5 facts about the travels of the British Royal Family
The British royal family is making few public appearances and has had to cancel several appointments and official trips due to the pandemic of the new coronavirus. However, when real planes are able to take off again, there are some protocol rules that are somewhat unusual. Check out the main ones!
- Mourning costume
The Queen and all other royal members must carry at least one black look in their luggage in case any royal family member dies during the trip. That way, when they return, everyone will be wearing the mourning clothes as a sign of respect.
When Elizabeth's father died in 1952, she was in Kenya and had no black clothes in her luggage. When her plane landed back in the UK, the then heir to the throne was only able to get off the plane when an employee brought her a black dress.
- Fast trips
Despite traveling the world, members of the royal family do not have much time to tour and their visits to tourist sites do not last more than 40 minutes. That's because real responsibilities must always come first.
- Blood stock
When traveling to countries that do not have a safe blood supply for transfusions, the Queen and her son, Prince Charles, take their own blood supplies with them, even though this is not a mandatory protocol. In addition, the royalty has a private doctor in case of an emergency.
- Immigration without perks
Not even the title they carry prevents Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, from getting rid of customs bureaucracies. With the exception of the Queen, all royal members must hold a passport. But even the Queen needs to prove her identity when traveling, both abroad and within the UK.
- Greetings in local languages
Not only the Queen but also all other members of royalty are obliged to learn various languages and dialects of the countries to which they travel: this study is part of the royal etiquette, as it demonstrates education and respect for the foreign culture they are visiting.
