Many around the world would love the chance to meet a member of the royal family, but there are some strings attached to a royal encounter. While most see the royals as celebrities, there are some things a star will do that a royal won’t. So, why won’t the royal family sign autographs?
Why Royals Won’t Sign Autographs
The autograph ban is one of the oldest royal protocols when it comes to members of the family meeting the public. As the royals get more famous—especially the younger members—the ban on autographs seems stranger and stranger. What’s the reason for the rule?
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The reasoning behind the autograph ban is that giving out royal signatures could lead to forgeries. While it is possible to buy royal autographs online, those are typically from members of the family who are either deceased or no longer working. A signature from someone like Prince Harry or Kate Middleton would be extremely rare.
When Markle Broke The Rule
This protocol has been broken before. In 2018, Meghan Markle was visiting Cardiff with her then-fiancé Harry. While the couple was greeting the crowds, Markle spoke to a young girl who then presented the Duchess of Sussex with a pen and paper. Markle signed, but it’s not quite what you think.
Instead of signing her name, Markle wrote, “Hi, Kaitlin, with a ‘K.’” While some might point to this as yet another gaffe from the American royal, she isn’t the only one who has signed something for a member of the public. In 2010, Prince Charles gave autographs to victims of a flood in Cornwall.
No Royal Selfies, Either
The autograph ban isn’t the only rule the royals have to follow when it comes to greeting the crowds. Members of the royal family are also prohibited from taking selfies with people. There are a few reasons why this rule is in place, from not wanting to start a stampede for pictures with a royal, to following the age-old rule that no one turns their back on royalty.
However, as the years have gone on, this rule has gotten more and more lax. Younger members of the royal family have shown up in selfies over the years, including Prince William, Harry, Middleton, and Markle. Other royals have ended up in selfies by accident, including Queen Elizabeth, who photobombed a selfie taken by a pair of Australian girls at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
While many royal fans would love to have an autograph from their favorite royal, the no-autographs rule is still pretty strict. While it makes sense, many around the world are looking forward to the day that rule is no longer on the books.