Ever dreamt of being a princess one day? Being a part of the royal family opens the door to numerous privileges. However, these privileges do come with some rules and restriction that us commoners would find hard to follow.

As the years pass by, the British monarchy is growing more modern. Nonetheless, they still have to abide by certain outdated rules that will tell you about the downside of being a royal. There are even rules made for our little Princess Charlotte and Prince George, and they have to follow a very specific and decent dress code. Every member of the royal family, especially the queen, is a great fanatic of the order and protocols. Most importantly, they represent the Commonwealth and must be the role models for the people around them.

Even so, rules are made to be broken. Aren’t they?

There were numerous times when the Royals had broken the rules with or without their knowledge. We already know of the times when Princess Margaret and Princess Diana had done their own thing. So, not every royal follows the rules, and they can be seen breaking the rules quite often – sometimes even the queen. Curious?

Here are all the fifteen times the royal family turned their backs on the tradition to enjoy their little time on earth.

15 Royals Aren’t Allowed To Choose Their Own Engagement Ring

For commoners, finding an engagement ring is as hard as finding a dream guy. However, this is not the case for royals. Customarily, royals aren’t allowed to choose their own engagement ring as they get one custom made. The rule served the purpose of keeping the royal engagement rings bespoke. But there is a single royal who has broken this rule to choose her perfect ring for her special day.

We know how much of an iconic fashionista Princess Diana was. She was anything but traditional. When Prince Charles proposed to her, she made up her mind that she would be choosing her engagement ring and breaking the royal protocol. She chose her engagement ring - a 12-carat oval blue sapphire surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds out of a Garrard catalog.

The engagement ring at the time was commonly referred to as the “commoner’s sapphire” by the reporters. This is because of the fact that being chosen from a Garrard catalog, there were chances that any member of the public could have an identical ring. And it was with this very ring that Prince William proposed to Duchess Kate Middleton. One could find the ring still adorning Duchess Kate Middleton’s finger.

14 No Family Vacations

Now, who doesn't love going on family vacations? It turns out that the royal family is not supposed to go on family vacations. And the reason is pretty simple. As per the royal protocol, two heirs to the throne aren’t allowed to travel together as the royal lineage could be at risk.

The rule didn’t make any sense at the time that it was first established. However, it later did. When traveling through any mode of transport, they are obviously exposed to the risks of getting caught in an accident, robberies, or contagious illnesses. So traveling separately was a way of protecting the line of succession.

According to the royal family tree, Prince William is the second in line to the throne after Prince Charles. While Prince George is the third heir and Princess Charlotte the fourth. This simply means that none of them is supposed to travel together, even if they are going to the same place.

While Queen Elizabeth was busy traveling the world, Prince William took time off and went on a family vacation soon after Prince George’s birth back in 2013. But things didn't end with that. With kids as young as George and Charlotte, Prince William often travels with his family on trips and simply doesn't follow the protocol.

13 No Kneeling Down

The British royal family has been getting quite a lot of attention in recent years, especially after Prince William tied the knot with Kate Middleton. And the people who always keep an eye on them know how much Prince William and Kate Middleton love kneeling down when talking to their children.

With three kids to handle, Prince William and Kate Middleton are now officially parenting pros. And we can always see them make an effort to kneel down to their kid’s eye level when making a conversation. Though bending the knee isn’t that hard, it is not a common royal practice.

Queen Elizabeth doesn’t go to the same length when having a conversation with the children. Nonetheless, Prince William and Kate do have a justification to give about their actions. They together state that when meeting their children eye-to-eye, they are in a way encouraging them to express themselves on equal terms rather than asserting dominance.

However, Kate Middleton has not only been seen kneeling down to Prince George and Princess Charlotte, we have also seen her bend down to children among the public when receiving gifts or the time she fist-bumped a kid. She was even mobbed by a group of little girls during her visit to the Liverpool children's hospital.

12 Fur Can Cause A Great Fuss

According to harpersbazaar.com, Edward III during the year of 1137 officially declared that not any member of the public, royal family and men of the church could wear fur. Nine centuries later, the rule is still prevalent among the British people. As we have seen earlier, royals have broken so many rules, so why not break this one too?

There have been a few slip-ups and we have seen the royal family rocking in fur. Camilla Parker was that member of the family who was a fur maniac. She has been seen wearing fur on many occasions. Even our favorite Kate Middleton was found wearing fur-lined ski gloves while on holidays last year.

But, the most interesting instance that has caught our eyes was when her Majesty herself couldn’t keep her hands off of fur. She was spotted wearing fur several times though she is strict on traditions.

Now, who could resist the beauty of fur especially during the peak of winter? Of course, when this happens Animal activists show up with a lot of criticism. But, being a royal means taking in all the situations equally. Right?

11 Keep Those Nicknames Away

There are, of course, a lot of etiquette and rules that commoners need to follow while around the royals - and nicknames are one among them. One obviously shouldn't run to the queen calling her Elise.

People among the public are supposed to be as formal as they can when they are around the Royals. The royal protocols clearly don't allow the Royals to be addressed by any nickname or anything that seems informal. Nonetheless, if you are confused when addressing the Royals, just go for the two simple words of respect, "Ma'am" and "Sir".

