Hugging Michelle Obama to inviting Meghan Markle’s mother to dinner – 5 times Queen Elizabeth broke her own royal protocol
Queen Elizabeth may appear to be a stickler for royal rules – especially when representing the state abroad or attending official events – but in certain instances, she’s not afraid to bend centuries-old protocols out of respect to friends, family and the public. In contrast to her prim and proper image, here’s how Queen Elizabeth showed her rebellious side and let her guard down on a few notable occasions.
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She embraced former first lady Michelle Obama
It’s very much “not done” to touch a member of the royal family, especially the UK’s nonagenarian head of state
However, during a state visit in 2009, Michelle Obama placed a hand on the queen’s back and moved to embrace her. Her Majesty seemed okay with it and returned the sweet gesture. At that time, an anonymous Buckingham Palace spokesperson insisted it was allowed and that no-one had breached protocol. Phew.
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She took flowers from a blogger at an event
Laura-Ann Barr, a blogger based in Ireland who was invited to the queen’s garden party last year, shared how the 95-year-old royal not only stopped to receive her flowers, but to thank the blogger for her compliments. Barr recalled how security staff seemed genuinely surprised at the warmth with which the queen accepted the gift, congratulating her and revealing that such an interaction had never happened before, according to People magazine.
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She invited Meghan Markle for Christmas in 2017 – and broke protocol again when she invited her mother, Doria, the following year
In another bold gesture, she broke with protocol again the following year by extending an invitation to Doria, Meghan’s mother, for the same celebration. Again, non-royals (including the parents of fiancées) are rarely invited.
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She ignored the royal mantra ‘never complain; never explain’
The British royal family’s unofficial mantra has always been “never complain; never explain” — a reminder to stay neutral, not air your opinions in public and to not show your emotions. The queen has skilfully employed this tactic for more than six decades and, as a result, official statements (such as the queen’s annual Christmas Day speech) are the only time we get to hear from her.
Until this year, that is. In May, Buckingham Palace made the unusual move of releasing an audio clip of a private phone call between the queen and professor Kathleen McCourt, the president of the Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives Federation. The call was made for International Nurses Day, during which the queen acknowledged the heroic deeds of nurses and doctors at the forefront of the coronavirus outbreak. Members of the royal family also sent messages of gratitude to nurses across the globe.
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She reportedly told Kate and William to invite whoever they want to their wedding
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Royal author Marcia Moody in her 2013 book Kate: A Biography wrote how Queen Elizabeth encouraged William and Kate to break one rule in particular when they planned their wedding. As per tradition, William was presented with a list of invitees. When he consulted with his grandmother about who to invite, she reportedly told him “to tear it up, invite his close friends and start from there”.
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Sometimes even Queen Elizabeth decides to tear up the royal rule book to do others a kindness – whether that’s cheekily influencing Prince William’s wedding guest list or engaging with her fans – as these 5 moments prove