Everything Meghan Markle Had to Give Up to Fall in Line, Until She Said "No More"

Getting married to a prince seems like it would be something out of a fairytale. Well, it seems as though this couldn’t be further from the truth. Meghan spoke recently in a TV documentary and stated that being married to a Royal is no walk in the park and it comes with a whole load of restrictions. The couple has now released a statement saying that they are stepping down and with all of these rules she has to follow as a Royal, there’s no wonder why!

Announcement

Recently, the couple announced that they are taking a dramatic plunge and stepping down from their Royal duties. The statement has come as a huge blow to fans and it is very much in the air as to when they discussed this with the Royal family.

Since joining the family, Meghan has had to change a lot of her life, and it seems that now, it has just become too much for her and the couple to handle. So, what did Meghan really have to change to fit in line with her new family?

Her independence is no more

Being married to a prince is probably incredibly exciting, but is it worth giving up your independence for? Well, for Meghan, her love for Harry was enough to hang her independence up and leave it behind forever.

It doesn’t help that practically everyone is obsessed with what she’s doing every moment of the day. Part of this comes with being escorted everywhere she goes, Markle can hardly go to the restroom without having an escort.

Say goodbye to privacy

Meghan was an actress in her previous life, which means she had kind of surrendered some of her privacy before meeting Harry. However, it’s nothing like what she’s now had to get used to. Meghan had some kind of control over what the press did and did not find out.

Now, every part of her life is subject to some serious media scrutiny that she will probably never be able to get away from. It also means that not only will every private moment she has been written about all over the internet, but that she’ll be continuously cross-examined.

Say adios to acting

If you were a ‘Suits’ fan, then you probably noticed that Meghan Markle’s character, Rachel Zane, and her on-show husband, Mike Ross, decided that they were no longer going to remain in the big city; removing them from the script and show altogether. For most actors, acting is their passion.

However, Meghan had to give all of that up once her relationship with Prince Harry was public, and they had decided they were going to be married. So, all of Meghan’s hard work had to come to an end if she was going to marry Harry, and she gladly gave it all up.

Farewell fashion freedom

If you haven’t already noticed, the Royals can’t wear whatever they want, whenever they want. Of course, this may not have been immediately obvious when it came to Meghan. After all, she did the transition from actress to Duchess in such a short space of time.

However, the Royals have a strict dress code, and often it’s to protect them from international ridicule as well as maintaining the regality of the household. Meghan will have her wardrobe vetted; only specific colors are acceptable, while others will be disregarded immediately. She will no longer be able to wear any short skirts or shorts either.

No more social media

When you realize just how addicted some people are to their cell phones, and how often people spend on social media, it becomes clear just how it is such a significant part of our lives now. As an actress, Meghan will have utilized social media a lot, but since becoming a Duchess, that all has to come to an end.

Of course, she’ll still feature on her and her husband’s official Royal account, but people won’t be seeing any selfies anytime soon. Meghan will now no longer have any freedom on social media, and if she defies this, she’ll be in a lot of trouble.

Not being compared all the time

Probably one of the worst things that can happen is being compared to another person all the time. It can also make things really awkward between the two; imagine how Meghan and Kate felt when the papers reported a feud?

Well, Meghan has now given up her freedom not to be continuously compared to basically everyone else on the planet, including her former self. One person she is always compared to is Kate, who is known for being a stickler for Royal rules.

Her clothing line is no more

It’s quite a popular move for celebrities to release their own clothing lines and Markle was no exception. Whether it was an interest in fashion or a smart career move, Markle jumped on the bandwagon and released her own clothing line with Reitmans.

However, since joining the Royal family, this partnership has dissolved, taking Markle’s clothing line off the shelves forever. This would probably be a dealbreaker for many hardworking individuals, but Markle couldn’t say no to true love.

Change of citizenship

Citizenship may or may not be an important thing to some, but for many US citizens, it’s like a badge of honor. Besides, many people like to hold on to their heritage and their identity, of course.

Whether Meghan likes it or not, she’ll have to give up her US citizenship once she is able to apply for full UK citizenship. Now she is married to Harry, it’s a requirement for being his wife, and being the Duchess of Sussex.

She doesn’t have custody of her child

This might seem like something from a period drama, but it’s true. Meghan doesn’t technically have custody over her baby boy, Archie.

This is because of this old rule that’s been around since the 1700s that dictates that the reigning monarch has custody over every Royal child.

My Baby

This means that Queen Elizabeth II technically has custody over Harry and Meghan’s baby. It also means the same thing for Kate and William, but it’s said that the Queen respects the parents wishes where possible.

This is one of the things that Meghan will particularly hate, after all, it is her child! We have to say, this one seems this the most extreme.

Personal political opinion? Absolutely not

Meghan has been well known in her community for standing up for things she believes in, no matter how sensitive the subject.

She is famously outspoken and loved to get involved with as many social issues as she believed in. However, this has had to change, since she now represents the Royal family and everything it stands for.

Only Child

Now that she is no longer an individual, but part of an entire unit of predetermined beliefs. This can sometimes be very strange for someone who more or less grew up as an only child.

When out in public, all of the Royal family members have to act the same as each other, and often the members are always checking each other and reminding them of how they should act.

She has to give up her Toronto home

Meghan had an adorable home in Toronto before she fell in love with Harry. She mad the apartment her own and it was very ‘Meghan.’ However, she would have to give up her long-term home in exchange for a new one.

