1 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:05,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Part Time Genius, a production of I Heart 2 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:13,320 Speaker 1: Radio Guess What Will What's that Man Go? Do you 3 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:15,600 Speaker 1: realize that the Queen of England is actually a Game 4 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 1: of Thrones fan? I did not know that. So apparently 5 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:22,600 Speaker 1: she's huge into Game of Thrones And I just love 6 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 1: this idea that she's waiting every Sunday night, like up late, 7 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 1: just sitting in front of her HBO Go account, like 8 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:31,440 Speaker 1: waiting for the series to come on. But well, you 9 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 1: know that the show shoots in Europe, so she decided 10 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:36,479 Speaker 1: to visit the set, and when she was there, she 11 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 1: actually refused to sit on the iron throne. Really so 12 00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:43,080 Speaker 1: and why was that? Well, according to The Daily Beast, 13 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:45,320 Speaker 1: even though she was overjoyed to see the throne and 14 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 1: was kind of fanning out about it in this way 15 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 1: only demure queen could, she's technically not allowed to sit 16 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:55,040 Speaker 1: on a foreign throne. And that's just one of the 17 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 1: weird bits and rules that kind of governed her life. 18 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:00,120 Speaker 1: But that's actually what we wanted to explore today, like 19 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 1: what does the Queen carry in her purse? How does 20 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 1: she choose to talk to who she talks to at 21 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:07,560 Speaker 1: Royal Dinners, and how on Earth did she get a 22 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:11,800 Speaker 1: monopoly on the country swan population because technically every Swan 23 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 1: in England belongs to her. Let's dig in heay their 24 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 1: podcast listeners, Welcome to Part Time Genius. I'm Will Pearson 25 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:40,759 Speaker 1: and as always I'm joined by my good friend Manes 26 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 1: Ticketer and on the other side of the soundproof glass 27 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: demonstrating the Royal way to take your afternoon teeth. This 28 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:49,760 Speaker 1: is not something I realized he understood, but that's our 29 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:53,240 Speaker 1: friend and producer Tristan McNeil. Now, Tristan has been doing 30 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 1: a lot of reading up on British etiquette all week 31 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: just in preparation for this episode, also changing his spell 32 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 1: to put use in words where they don't belong. But 33 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 1: I've got to say this is probably the most refined 34 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 1: I have ever seen this guy act. Yeah, I'd say 35 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 1: what really sells it is the way he's been drinking 36 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:13,119 Speaker 1: the tea. Like if you just see how he keeps 37 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 1: the cup at waist level and then always lifts it 38 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 1: to his mouth to take a sift instead of like 39 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 1: bending his head. That's actually pure British traditions. Impressive yea. 40 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 1: And the way he's holding the cup too, is totally 41 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 1: by the book like he's keeping his pinky firmly tucked 42 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:28,360 Speaker 1: in it all times, and he's only using one hand 43 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 1: to hold the cup well. As the etiquette experts say, 44 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 1: you can hug a mug, but you never hug a teacup. 45 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:38,640 Speaker 1: I think they said that they always. Tristan is definitely 46 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: living by those rules. But the demands of a proper 47 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:43,919 Speaker 1: high tea are actually a good example of why being 48 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 1: a royal is not as easy as it may look 49 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:49,160 Speaker 1: from the outside. I mean, they're all kinds of customs 50 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 1: and protocol that royalty is expected to live by every 51 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:54,960 Speaker 1: single day, and these include things, you know that we 52 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 1: think of as super mundane. So we thought it'd be 53 00:02:58,000 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 1: fun to take a closer look at some of the 54 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 1: long ending rules and the traditions that govern the royal 55 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:06,400 Speaker 1: family's fashion and dining and travel. Will also take a 56 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 1: look into some of the more unusual perks that the 57 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 1: queen enjoys. But anyway, there's a lot to cover. Some 58 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:13,520 Speaker 1: ango where do you want to go first? So? I 59 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:15,359 Speaker 1: do you want to get to some of those unexpected 60 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:17,240 Speaker 1: reasons for why it's good to be the queen. But 61 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 1: before we get into those, I want to quickly mention. 62 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:22,639 Speaker 1: One reason why Elizabeth the second might just deserve all 63 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:25,840 Speaker 1: those fancy perks she gets, and it's from this easy 64 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 1: to miss fact that she isn't just the Queen of England. 65 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:32,360 Speaker 1: She's actually the monarch of sixteen different countries, not just 66 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 1: the UK but uh, I'm not gonna run through them, 67 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 1: but all the Commonwealth countries, So like Australia, Canada, Jamaica, 68 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:41,960 Speaker 1: they all still recognize Elizabeth as their queen despite the 69 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 1: fact that they're kind of these otherwise sovereign states. It's 70 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 1: kind of a confusing setup, but it's a lingering effect 71 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 1: of England's time as a colonial empire and when it 72 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 1: had all these nations under them. It's pretty wild to 73 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 1: think about. But but you're right, I mean, reigning over 74 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 1: that many countries cannot be easy, so I feel like 75 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 1: it's only fair the Queen should enjoy certain privileges, like, 76 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 1: you know, say, being able to eat all the swans 77 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:07,839 Speaker 1: and dolphins that she wants, which actually is a real thing. 