Prince William Just Broke a Major Royal Rule—and Wife Kate Middleton Recently Broke it as Well

Danielle Long
·2 min read
57

It’s not exactly a surprise that the royal family has a list of rules when it comes to behavior in public, but that didn’t stop Prince William from breaking one of the unwritten ones—the “no selfie” rule to be specific.

A snapshot captured on June 10 shows the Prince of Wales as he pauses for a selfie while chatting with players at a youth tournament at St George's Park in Burton upon Trent, England.

Although it is a break in protocol for royals to take selfies, it was nothing but smiles for Prince William, who is grinning ear to ear with his arm draped around the shoulders of one of the players, who shares an equally excited smile.

Morgan Harlow - The FA/The FA via Getty Images

If you’re wondering what’s wrong with taking a seemingly harmless selfie, it turns out that it’s been frowned upon since Queen Elizabeth’s reign. So much so, that Meghan Markle was once spotted turning selfies down.

“Meghan is learning the royal ropes already, telling one couple who asked for a selfie in Nottingham today: ‘We’re not allowed to do selfies,’” royal journalist Victoria Murphy shared in December 2017 post on X (formally Twitter).

According to Insider, a royal enthusiast who attended the queen's Buckingham Palace garden party in May 2017 said the act of posing for this type of photo was seen as disrespectful.

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

This isn’t the first time Prince William has said “cheese” for a selfie with fans, despite the unofficial rule, and he’s not the only one. His wife, Kate Middleton, was also spotted breaking the royal protocol.

During a September 2023 visit to youth intervention charity Streets of Growth, the Princess of Wales stopped for a photo with one of the workers. She did the same while on her way out from learning about educational programs at Foxcubs Nursery in Luton, England.

With all these “rule breaks,” it makes me wonder if the new king hasn't quietly done away with the “no selfie” protocol...

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Prince William Breaks Royal Protocol Two Weeks After Kate Middleton