8 ways Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have already broken with royal tradition

In yesterday’s official engagement photocall, the happy couple held hands throughout and walked away with their arms wrapped around one another. But this isn’t typical royal behaviour. In the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William’s engagement photos, the couple linked arms as opposed to holding hands. And indeed even now they and other members of the royal family rarely hold hands in public, which experts believe is due to a precedent set long ago by the Queen and Prince Philip.
It’s not the first time Meghan and Harry have engaged in public PDAs though. Earlier this year at their first public appearance together at the 2017 Invictus Games, the couple gave the world a full-on affection symphony: hand holding! Hugs! And, wait for it, kisses on cheeks. After almost a year of the public knowing Harry and Meghan were dating, we finally got to see them act like it. And it was very cute.
[Photos: Getty]

Packing on the PDAs at the Invictus games in September wasn’t the only royal rule the couple flouted. The fact that Meghan showed up at all actually broke with tradition. Typically, a working royal flies solo at official public events until, at the very least, an engagement is confirmed by the palace. While past royal girlfriends have attended the occasional event on the sidelines, this was something quite different.
[Photo: PA]

At the same Invictus Games, Meghan sat relaxed with her legs crossed as she watched the event with her then boyfriend, Harry. No biggy for the rest of us, but according to Beaumont Etiquette, the royal-in-waiting should never cross her legs at the knee. Instead, she should keep her ankles and knees together at all times and either cross at the ankle or do the “Duchess Slant”. The famous etiquette term used to describe the way the Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Diana were taught to sit. [Photo: Getty]

When news started leaking that Harry and Meghan were dating, the Internet was whipped into such a frenzy that Harry was forced to issue a statement in which he famously referred to Meghan his “girlfriend” while at the same time pleading for privacy. That, in itself, was unprecedented.
[Photo: PA]

Earlier this year in another unprecedented royal move, Meghan gave a candid interview to Vanity Fair about her feelings for Prince Harry. “We’re two people who are really happy and in love,” she said. “We were very quietly dating for about six months before it became news, and I was working during that whole time, and the only thing that changed was people’s perception. Nothing about me changed. I’m still the same person that I am, and I’ve never defined myself by my relationship.”
[Photo: Vanity Fair]

At Meghan’s first official appearance at Harry’s side, she side-stepped a more conservative outfit a la the Duchess of Cambridge, and instead rocked some ripped jeans and a white button-down shirt.
Sartorially speaking, Meghan has stayed true to her own style, mixing dress-down clothes with more body-skimming eveningwear. There hasn’t been a twin-set in sight.
Prince Harry has also been known to be a bit of a rule-breaker when it comes to the royal dress code. At least when it comes to grooming that is. Earlier this month, the Prince was criticised for not shaving his beard at the annual Remembrance Sunday Service. His facial hair was seen as an actual violation of the country’s military code because the British Army doesn’t allow beards. But because Harry is no longer a serving officer, the bods that be decided to let his facial hair faux pas slide.
[Photos: Getty]

Even though she was dating a royal, Meghan continues to have an active social media presence and maintained her personal lifestyle website, the Tig, until several months into her relationship with Prince Harry. Something which certainly raised eyebrows in royal circles.
[Photo:Twitter]

Despite her royal-in-waiting status, Meghan has not only delivered a major UN Women speech, she’s also expressed her views on British politics. As a feminist and philanthropist, we don’t think she’ll keep quiet even after she’s married. And indeed in her engagement interview yesterday, she hinted she would continue to use her voice to speak up about subjects that matter to her.
[Photo: YouTube]