The British royal family has a strict royal dress code to follow when it comes to hats and skirt length—and even facial hair and makeup
15 Royal Dress Code Rules You Never Knew About
Updated on Aug. 19, 2024
The monarchy’s secret royal dress code
Red skirt or blue dress? Or how about a pair of cozy sweats? Yeah, probably not that last one. If you’re a British royal, you can’t just throw on whatever is in the front of your closet—or even whatever you simply feel like wearing. The royal dress code, an unofficial but closely followed set of rules that’s been handed down and modified by kings and queens over the centuries, sets out all kinds of do’s and don’ts. While it’s no longer as strict or formal as it was back in the day, there are still a lot of things every royal has to keep in mind, especially the royal women.
“The bottom line is that the outfit always has to fit the occasion,” says royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams, who has been following the lives of the British royals for decades. “It has to be modest, elegant and appropriate, and it should never distract from the role.” The last thing you want, after all, is to spark a public debate about a poor outfit choice or be caught breaking royal etiquette.
So what’s appropriate and what’s not? Reader’s Digest spoke with Fitzwilliams and etiquette expert Laura Windsor, who was trained by a former staff member of the British royal family and recently published the book Modern British Manners. Read on to learn about the monarchy’s fashion etiquette rules.
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They wear bright colors to stand out
The late Queen Elizabeth II was well-known for favoring colorful outfits, and Princess Kate is following her lead. But is there a reason other than personal preference for why the royals love bright colors? According to Fitzwilliams, it boils down to being practical. “The royals must be seen to be believed,” he explains. “Wherever they show up, there’s likely to be a large crowd, so they tend to wear bright colors to make it easier for people to spot them.” Plus, he adds, on state visits, they often choose the colors of the country they are visiting, and the same applies to special events. At Wimbledon 2024, for example, Kate chose purple for the final day of the matches, one of the official brand colors of the tennis event.
And let’s talk about another popular color: red. What does wearing red mean in the royal family? “There’s no hidden message when a royal wears red,” says Fitzwilliams. But it is a color that goes hand-in-hand with power, not to mention a very visible and bright one, so it’s no surprise that the late queen wore a lot of red outfits—and that Kate does now too.
They must take off gloves when snacking and dining
Up until the 1990s, gloves were a common everyday accessory for the royal family, but these days, they are no longer worn in most circumstances. That being said, if you look at pictures of Queen Elizabeth, you’ll notice that she continued to wear them regularly until her final days. Today, gloves are mainly seen at highly formal, so-called white-tie events such as royal weddings, galas and balls. And if a royal woman decides to wear them, there are a couple of things to consider. “The protocol says that if you have long sleeves, the gloves are short,” Windsor explains. “The higher the sleeves, the longer your gloves.” Additionally, the gloves should always complement the shoes and handbag.
While shaking hands with gloves is absolutely fine, eating with them—even if it’s just to sneak a quick canapé—would be an etiquette faux pas, according to Windsor, because it would be considered impolite. But there’s also a practical reason behind the rule: The royals simply want to avoid getting their gloves dirty. As a result, gloves are actually banned at the dinner table. “When you sit down, you take off the gloves and place them on your lap underneath your napkin,” Windsor says.
Men shouldn’t grow beards
Facial hair might be in fashion, but Windsor says that “a clean shave is the look to go for if you’re part of the British royal family.” According to the Independent, this etiquette rule is tied up with military traditions. Since 1916, beards have been banned by the British Army, and most royals who wear uniforms on ceremonial occasions decide to follow the rule too. Of course, Prince Harry famously broke that rule when he proudly sported a beard at his wedding to Meghan Markle, and after the wedding, he continued to forgo the clean-shaven look, even while still officially working for the firm.
As the Telegraph reported, Queen Elizabeth II never quite warmed up to her grandson’s hipster look, but she seemingly let him have his own way about this. “We live in a modern age,” says Windsor. “If someone decides not to follow the rule book, there really is little you can do, even as a monarch. There are always rebels in the royal family.”
Hats come with lots of restrictions
The British royals like their hats, and a stylish one can certainly steal the limelight. While they are less common than they were up until the 1950s, we still see quite a lot of hats when the royals are out and about. In fact, weddings, funerals and special events such as the Royal Ascot all call for royal hats. In other settings, like summer garden parties or cultural events, hats are now more “an individual spectacle than a formal rule,” Fitzwilliams says.
