Life
Honestly, it's not easy being Meghan Markle. Since being married, she's reportedly had to take on a whole host of royal rules and regulations — and the scrutiny around any "breaking" of those rules — but she's done so with aplomb. She's reportedly had to relearn how to walk, stand, eat, dress — and she's not complaining. Since marrying Prince Harry, her life has totally changed and it comes with the territory. But there are two other young female royals who seem to be given a much wider birth. In fact, looking at Meghan Markle alongside Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie reveals some rather different patterns of behaviour.
So what accounts for the difference? Perhaps it's because the Princesses are so much more removed from the throne: Beatrice is eighth and Eugenie is ninth in line, while Prince Harry is sixth in line. It could also be because of who their parents are. Historically there has been less of a spotlight on the daughters of Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York, than the sons of Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales. That pattern has continued as they've grown older, so perhaps the distance afford the sisters more flexibility. Either way, here behold five rules Princess Eugenie & Princess Beatrice don't follow that Meghan is reportedly expected to.
1
They Can Wear Dark Nail Polish
The Queen has reportedly been wearing Essie Ballet Slippers for years, according to Glamour, and Kate and Meghan have thus far followed suit with similarly natural nude or pink shades. It's designed to not be distracting, and always neat. It's a shame for Meghan, who has donned vampy shades before, as Harper's Bazaar reported, but it appears Eugenie and Beatrice still choose to. Eugenie even sported Union Jack nails in 2012.
2
They Can Have A Social Media Presence
You'll notice that Meghan Markle has no Facebook or Instagram page, and as Mail Online reports, her lifestyle blog The Tig was closed down in April 2017 while she was dating Prince Harry. It's all reportedly about discretion and distance. Meanwhile, Princess Eugenie revealed her own Instagram account on International Women's Day, March 7, 2018. There she posts regular personal and professional updates, from throwback pics to talking about mental health.
3
Their Fashion Choices Are Less Limited
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have certainly experienced their fair share of scrutiny for their outfits— who can forget their infamous hats at Will and Kate's wedding. But Meghan deals with an extra level of attention, and it's thought that she is expected to fly the flag for British designers. It may explain her penchant for Givenchy, helmed by Brit Clare Waight Keller. She's also reportedly expected to dress conservatively at all times — The Queen reportedly has a "no knees" policy, according to The Sun — while Beatrice and Eugenie appear to get away with shorter hems and sleeves.
4
They Are Allowed To Hold Hands In Public
You will rarely, if ever, see Will and Kate holding hands in public, and much as Meghan and Harry have been seen doing so in the past, they're not really meant to, and it will be interesting to see if they stop as time goes on. Mail Online cites body language expert Robin Kermode in explaining that this is an "unwritten precedent" from Her Majesty. Eugenie and her fiancé Jack Brooksbank seem more free with their PDAs, on the whole.
5
They Can Go Bare-Legged
As in, not wear nude tights, which Meghan used to do, but she has recently really taken her deniers up a notch, especially when with the Queen. OK! says choosing to go bare-legged may be frowned on by the Queen, but the fact remains that Beatrice and Eugenie appear to get away with taking more liberties.
6
So there you have it. Who knows whether these "rules" apply more fiercely to Meghan and Kate, or whether Beatrice and Eugenie's flaunting of them suggests they're not as serious as we once thought.
