10 Times the Royal Family Broke Protocol This Year

This one might be the most frequently broken by the Duchess of Sussex. 

In early January, Meghan (who was still pregnant at the time) attended Cirque du Soleil with Prince Harry and wore dark polish on her toenails, which—as we all know—is looked down upon by members of the royal family. 

OK, we know this might sound nitpicky, but it’s legit. 

Scan through any number of photos of Kate, Meghan, even Princess Diana and you’ll immediately see that the royal clan has a strategy when it comes to carrying their clutch: They always (always) hold their bag in their left hand.

Royal expert and founder of Beaumont Etiquette Myka Meier says, “When entering a room or event, handbags or briefcases are held in the left hand so that your right hand stays open to meet, greet and shake hands!” 

But on a certain day in February, Kate ventured outside the box and carried her clutch (you guessed it) in her right hand. Hey, we’re all for bending the rules, especially when it comes to fashion. 

Yup, Meghan isn’t the only one in the family doing this. 

The Duke of Sussex attended the fifth anniversary of the Invictus Games at the Guildhall in London in September and committed a minor faux pas. When he arrived at the reception, Prince Harry got out of the vehicle and shut the car door on his own. We repeat: Shut. His. Own. Door. 

There’s an unspoken rule that members of the royal family aren’t supposed to open or close their own doors; someone else should. Looks like Harry is a rebel without a door closer.

The royal family is nothing if not prepared. A respectable all-black outfit must be packed with them on their travels in case of a sudden death where they must attend a funeral.

But while this dark hue is supposed to be reserved for more somber occasions (including Remembrance Sunday), Meghan wore an all-black ensemble at the British Fashion Awards earlier this year. 

This is something Meghan has been doing since, well, her engagement photo shoot. 

While this tradition seems to be loosening up, royal family members usually wear stockings with a dress or skirt for official events.

In October, the duchess was joined by Prince Harry at Windsor Castle for a roundtable discussion about gender equality and inclusion with young leaders from around the world. For the occasion, Meghan chose an all-red look, pairing a lambskin Boss pencil skirt with a cranberry V-neck sweater. And while she looked incredibly chic, there was one thing missing: tights. 

While royal protocol usually calls for a sleek appearance up top (the queen covers her hair with a hat, and Kate often rocks a perfectly polished updo or a smooth blowout), Meghan sometimes opts for a more casual look: a messy bun. 

During Meghan and Prince Harry’s first joint public engagement of 2019 in Birkenhead, the duchess wore her hair in a loose casual bun, something we used to see often before she officially became a royal. 

Kate and William weren’t the only ones with royal-tradition-breaking PDA this year. 

Meghan and Harry were also guilty of this during their royal tour of Africa. On the first day of their tour, the royal couple held hands and touched each other’s backs while meeting children and dancing with a group of teens. They also clutched hands as they visited the District Six Museum and Homecoming Centre in Cape Town later that day.