Strict rules the Royal Family have to follow on tours – and the one they often break
King Charles and Queen Camilla have arrived in Samoa for a three-day state visit following a colourful six-day stay in Australia. The royal couple travelled 10,000 miles across 10 different time zones in order to take part in the overseas tour – it’s Charles’s first trip to a British realm since he became monarch, and the furthest he has travelled since starting cancer treatment in February.
The couple have been in high spirits since touching down in Australia last week, and it’s little wonder. Tours are always a highlight for the Royal Family, giving them the chance to visit far flung countries, learn about different cultures and raise awareness about important issues. But there are a number of traditions and regulations they must follow when they travel abroad – including one rule that has been broken on a number of occasions.
Royal protocol dictates that members of the Royal Family must take a black outfit with them when going on a royal tour, in the unfortunate event that someone passes away when they’re abroad.
Members of the Royal Family are all expected to wear black when mourning as a mark of respect. The most recent example of this rule coming into effect was back in 1992 when Princess Diana’s father, Lord Spencer, passed away. At the time, she was away on a skiing holiday with the then-Prince Charles. They quickly returned to the UK, and were photographed both dressed in all-black attire.
Famously, the late Queen Elizabeth II was in Kenya on a safari with Prince Philip when her own father, King George VI, died in 1952. The then-Princess, just 25 at the time, was without a mourning dress and as a result, she wasn’t allowed to be photographed until a suitable outfit had been brought to her.
As the British Royal Family, it’s understandable that they are encouraged to fly with the country’s flagship airline when travelling abroad. However, this rule is flexible given that it’s not always a possibility. For instance, when Prince William and Kate flew to Pakistan, they flew in an RAF jet for security reasons.