Now she has had to uproot her entire life in order to be by Harry’s side, giving up her home, her furniture, and her style. Now she lives in Frogmore cottage, decorated to suit the crown.

No more garlic and onions for this reason

Garlic and onions are basically a key ingredient for so many recipes,. In fact, some would be utterly unrecognizable without them.

However, the Queen has actually forbidden the use of these ingredients in her kitchens because of how much she hates them.

Hygiene

One of the reasons she hates them so much is because these ingredients can be known to cause bad breath, and Royals cannot be seen or smelt, to have poor hygiene or odors.

Meghan had previously spoken to a media source when she was an actress in the show Suits saying how much personal hygiene is important to her, so at least this is a rule she can deal with.

Crossed legs are a no no

Imagine being able to sit, stand, eat, and drink how you want your entire life; doesn’t seem like a luxury, does it? Well, it is now for Meghan.

It’s probably quite different than growing up as a Royal because you are taught from the get-go.

Royal Cross-Legged

However, for Meghan, she is now not allowed to sit cross-legged in public and must follow the Royal protocols where etiquette is concerned.

She may not have this down to a fine art yet, but she’ll get there. If the legs need to be crossed, the Royals are able to tuck one behind the ankle.

Selfies are banned with fans

Since Meghan was a popular actress, she still has many adoring fans who want to get selfies with her. Before she married Harry, she would be more than happy to oblige; however, she is now forbidden to do so.

This has caused some serious upset where her fans are concerned. However, Meghan has been more than upfront when it comes to letting people know exactly why she can’t take selfies, and she’s been noted saying it’s because the Crown doesn’t let her.

Au revoir autographs

That’s not the only thing Meghan can’t do, she’s also not allowed to sign autographs for her adoring fans, which has caused some serious sulking for those who never got the chance in the past.

However, this rule is actually one of the more logical that the Crown has imposed. The reason for this is because it could cause a potential future security risk since anyone would be able to forge the Duchess’s signature if they had it.

No nail polish freedom

You can probably imagine the media uproar if they noticed that Markle was wearing statement nail polish, and since the Royals get enough attention as it is, they don’t need nail polish scrutiny too.

Red Is The Color

Well, aside from that, nails also have to go with any of their Royal color schemes, which isn’t vast. Meghan has to keep her nails to the baby pink or nude color schemes, so as not to upset the apple cart.

Meghan was known for wearing a bright red nail varnish when at events, it was something she would usually team with a red lip.

She has to give up shellfish

The Royals also have to watch what they eat, and not so they remain in peak physical form, but for other reasons too. Meghan will now no longer be able to eat shellfish, and this time it’s not because the Queen isn’t fond of the food.

It’s because shellfish increases the risk of food poisoning, which is something Royals need to avoid, especially as they often travel abroad. You wouldn’t want to have to cancel an important Royal engagement because of illness!

She can’t go to bed when she wants

It’s probably becoming clear that etiquette is everything within the Royal household, and Meghan has to stick to it no matter what. Well, one of those pesky rules includes not being able to go to bed whenever she feels like it.

This is because Queen Elizabeth II deems it bad manners for people to go to bed before her, which means people must wait for Her Majesty to retire before they can. This rule was broken in the past by Princess Diana.

No more holding tea like a commoner

When most people want a cup of tea, they just pick up their mug not thinking twice about how they’re holding it – as long as it’s comfortable and the right way up.

Of course, while this was okay in Meghan’s former life, she now has to learn to hold a teacup properly.

Tea Time

She needs to drink tea like a Royal if she wants to fit in with the rest of the family. So, she has been coached on how a Duchess holds and drinks tea properly.

This may sound like the most English thing we have ever heard! Don’t forget to hold out that pinky.

Forget those pesky emotions

Part of keeping up Royal appearances is refraining from showing any negative emotions in public. Of course, this is somewhat a societal rule of thumb these days; however, it’s actively enforced where the Royals are concerned.

Thankfully, she should be quite good at that since she was a successful actress before becoming a Duchess, so it shouldn’t be that difficult for Meghan to keep her emotions in check. Royals teach their children from a young age not to reveal their inner inhibitions.

She has to finish her meal when the Queen does

This rule doesn’t just go for Meghan, it goes for everyone who dines with the Queen, including her family. This means that after Queen Elizabeth II has started, then everyone else may begin, but if the Queen finishes her meal, then everyone else must stop too.

Apparently, the Queen makes sure that she doesn’t eat too quickly and makes sure that everyone has had ample time to eat their meal. Still, that’s rather strict for a Sunday dinner.

She’s not allowed to vote

Everyone has their own opinions when it comes to practically everything, however, when it comes to politics, the Royal family has to remain neutral.

Of course, it’s virtually impossible not to have an opinion, which means the Royals are not allowed to vote.

Political Views

The reason for this is because it is considered ‘unconstitutional’ for a whole host of reasons. This is probably tough for Meghan, given her past activism, but is something she has had to accept as part of her marriage to Harry.

As is it the Royal who employ the government, they are not allowed to vote nor are they allowed to ever answer any questions on politics.

Let’s hope she likes hat hair

The Royal family’s strict fashion codes dictate a lot of what Meghan can and cannot wear. However, thankfully, Meghan seems quite to enjoy wearing hats which have fitted in well with what the Royal family want her to wear.

From now on, Meghan will be encouraged to wear a hat during the daytime if she is attending an event of some kind. However, after 6pm, she will be able to change into something much more formal and appropriate for the evening.