However, there are two people in the royal family whose nicknames became quite popular among the public. And they are none other than Lady Diana, and the Duchess of Cambridge. Lady Diana was popularly known as Lady Di, and the Duchess of Cambridge is often called Kate rather than her birth name Catherine.

As a matter of fact, behind the scenes, the Royals do have their own fun nicknames for each other. Apparently, Prince Harry is "Potter" to his friends. And our very own Queen referred to herself as "Tillabet" during her childhood. As she grew up, her nickname turned to "Lilibet" and is known only to her family and friends.

Furthermore, our Prince William does have a nickname too. Though his official name is His Royal Highness Prince William Arthur Philip Louis, he has the short nickname “Wills”.

10 A Customary Cake For The Royal Wedding

Prince Harry and Meghan have proved to be just a couple of royal rebels. We already know the story of when Prince Harry was taken to the rehab centre at the age of seventeen. And now here he is again with his betrothed – Meghan Markle to break a royal rule.

Traditionally, every couple receives a custom cake made for their royal wedding. The cake was usually filled with fruitcake, as it is a symbol of wealth and prosperity. Throughout the years, countless royals have served the traditional British wedding cake, including Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip, as well as Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge.

But here we have Prince Harry and Meghan Markle going against the norm and choosing their own tart and buttercream covered cake. The cake for their big day is being made by a London based pastry chef Claire Ptak. She has a bakery set up in East London and was once featured in Markle’s lifestyle blog.

Claire Ptak shared this big news on her bakery's Instagram page, and Kensington Palace informed the world about the lemon elderflower cake that was ordered. The cake is specially made to incorporate the flavors of the spring and would be covered in buttercream frosting and fresh flowers.

9 Princess Kate Is Not To Wear Wedges In Front Of Her Majesty

Being part of the British Royal family means that you own a wardrobe filled with haute couture brands and the world’s most expensive clothing accessories. And who wouldn't love to have one at their disposal? But dressing up like a royal family member is no walk in the park. The royal family has made strict rules about dress codes and every member must abide by these rules to stay in the family.

We have of course seen Kate Middleton change her style after she entered the royal family. She always has to dress up elegantly and appropriately, but there are times when she has decided to forget the rules to wear something that she has felt comfortable in.

Kate can often be seen wearing clothes from the high-street. And she always chooses clothes in which she is comfortable over designer dresses. Not only does Kate favor bargain buys, but she also breaks the royal rules with her choice of footwear.

Queen Elizabeth clearly doesn't favor royal women wearing wedges and had clearly advised the Duchess of Cambridge to not wear wedge heels. However, Kate loves her wedges and walks the streets in them because she thinks them to be quite practical and comfortable.

8 Say No To Shellfish

When it comes to the British royal family, shellfish is a forbidden fruit. No matter what happens, the Royals are strictly forbidden from having this little delicacy. And the reason to keep their distance from this food is pretty clear. Shellfish holds a greater risk of food poisoning, thus the royal family restrains from having shellfish when they eat out.

Besides shellfish, the royal family has to steer clear of meat and tap water when traveling abroad. The rule was made just to keep the royal family safe from any kind of bug that could hinder their busy schedules.

But we have found a royal who doesn’t mind having some shellfish if given a chance. Prince Charles clearly enjoys a good oyster but Queen Elizabeth avoids the food. Again, royals have been photographed enjoying an appealing meal of seafood now and then. Thus, the rule has been broken so often that it has become quite hard to believe that it really is a rule.

With so many royals breaking the rule already, it will be interesting to see whether the tradition will be continued by future generations or not.

7 The Queen Can’t Carry Cash In Her Purse

Now, we have all seen the queen carry one of the signature purses. The rumors say that the queen carries her reading glasses, lipstick, a fountain pen and some other commodities in her handbag but not money. As a matter of fact, you wouldn't expect the queen to walk around the streets carrying cash in her purse. Right?

The purse that the queen carries serves another purpose. She uses her personal bag to send signals to her staff and there are a couple of gestures that means different things. If the queen places her bag on the floor during a conversation then it means that she is not enjoying the conversation and wants to be rescued by her lady-in-waiting. On the other hand, if the queen places her bag on the table this means that she wants the event to end in the next five minutes.

But, the queen does break the protocol once a week by carrying cash in her purse. On Sundays, she carries a five or ten-pound note when traveling to the church and donates it there. Now, we can't blame the queen for such a sweet gesture.

6 Royals Aren’t Allowed To Hug

Hugs make the world go round. But that is not the case for royals. Royals can't go around hugging people and have to regard the ‘handshake only' rule when in the public. However, there have been several times the latest generation of royals has broken this rule during their public appearances.

First, let's talk about the Duchess of Cambridge. Kate Middleton is popular for her very caring attitude towards children. And her caring attitude had made her break the rule several times when around children. During an event with a charity in Germany that helps kids from disadvantaged backgrounds, Kate greeted a group of little tots with a hug rather than a handshake.

