Normal Things Prince Edward And Sophie's Kids Will Never Be Allowed To Do

While there are many upsides to living the lavish lifestyle of a royal, there are also plenty of things that make life a little stranger for the members of the any royal household, especially the royals of the United Kingdom. Along with a lengthy list of things the royals can't do at their weddings, there are also a number of rather common things that they are not permitted to do in everyday life. Some of these rules have been in place for ages, while others are relatively new. But whenever they came about, and how they came about, the royals are sure to follow them.

And that includes Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and her brother James, Earl of Wessex. The children of Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, may be a far way off from ever being King or Queen of England — James is 16th in line, and Louise is 17th — but they still have to live up to the possibility of one day being the head of the House of Windsor. Along with living under the microscope of the British press at all times, Louise and James have to stick to a strict lifestyle that prevents them from being able to experience many of the things everyday people do all the time.

As members of the royal family, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex can never take part in a clam bake or enjoy a shrimp cocktail unless it is prepared at home. A long running royal tradition, avoiding shellfish done to prevent any possibility of food poisoning when a member of the family attends a social event or travels outside of the United Kingdom, as it would be unseemly to rush to the porcelain throne in the middle of an official meeting, or, even worse, end up like George H.W. Bush and vomit on a prime minister. When they are home or on private vacation, a member of the royals can happily eat all the lobster they want.

Along with avoiding shellfish when they are representing the royal family in public, royals are not allowed to eat any meat that isn't well done, any foods that are spicy or, as the BBC explained it, "exotic." They also can not drink the local water when traveling to other nations, just to be safe. It was also reported that Queen Elizabeth II would not eat anything with garlic or red sauces when they visited Italy, likely to avoid bad breath and leftover sauce on the face. 

Sitting with the family for a fun night of playing boardgames is a universally shared experience, and Monopoly, one of the most popular boardgames of all time, is a go-to choice for many homes. But the Parker Brothers' classic game won't be found in the gaming closet at Buckingham Palace or in the homes of any member of the royal family. Apparently, Monopoly was once a favorite of the House of Windsor, but when before he was ousted from the royal family, Prince Andrew revealed that the game had been banned. 

The revelation came in 2008 when Andrew was gifted a copy of the famous board game by the Leeds Building Society. According to The Telegraph, upon receiving the gift, Andrew responded "We're not allowed to play Monopoly at home. It gets too vicious." Considering how apt the royals are to get into family feuds, something very bad must have happened during a game of Monopoly to lead to such a decree being made. Whatever happened during the game that led to a ban on one of the most beloved family games of all time remains a mystery. Andrew did not explain what happened, and the rest of the family has stayed silent on the matter.

Lady Louise and James, Earl of Wessex, won't be taking part in any TikTok fads unless they are officially sanctioned by King Charles III. Acting members of the royal family are not allowed to have personal social media accounts, and must follow specific rules that would make using social media a hassle. In general, members of the royal family follow a basic rule: "never complain, never explain." The concept is simple: keep private thoughts private or else they could take away the inherent majesty of the royal family and damage their reputation with the people.

Members of the family must abstain from publicly discussing anything that could be controversial, such as politics or even which sports teams they like. And while this isn't a hard and fast rule, it is one they try to keep up. Along with that, the royals, are discouraged from taking part in selfies, though even Queen Elizabeth II broke that guideline (via Hello!). Meghan Markle had to delete her social media accounts when she became engaged to Prince Harry, though she rejoined Instagram in 2025, well after she and Prince Harry stepped away from their official duties. 

Just about every couple engages in some public displays of affection. From a sweet kiss to just holding hands, it's normal for people to show their love for one another around other people from time to time. But for members of the royal family, PDA is frowned upon. According to People, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip never once had an affectionate moment in public despite being married for over 70 years. Their children and grandchildren, on the other hand, have been more open with their love. 

Still, as Myka Meier, a royal etiquette expert, explained to People, context matters. There is no official rule against PDA, but moments of affection should fit the event. Everyone is trusted to use their own judgement, and that would include Lady Louise and James, Earl of Wessex. And while there are loose rules about PDA, there are very stiff rules when it comes to greeting someone. A member of the royal family is expected to use a specific handshake with everyone. According to Grant Harrold, via Business Insider, "A royal handshake should consist of two-to-three pumps, with your palms open and thumbs down."