed numerous bags for the late princess told the Telegraph: “We used to laugh when we designed what she called her ‘cleavage bags,’ little satin clutches which she would cover her cleavage with when she stepped out of cars.”
