The British monarchy has existed since the 800s. Yup, that’s right. The UK has had a monarchy in some form or another for over 1,200 years! An establishment so steeped in history and tradition is bound to have some secrets, strange rules, and fascinating historical tidbits. We’ve dug up some of the wildest, most interesting facts about the modern Royal Family that not many people know. If you’re a huge Anglophile, see how many of these fun facts you already knew about and how many were a surprise!
Look, But Don’t Touch
Although there’s no actual law that says commoners can’t touch members of the Royal Family, it is strongly discouraged. Queen Elizabeth set the precedent of little-to-no physical contact, so everyone else followed suit. However, if you ever find yourself face-to-face with a royal, there’s one way around this unspoken rule.
The only time it is deemed appropriate for someone outside the family to touch a royal is when the royal member initiates contact. That means any kind of handshake, hug, or fist bump needs to be offered by the royal first. Then, the other person can follow their example. This is one unspoken rule you sure don’t want to mess up!