Since Meghan Markle and Prince Harry stepped down as senior members of the royal family last year, we’ve had tons of questions about baby Archie, post-royal protocol and what this means for the couple as parents.
As has become very clear, Markle is no longer bound by the constraints of being a royal. This means she doesn’t have to follow their every rule regarding how she parents her son, Archie, and her unborn daughter.
Here, nine royal parenting rules the former HRH no longer has to follow.
Yup. Seriously. According to the royal family dress code, young boys aren’t supposed to wear pants—only shorts—before the age of eight. This is why we’ve seen both Prince George and Prince Louis sporting outfits that reveal their legs. Lucky for Markle, she can now dress little Archie in all the pants. In fact, she can dress him any way she likes!
We’re fairly certain this Sussex clan can now travel as a whole unit. You see, no two heirs are supposed to travel together (just in case). This applies to Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince George (unless the queen gives permission otherwise) and used to apply to Harry and Archie. But now that they aren't "senior" royals, Harry and Meghan will likely control their own travel plans and protocol. Bring on the family vacations!
No matter how hands on a royal mother may be, having a nanny is a must. This is particularly helpful when the royals have to be out and about for official events sans children. However, Markle no longer has to keep this role filled if she doesn't want to. That said, with her and Harry taking on so many projects and engagements at the moment, they may decide to anyway.
While most of us only get two godparents, royal parents can choose as many as they please for their kids—and they usually go overboard. Princess Charlotte has five, Prince George has seven and Prince Louis has six. Archie has only three, so it seems like the couple is going with a less is more mentality. TBD how many their new baby girl receives.
One rule all royal parents must follow? They must baptize their children. But, that’s not all. The royal family baptizes their children in a special vessel that has been used by nearly every royal since 1841. The duke and duchess kept with tradition when it came to baby Archie, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they have to for their future daughter.
While it’s highly unlikely that Meghan Markle will decide to send her kids to public school, she has the freedom to do so. Royal children usually attend private institutions for a variety of reasons, one of them being security. (Prince George and Princess Charlotte both attend Thomas’s Battersea). It’s a rule that education must be a priority throughout their adolescent years and that they have to go on to university. But hey, if Archie and his sister don’t want to go to college, they’re free to pursue their own path (with Markle’s approval, of course).
Darren McGrady, Queen Elizabeth's former chef, maintains that the royal fam is forbidden from eating garlic in the queen's presence (because she loathes it). Oh, and according to BBC, Her Majesty also cracked down on the consumption of shellfish because of the threat of foodborne illness. Markle will be free to plan any menu she pleases, even if it's the most garlicky oysters in all of North America.
Queen Elizabeth II encourages royals to keep their hands to themselves. This is why you rarely see Prince William and Kate Middleton smooching in public, or even holding hands. Although Prince Harry and Meghan Markle weren’t under as much pressure to adhere to this protocol, they can now do as they please.
When the Duke of York was presented with the board game, he revealed that it’s forbidden in the royal household because “it gets too vicious.”
While the jury is still out on this unofficial rule, we’ll bet Meghan and her kids can play all the Monopoly they want, as long as they don't get too competitive.
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