From the outside, Kate Middleton’s life looks like a modern fairy tale. Elegant, smiling, mother of three perfect children, she embodies the ideal princess in the eyes of the world. But if the Duchess of Cambridge who has become a princess of Wales gives an image of grace and calm, his daily life is far from free. Since she married Prince William in 2011, and even more since she took the prestigious title of Princess of Wales in 2022, Kate Middleton must bend to an extremely strict protocol.
1. Prohibited dishes (even in private)
When it is on official trip, and there are many, Kate Middleton must bend on the restrictions imposed by the palace. No question of taking food risks. Sea fruits, especially oysters, are strictly not recommended to avoid intoxication. Another amazing ban: garlic.
Camilla Parker Bowles confirmed it, the dishes served to the royal family never contain garlic, a constraint imposed to avoid the too marked breaths during diplomatic meetings. Kate must therefore say goodbye to some of her gastronomic desires … even behind the scenes.
2. An ultra-codified wardrobe
Too short clothes, deep necklines, too tight materials or dark varnish nails? It’s no. Since entering the royal family, Kate must follow a very precise dress code. The flesh-colored tights are almost compulsory, the skirts should never go up above the knee, and the varnish must be nude or transparent.
Nor can she carry a shoulder bags in public, always a small hand pocket, to avoid incongruous gestures like an unforeseen handshake. Each outfit is designed to reflect dignity, elegance and discretion.
3. Travel separately from William? Prohibited (or almost)
An unknown rule of the royal protocol: the heirs of the throne should not travel together, to preserve the line in the event of an accident. If William and Kate sometimes transgressed it, this rule is taken seriously, especially when the children were younger.
So when they were traveling with Prince George, one of the two parents was supposed to take another flight. An austere measure, but which reflects the weight of traditions on Kate’s privacy.
4. No selfies, no signatures
Do you dream of a selfie with the princess? No need to try. Kate Middleton systematically refuses to lend himself to the exercise. Selfie is considered too familiar, even moved.
As for autographs, they are strictly prohibited for a simple reason: to avoid counterfeits. The only exception: some drawings signed for children, in very precise contexts. Even its simplest interactions are meticulously framed.
5.
Never a crossed leg, never an exaggerated affection gesture towards William. In public, Kate must stand straight, parallel legs and attached hands or holding a pocket. Each posture is codified. Even hugs or marks of tenderness towards their children are measured. Any gap is analyzed, commented, sometimes criticized. In this role, each movement becomes a message, and each silence, a declaration.
If Kate Middleton gives the image of a fulfilled woman, free and perfectly comfortable in her role, her reality is framed by a series of ancestral rules. Being a princess of Wales means renouncing certain freedoms in the name of the monarchy, the tradition, and the image. A seemingly dreamy life … but far from being spontaneous.
