4 times Prince William, Kate Middleton broke royal protocol

Prince William and Kate Middleton are poised to take the throne after King Charles, and seem determined to revolutionise the monarchy.

Royal life is dictated by tradition, but the new generation seems to have their rebellious moments; the Prince and Princess of Wales, faces of a modern monarchy, regularly take royal fans by surprise by breaking or bending royal protocols as per their needs.

From simple wardrobe deviations to more serious decisions concerning their kids, here’s a list of five such instances when Prince William and his wife Kate took out a page from the royal rulebook and tore it apart.

Prince William, Kate send Prince George to private school

Prince William and Kate’s eldest son, Prince George, who is the heir to the British throne after his dad, is the first heir in recent royal history to not attend a boarding school.

The Prince and Princess of Wales instead decided to enroll their three kids, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, at the same private school, Lambrook School.

This decision, especially for George, was a clear break from royal traditional, given that not only did Prince William board at Ludgrove, but Kate also attended a boarding school from age 13. King Charles also famously attended Cheam Preparatory as well as Gordonstoun.

William and Kate’s love for selfies

Both Prince William and Kate seem to love interacting with the pubic on their royal outings and duties, with the couple often even allowing people to take selfies with them – much to the probable chagrin of the royal household as senior royals are famously discouraged from doing so.

For example, in a clear break from royal tradition, Kate posed for selfies with parents of kids at the Foxcubs Nursery in Luton, when she fulfilled a royal engagement there in 2023.

The same year, both William and Kate pulled poses and took selfies with fans and NHS staff in Liverpool on their tour of the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

Kate Middleton’s break from tradition at Coronation

At an event as grand as King Charles’ Coronation, Kate Middleton decided to ditch a key royal tradition for a more personal style statement.

As Kate arrived at the historic event in a gorgeous ivory Alexander McQueen ensemble, fashion lovers and royal enthusiasts alike were left in awe as they noticed the absence of a tiara on her head.

While it may not be a royal rule for a princess to wear a tiara, most senior royals opt for one at grand royal occasions. However, Kate interestingly opted for a shimmery Jess Collett for Alexander McQueen headpiece, and what a fashion moment that was.

William and Kate’s penchant to skip key royal gatherings

Prince William and Kate, for two years, have missed the royal Easter service and lunch, a major break from tradition, as all senior royals gather at St George’s Chapel for the annual Easter church service followed by lunch at the Windsor Castle.

Last year in 2024, the couple skipped the ceremony owing to Kate’s battle with cancer; the Princess was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of the disease and spent much of the year away from public eye.

This year, as royal enthusiasts anticipated a return for the Waleses at Easter service, it came as a surprise when it was reported that they would once again be skipping the gathering and instead spend a quiet, family-focused Easter at their Norfolk estate with their three children, George, Charlotte, and Louis.

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