15 Bizarre Rules Meghan Markle Must Follow Now That She's A Duchess

The Duchess of Sussex must leave her old celebrity life behind and learn the royal ropes.

It won't be an easy task, since there are so many bizarre rules that she must abide by.

Meghan Markle has broken a number of royal rules and traditions ever since she got engaged to Prince Harry, but now that she's officially part of the royal family, she's busy learning and respecting their long-standing traditions.

1. No colorful nail polish

You do see royals like Kate Middleton and Camilla Bowles with perfectly manicured nails, but that's as fancy as the tips of their fingers get.

The rule is that royal women can only be seen wearing pale pink or clear polish on their nails at official events.

That means no black, colorful, or crazy-looking fake nails.

That won't be too hard to follow. The Queen has managed to look stunning with the same nail polish shade for decades!

2. Not allowed to vote  

Meghan is in the process of getting her British citizenship, but that doesn't mean she will get to have a say on the leaders of the country.

The royal family has an influence that spans worldwide, but they don't have much power when it comes to the political arena.

Every member of the royal family that is of legal voting age can express their opinion on who their political leader should be, but they choose not to "by convention."

3. No revealing clothing

If you've been following Meghan before she got engaged to Prince Harry, then you're well aware of her style. It's not conservative to say the least.

Now that she's a royal, the Duchess of Sussex must abide by certain traditions.

For example, she must wear hemlines below the knees and show no cleavage.

Modesty is highly important for the royal family.  

4. No bare legs

Every royal woman must wear tights, nude is most preferred.

At Meghan's first royal debut, she wore white tights that nicely matched her modest outfit.

She definitely has to keep that up and can't go back to showing her bare legs, like she did in her engagement photos.

5. Must always look presentable

Have you ever seen the royal family look like they don't have their life together? The answer is never and will always be never.

When Kate Middleton appeared in public only hours after giving birth she still looked stunning! Even the children are dressed to impress.

Meghan must look presentable no matter what, which means if she chooses to put her hair up in a ponytail it must appear tidy and fashionable.

The royal family prides themselves on elegance and style, so anything that contradicts their values will be frowned upon.

6. No open seating

The royal family always appear cool, calm, and collected. You'll never see them bursting and rushing through doors.

When they enter a room, there's a certain order they must follow. First the Queen enters, then Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Camilla, Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry, and finally Meghan Markle.

The Duchess of Sussex must always sit next to her husband. I don't think she's going to complain about that.

7. No autographs

Meghan must put her acting life behind her, which means Suits fans won't be able to get her autograph anymore.

The new royal is only allowed to give autographs under rare circumstances, such as signing important documents or visitor's books.

If you do happen to have Meghan's autograph, you might want to hold on to it and sell it in the future.

8. Must keep a close eye on the Queen during dinnertime

Once you become a royal, it doesn't mean you can do anything you want. A person who has a higher rank than you must be shown respect.

For example, the royal family can start eating their meal only when the Queen starts hers.

And when the Queen stops eating, everyone else must stop, even if they're not finished.

Meghan must keep a close eye on her husband's grandmother, which may be quite tricky in the beginning.

9. No crossing the legs at the knee

If you're a huge fan of the royal family you've probably picked up on their public habits, such as always crossing their legs at the ankle.

You'll never see a royal women sitting down with her legs crossed at the knee.

Knees must be kept together in "the duchess slant" to appear modest and accentuate the length of one's legs.

10. Must follow tiara etiquette

These stunning headpieces have so many rules that'll make your head spin.

Now that Meghan is a royal, she will be able to wear this emblem of prestige in the evening, normally at dressy occasions.

11. No public displays of affection

These love birds will have to refrain from hugging, kissing, and even holding hands in public as much as they can.

There have been instances where other royals have shown PDA, since there's no formal rule against it, but you'll rarely notice these signs of affection.

This is probably for the best. The last thing this respected royal family needs is a royal couple's PDA plastered on some paparazzi magazine.

12. No selfies or personal social media pages

Those of you who had followed Meghan's Instagram or personal blog already know that these pages have been shut down.

Unfortunately, the royal family is not allowed to have any personal social media pages. Any news they want to relay to the public is usually through the Kensington Palace.

As for selfies, CNN Royal Commentator Victoria Arbiter told Insider that the royals "rather have a personal interaction than have people clamoring for selfies."

"If you grant one, then it quickly becomes overwhelming," she added.

13. Must curtsy

Royal curtsies are very subtle, but they must be performed to show respect and formality.

You see Kate Middleton curtsy all the time. She'll put one leg behind the other, bend her knees, and bow her head slightly.

14. No wedges in front of the Queen

Like most girls, Meghan is obsessed with shoes. However, she must remember to not wear wedges in front of Her Majesty.

Why you may ask? Queen Elizabeth simply hates wedged shoes.

15. Must wear appropriate hats

It's not very common to wear hats, especially indoors, but the royals are required to wear one for every formal daytime event.

Royal protocol states that hats are "social fabric" that upper class and royal women must abide by.

Meghan is a huge fan of wearing hats. It may not be those comfy baseball hats she adores, but at least it's something!

Would you still want to be a royal if you had to follow all these rules?

[H/T: Bustle / Worldation / People / The Sun]

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