There is a time and a place for each type of hat, however, says Windsor: “From Easter to September, the royals wear straw hats; the rest of the year, it’s felt. Hats always have to be pinned to the head and must never be held in the hand. And when attending a funeral or a wedding, small brims are advised for women because otherwise people behind you can’t see.”
And here’s another little-known hat fact in the royal etiquette book: Hats must never be worn after 6 p.m. According to Windsor, this is because “the ladies would traditionally get ready for dinner and wear a tiara around this time, so the hats would naturally come off.” And while the family is less strict about dinner times these days (and tiaras are worn only for special occasions), the hat rule is still in place.
Tiaras can only be worn by certain royal women
A princess without a tiara kind of feels like a cowboy without his signature hat. But when it comes to being an actual princess, there are strict rules about who can wear one and when. “Tiaras can typically be seen at white-tie events, but only married royals wear them,” says Windsor. This is because in the U.K., tiaras have a similar meaning to a wedding band, displaying that the woman is off the market. Who knew?!
What’s more, the royal ladies can’t just choose any tiara (or buy a new one in case they don’t like what’s on offer). “The tiaras go through generations—you inherit them,” says Windsor.
Women shouldn’t wear miniskirts
Miniskirts might be popular, but if you are born in or have married into the royal family, leave them in your closet. Like it or not, longer hemlines are the way to go. “It’s all about being modest, elegant and not risking a scandal or causing a media fuss,” Windsor explains. “Royal ladies are expected to wear knee length or longer.”
Remember the paparazzi pictures of Kate Middleton in miniskirts and transparent tops back in her college heydays? Those styles were gone soon after Prince William put a ring on her finger. As Windsor notes, the last time Kate was pictured in a miniskirt was in 2013, two years after she and William tied the knot. Since then, she has kept her skirts to midi length or longer.
Black clothing is reserved for funerals
While the royal dress code gives the family a lot of freedom in terms of color choice, they’re not keen on black and would prefer the royals avoided it. As Fitzwilliams points out, “black is the color for funerals, so it’s considered inappropriate to wear it on other, happier occasions.” That said, the royals always pack a black suit or dress when traveling … just in case. Queen Elizabeth II famously failed to do so in 1952 when she rushed back from Africa following her father’s death. “She had to wait in the plane until someone fetched her black clothes because she knew she’d be greeted by dozens of photographers,” Fitzwilliams says.
However, Princess Diana broke the “no black” rule on several occasions. “Princess Diana had her own dress code,” says Fitzwilliams. “It was an iconic moment when she showed up in a little black dress the same night her then-husband Prince Charles confessed his infidelity on national television. It was seen as a rebellious act. People were quick to call it her ‘revenge dress.'”
Clutches must be worn on the left
The royal ladies love their clutches and handbags so much, they hardly ever leave the house without them. But here’s a royal detail you probably never noticed: Women always hold the clutches in their left hands. “It’s for a practical reason,” reveals Fitzwilliams. “If the bag is on the left side, their right hand is free to wave.”
What’s more, the clutches are more than just a fashion statement—or part of the royal dress code. The accessory is like its own private language, used to help them get out of awkward social situations. “The late Queen Elizabeth used her handbag to send signals to her staff. If she shifted it from one hand to the other or placed it on the table, it meant that she was ready to go,” says Fitzwilliams. The monarch’s staff would then get her out of a situation or conversation within minutes.
According to Windsor, a clutch is also a handy tool to avoid unwanted physical contact: “Princess Kate sometimes uses her clutch so she doesn’t have to shake hands with everyone. It’s a barrier, a body language message that says, ‘I don’t want to—or can’t—shake hands with you.'”
Makeup must be subtle
No woman in the royal family would ever leave the house without putting on her makeup. After all, the ladies are well aware that they could be caught on camera at any time—and in that case, they’d want to look put-together. That being said, “less is more” is the style they aim for, just like when choosing their outfits. “The royals have to look modern but not overdone so that the public favors them. They expect them to look elegant and lady-like, not like someone trying to follow the latest fashion trends,” says Windsor. “The key rule is to make sure the focus stays on the royals’ roles and the occasion. You don’t want the public or the media to talk about their bright pink lipstick instead.”
They should opt for natural nails or light polish
The same rule about looking natural applies to nail polish. Forget flashy colors or glitter—natural-looking polish is the mani of choice for the royal family. “It has to be very toned-down pink or nude, especially at formal events,” explains Windsor. The simple reason: Bright or neon colors wouldn’t be considered elegant, and that’s what the royal family is all about! Plus, the women wouldn’t want to risk a public debate about their unusual choice of nail color. FYI, the late Queen Elizabeth swore by Essie’s Ballet Slippers, a light pink polish that almost looks nude.
