6 times the British royal family broke protocol, from Meghan Markle wearing Dior at Archie’s christening to Princess Diana’s dance with John Travolta

From Princess Diana to Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle to Queen Elizabeth, members of the royal family have all had to adhere to strict protocols and unwritten rules over the years – however some have managed to deal with them better than others.
So what are some of these rules and who broke them?
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“Never complain, never explain”

Queen Elizabeth’s famous “never complain, never explain” rule was in fact first coined by British prime minister Benjamin Disraeli in the mid 19th century, and went on to be adopted by British aristocrats and the queen mother in the 1930s. It soon became a motto to live by.
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No wearing black

Princess Diana often pushed the boundaries when it came to fashion and what was deemed acceptable by the palace. One occasion in particular that raised several royal eyebrows was her visit the White House where she danced with John Travolta. The princess wore a black dress – but the general rule is that royal ladies should only wear black when in mourning. The Princess of Wales also controversially ditched wearing gloves and often neglected to wear hats when on royal duty during the daytime – two more royal fashion faux pas.
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Oh, and like Diana, Meghan often ditched the hats and wore a lot of black.
Only other royals at Christmas
Queen Elizabeth broke her own “royals only” rule during Christmas at Sandringham several times in recent years. First with Meghan when she was newly engaged to Prince Harry in 2017, and then again the following year, when Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland was invited to join too.
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- Harry and Meghan holding hands on an official visit to Africa raised eyebrows, as did Kate Middleton calling Prince Charles ‘grandpa’ during the G7 Leaders Summit
- But even Queen Elizabeth breaks her own royal rules sometimes, inviting non family members to Christmas at Sandringham three years in a row for starters