Here Are The Rules Kate Middleton Must Reportedly Follow—But Meghan Markle Doesn’t Have To

1. Attending The Royal Christmas Day Church Service Before Marriage

Every Christmas Day in Sandringham, the royal family gathers for church. Afterward, all members of the royal family are usually invited (even those who don't have titles) and they all walk out together to meet members of the public. Royal family members' partners are usually not invited unless they're married. Middleton only joined for the first time after marrying Prince William in 2011. Markle, on the other hand, was invited to join the church service after her engagement to Harry in November 2017 before they married in May 2018.

2. Voting In Elections

Members of the royal family are not allowed to vote in elections, according to the royal website. They are supposed to remain politically neutral and it may be against protocol for royals to openly discuss politics in the media. After marrying Prince Williams and joining the royal family, it's thought that Middleton no longer votes in the UK general elections because royals aren't supposed to vote. Prince Harry revealed during the unveiling of the 2020 TIME 100 in September 2021 that he hasn't voted in the UK his "entire life." Markle, who was born in America, voted in an election in 2020. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's charitable foundation Archewell shared a photo of Markle wearing an "I voted" sticker.

3. Abiding By New Baby Protocol

Middleton and Prince William followed a number of royal baby rules. They took photos on the hospital steps after all three births of their children. The couple also participated in a royal christening where each child wore a christening gown that had been passed down for generations.

Markle and Prince Harry broke some of these protocols when their first child, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, was born in 2019. They did not take photos at the hospital. Instead, they invited a few photographers to Windsor Castle two days after he was born. With the second child, Lilibet Diana, the couple had already left the royal family and the birth was kept completely private—no royal photo call and no public christening. Now, King Charles recently announced royal titles for Archie and Lilibet.

4. Following Royal Fashion Rules

Both Markle and Middleton are expected to wear hats to formal events in the daytime, and tiaras to formal evening events. When the Duchess chose not to wear a hat for her first royal engagement with the queen in 2018, many believed that the fashion choice was a mistake. Markle recently said in their Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan that she would wear neutral colors because she couldn't wear the same color as the monarch or other senior royals. Now that Markle stepped back from royal life, she has worn bold colors and more casual outfits. Middleton, who regularly attends events, is held to much higher fashion standards.

5. Taking Selfies With Fans

Finally, members of the royal family are not allowed to take selfies with the public. Markle has since broken this rule after quitting her royal duties. It is worth pointing out that Middleton has also broken this rule. In January of this year, she took a selfie with an anxious fan and comforted him, "Please don't worry, it's okay. We all get nervous," as shown in a video posted to Twitter.