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

Gregor Fischer/picture alliance via Getty Images
Gregor Fischer/picture alliance via Getty Images

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

There's Pressure To Be Fit And Beautiful

ADVERTISEMENT
Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images
Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

Princess Beatrice Lives in NYC and Works for A Software Company

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Luiz Rampelotto/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Luiz Rampelotto/NurPhoto via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

Royals With Formal Roles Can't Use Instagram, But Eugenie Can

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Max Mumby/Pool/Indigo/Getty Images
Max Mumby/Pool/Indigo/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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."

ADVERTISEMENT

Down to Earth, But Still An A-Lister

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Chris Jackson - Pool/Getty Images
Chris Jackson - Pool/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie Don't Receive An Allowance

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Scott Barbour/Getty Images
Scott Barbour/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

Princess Eugenie Has Nerves and a Pinterest Board

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

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."

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

Prince William and Duchess Kate Have a Nanny for the Kids

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

Princess Eugenie's Wedding Was Plastic-Free

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Jonathan Brady/PA Images via Getty Images
Jonathan Brady/PA Images via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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."

ADVERTISEMENT

Princess Ayako Chose Love Over Royalty

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Instagram/alafkarmagazine
Instagram/alafkarmagazine
ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Duchesses Love Designer Labels

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

Since Meghan Joined The Royal Family, The Budget (Substantially) Increased

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

Their Vacations Are Luxurious

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Samir Hussein/Pool/WireImage
Samir Hussein/Pool/WireImage
ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

PDA is On Lockdown (But They Test The Boundaries)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

They Still Have To Use Proper Etiquette, Always

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Karwai Tang/WireImage
Karwai Tang/WireImage
ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

Royal Women Must Only Paint Their Nails Nude

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Andrew Chin/Getty Images
Andrew Chin/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

They Have To Wait Until The Baby Is Born To Learn The Gender

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Duchess of Cambridge Shook Things Up With a Candid Photo

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
DOMINIC LIPINSKI/AFP/Getty Images
DOMINIC LIPINSKI/AFP/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

Kate Has Quite the Shoe Collection

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage
Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage
ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

They Still Must Ask the Queen's Permission to Marry

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images
Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

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.)

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

Modesty, Always

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
John Stillwell - PA Images/Getty Images
John Stillwell - PA Images/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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.”