That being said, there seems to be some wiggle room these days. Even though Kate usually opts for light tones or no polish at all, she surprised royal fans by sporting bright red nails (that complemented her royal-blue outfit) at the Easter Sunday service in 2023. Royal fans saw it as a gesture that Kate, after all, might enjoy fashion (and other things), just like us. Additionally, when Meghan Markle was still working for the firm in 2018, she stunned onlookers with her black nails at the British Fashion Awards.
Jeans are worn only in casual and sporty settings
Like many of us, Princess Kate loves her denim, and sometimes she sports jeans when she’s out and about. This is a significant departure from what the royals used to do, of course. “Jeans wouldn’t have happened in Queen Elizabeth’s lifetime as a young woman,” Windsor says. “She was always supposed to look her part, but things are way more casual now.” But it ultimately depends on the setting, and Kate likely wouldn’t rock a pair of jeans when attending a concert or heading to a gallery opening.
She does, however, swap her skirts and dresses for jeans or shorts when she’s out with the kids and walking the family dog. Fitzwilliams adds that Kate is known for being sporty and enjoying a little friendly competition, even in front of the cameras. Therefore, “it’s only natural that she sometimes wears more casual styles, [like] when she goes sailing or plays a round of golf.”
Royal wedding dresses must be approved
It goes without saying that it’s a pretty big deal when a royal gets married, with all eyes on the happy couple—and the bride’s dress. To avoid any public debate, the wedding outfits have to be approved before the big day, and according to Windsor, “the ruling monarch has the last say.” When Princess Kate, Duchess Meghan and Queen Camilla tied the knot, Queen Elizabeth II “could have vetoed the dresses if she thought they were inappropriate,” says Windsor, adding that “this has never happened—that we know of, at least.” Now that King Charles is on the throne, it would be up to him to send a bride-to-be of the immediate family back to the store (or her designer of choice) to find a new dress.
So does the bride have to parade around in front of the monarch in her gown for official approval? It’s highly unlikely, though there may be some discussions surrounding it, if not with the monarch, then with various royal staffers. “[The brides] know the protocol,” says Windsor.” The dress has to be modest, elegant and not too revealing.”
Boys up to the age of 8 have to wear shorts
Ever wonder why Prince Louis and other royal boys (including Prince George when he was younger) always seem to wear shorts in family portraits, even when they’re taken in the colder months? The answer is simple: Trousers are traditionally reserved for older boys and men. “Up to the age of 8, young royals have to wear shorts,” says Windsor, adding that this applies to all seasons of the year, even though “they can obviously wear a coat to keep them warm.”
Why? A pair of trousers on a young boy was considered to be “middle-class suburban” in England for many decades—and no self-respecting aristocrat or royal would ever want to be called that.
Young girls wear dresses all year round
It’s not just the boys that sport bare legs throughout the seasons. Young girls wear dresses pretty much all year round, though tights are allowed when it gets very cold. “It’s a tradition that is traced back to the queen’s own daughter, Princess Anne,” says Windsor.
Princess Charlotte clearly followed in her great-aunt’s footsteps. Kate’s only daughter was regularly pictured in knee-length baby doll dresses throughout her early years. Pink and light blue seemed to be her (or her mother’s) favorite colors, along with all kinds of floral patterns.
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Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of etiquette stories that help readers navigate communication in a changing world. We regularly cover topics such as the best messages to send for any occasion, polite habits that aren’t as polite as they seem, email and texting etiquette, business etiquette, tipping etiquette, travel etiquette and more. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experience where appropriate. For this piece on royal dress code rules, Astrid Hofer tapped her experience as a London-based journalist with more than 20 years of experience covering topics including the British royal family. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- Richard Fitzwilliams, royal expert; phone interview, July 18, 2024
- Laura Windsor, royal etiquette expert and author of Modern British Manners; Zoom interview, July 18, 2024
- Telegraph: “Who sported the most stylish royal beard of modern times?”
- Harper’s Bazaar: “The Princess of Wales debuts an unexpected Easter manicure”
- Harper’s Bazaar: “Meghan Markle opts for rare dark nails at the British Fashion Awards”
- Marie Claire: “”Why royals must always pack a black outfit in their luggage”
- Marie Claire: “Here’s why Princess Charlotte always wears dresses”
- Independent: “William ‘told Harry to shave off his beard’ for wedding: The etiquette of facial hair”