Later, Queen Elizabeth had broken the rule during her time spent with Michelle Obama. After the G20 Summit at Buckingham Palace in 2009, the Queen spent her time talking and joking around with Michelle Obama. And during this time, the Queen had placed her hand on Michelle Obama's back, and Mrs. Obama returned the gesture which resulted in a power side hug. So hugs really do make the world go round.

5 Non-Royals, Keep Your Hands Off The Royals

When around the Royal Family members, non-royals ought to abide by certain obligatory codes of behavior. Men should do a neck bow, and women a small curtsy, but touching a royal is clearly not permitted. However, we have seen the Royals break this particular rule a lot of times either with a power hug, or a bear hug.

The media was on fire when they saw LeBron James put an arm around Kate Middleton in 2014. There are circumstances when famous people like LeBron James have to meet with the Royals and have to pose for a photo event. James placed his hand around Kate as a sign of closeness and meant nothing bad. But from the looks on their faces, Prince William and Kate clearly aren't satisfied with the gesture but decided to play along without causing a commotion.

Spokespeople from the palace later informed the media that James hadn’t broken the rule. Thus, there weren’t any consequences involved, even though it made the headlines. However, this doesn’t mean that the royal family would approve of you running over to them for a bear hug. The rules can only be broken once in a blue moon after all.

4 Clearly No Autographs

“Work hard until your signature turns into an autograph.”

Most of us commoners spend our day trying to make this quote come true but not royals. The royal family is banned from giving out autographs for a very good reason. The rule came into existence so that the royal member’s signature can’t be copied. So when someone runs to a royal and ask them for an autograph, the reply should obviously be a huge “no”.

Nonetheless, Prince Charles made an exception when he decided to sign an autograph in 2010. As per the new poll, Prince Charles isn't clearly the most popular member of the royal family. But, this doesn't mean that he doesn't have a heart of gold.

Prince Charles visited victims in Cornwall of devastating flash floods which brought in a whole lot of damage. And during his time there, a young couple approached him with their wish to get an autograph for their son. Though Prince Charles should have refused without any further though, he decided to turn his back on the royal protocol. Prince Charles had his bodyguard bring him a piece of paper, and immediately signed it without further delay.

3 No Toasts With The Royal Staff

With the entire rule breaking frenzy, there is a single rule that the Queen breaks every Christmas. However, she is a woman who values tradition for she carries cash one day a week, and eats the same thing for breakfast every day.

Traditionally, the Queen isn’t allowed to toast with her staff, and the royal staff aren’t allowed to enter the palace exclusively reserved for the royal family. But the Queen breaks both these rules when she gets into the festive mood during Christmas.

The royal family spends their Christmas Day in Sandringham House every year. And it is during this time that the Queen decides to push the rules aside and gift a touch Yuletide to one of her staff. Again, the most senior chef spends a moment with Her Majesty on this day in the dining room where the royal staff are strictly not allowed.

The Queen again breaks a rule right before the Christmas buffet, when she presents the senior chef with a glass of whiskey and they toast. The chef spoke of this as one of his favorite traditions as it is the only time of the year when he is allowed into the dining room to have a glass of whiskey with the royal family.

2 Royals Aren’t Allowed To Show PDA In Public

The royal family members are to strictly refrain from showing PDA in public as per the royal protocol. This is done to keep their public life and private life separate from each other. Prince William and Kate are working representatives of the British Monarchy, thus it is important that they remain as professional as possible during their public outings.

Almost seven years after getting married, this young couple has always lived in accordance with the rule until recently. The couple was awarded gold Blue Peter badges for their efforts in championing for children's mental health. And in a rare display, Kate was seen touching Prince William's knee. This might seem very small to the people of the public, but the Royals see this as something quite big that shouldn't have happened.

People are speculating whether Kate lost her freedom after entering the royal family. Despite the curtsies and flowers that she receives from the adoring fans, she has lost her freedom to show PDA in public. As a matter of fact, the royal couple’s minute gesture has been also thought of as inspired from the informal engagement photos of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

1 Royals Are Homeschooled

Princess Diana was always a normal mother, not a royal mother. Rare photos of Princess Diana with her two sons – Prince William and Prince Harry – are surfacing up the internet. And we can't stop gushing about how cute the trio looks. Princess Diana often took her kids to amusement parks and ate at McDonald's like any other commoner. And, surprisingly, she sent her kids to a public school against the royal traditions.

Traditionally, royals are homeschooled by private tutors. But, when Princess Diana sent Prince William to Mrs. Jane Mynor's nursery school at the age of three, he became the first royal not to start his education in the palace. Prince Harry joined him at the same school later.

Prince William was then sent to attend Wetherby School, where the scarlet-trimmed grey uniform was only available from luxury department stores. Later, he joined St. Andrew's University to study the history of art like Kate Middleton but later switched to geography. He left with a 2:2 degree whereas Kate did better with a 2:1 degree.

Now, Prince William and Kate Middleton’s son, Prince George, is following in his father’s footsteps as he was admitted to a public school named Westacre Montessori School in Norfolk during the month of January in 2016.

Refrences: aol.com, americasspotlight.com, rd.com, fashionmagazine.com