78 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 1: So do you want to explain why, Well, because there 79 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:14,320 Speaker 1: are laws that grant the queen legal ownership over all 80 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 1: the dolphins and swans in England, which I think this 81 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:20,360 Speaker 1: just maybe my favorite rule of all. But in the 82 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 1: case of the dolphins, the law actually entitles the queen 83 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:25,800 Speaker 1: to any dolphin that comes within three miles of the 84 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:28,839 Speaker 1: country's sure, so all dolphins out there be careful. And 85 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:32,159 Speaker 1: actually the law doesn't restrict her to just dolphins, but 86 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:36,240 Speaker 1: to all species of what it calls fishes royal, which 87 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:40,280 Speaker 1: is usually taken to mean marine mammals, so dolphins plus 88 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:43,159 Speaker 1: whales and porpoises. I mean, that's the power we didn't 89 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:45,600 Speaker 1: realize she had. So I think what you're saying is like, 90 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 1: if a whale gets beached on the shore or someone 91 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 1: catches a dolphin, Queen Elizabeth actually has the right to 92 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:53,679 Speaker 1: cart the thing away for sushi. Right, it's all hers. 93 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 1: I mean, she she she could do that. But the 94 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 1: law has actually been in effect since the thirteen hundreds, 95 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 1: which is when Edward the second first insisted on this privilege. 96 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:05,400 Speaker 1: You know, whether the current queen ever invokes the rule 97 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 1: or not is a totally different story. My guess is 98 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 1: she doesn't. But really, if you go strictly by the 99 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 1: letter of the law, Queen Elizabeth might not be entitled 100 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 1: to that beached whale because the law actually states that 101 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 1: a king is due the entirety of a whale if 102 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 1: he so demands it, because that's his royal privilege. But 103 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:25,600 Speaker 1: apparently if a queen calls DIBs on a whale, it's 104 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:29,280 Speaker 1: sufficient to send her just the tail, just the whale tale. 105 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 1: That's just whale tale. You know what's funny is, originally 106 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 1: I was rooting for the whale in the scenario, but 107 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:37,279 Speaker 1: now I'm kind of hoping that Elizabeth eats the whole 108 00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:41,160 Speaker 1: whale just to break through that glass ceiling. That's great. 109 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:45,599 Speaker 1: What about these swans, though, Well, the swan rule is 110 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 1: a totally separate law, and this is one that predates 111 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 1: the Royal Fish Decree by about a hundred years or so. 112 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 1: So back then, swan meat was actually considered a delicacy 113 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:57,599 Speaker 1: and the monarch didn't want it wasted on like unrefined 114 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:01,040 Speaker 1: palettes of commoners. So in a comp leately sensible move, 115 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:04,680 Speaker 1: all swans in the region were declared legal property of 116 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:07,240 Speaker 1: the crown. So within a few hundred years the law 117 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:09,919 Speaker 1: was relaxed a little bit so that landowners could you know, 118 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:13,360 Speaker 1: pay for this privilege of owning and eating the queen's birds. 119 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 1: But otherwise all wild swans were off limits. To the public, 120 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 1: and poaching one carried a pretty hefty fine. Actually, but 121 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:22,800 Speaker 1: I'm guessing that's all kind of relaxed over time, right, 122 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 1: Actually not not really. The finest is still in force today. Really. 123 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 1: I mean, no, nobody really eats them, but the Queen 124 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 1: technically still owns all of them, and in fact, Queen 125 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 1: Elizabeth still attends a ceremony each summer called swan upping, 126 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:40,360 Speaker 1: and this is basically an annual census where she's given 127 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 1: an accurate count of just how many swans are in 128 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 1: her flock, which is just I love that this is 129 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 1: the kind of thing she gets to spend time. Feels 130 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:51,800 Speaker 1: so British, Yeah, it does. It does as love like 131 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 1: how the Queen has all these old, bizarre rights that 132 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:58,160 Speaker 1: she will probably never exercise but still technically could if 133 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 1: she ever felt like. For instance, I was reading about 134 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 1: this agreement from hundreds of years ago where one Scottish 135 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:06,480 Speaker 1: family was allowed to purchase land from the Crown and 136 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: the only condition to the sale was that, if it 137 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 1: was so requested, the family would have to provide the 138 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: reigning sovereign with a snowball in the middle of the summer. 139 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 1: So how were they expected to get a snowball in 140 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 1: the summer. I guess that's what I'm curious. Well, it 141 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:23,600 Speaker 1: wouldn't have been easy, but the land they bought did 142 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 1: include a mountain that had this snowy peak year round, 143 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 1: So if a monarch ever sent for a snowball, someone 144 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 1: from the family would actually have to scale the mountain 145 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 1: and bring one down for them, which I'm assuming they've 146 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 1: never actually had to do, right, So that's why I 147 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:39,120 Speaker 1: thought too. But it actually has happened once, and this 148 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 1: was back in seventy six. Apparently the Duke of Cumberland 149 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 1: stopped by the family's property while traveling, and he was 150 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 1: acting on the king's authority, so he ordered that some 151 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: snow be brought down from the mountains so that he 152 00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 1: could use it to chill his afternoon wine. But I 153 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 1: love the idea that the family who lives there just 154 00:07:57,080 --> 00:07:59,840 Speaker 1: like wakes up every morning super anxious that Queen Elizabeth 155 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 1: give him a call and, you know, just request a snowball, 156 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: and if he's such a hassle, And I'm guessing if 157 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 1: that's the case, you could just keep a stash of 158 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:10,679 Speaker 1: emergency snowballs in your freezer, Like if she just happens 159 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:13,360 Speaker 1: to show up and ask for them. But all right, well, 160 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 1: now that we've covered some of the weird historical privileges 161 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 1: that the Queen enjoys, let's also talk about a few 162 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:20,920 Speaker 1: of her more practical perks, like the one she actually 163 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:24,360 Speaker 1: puts the use in daily life. Now, the first one 164 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 1: is something I'd definitely like to have, and that's the 165 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 1: freedom to leave your keys in cash at home, wherever 166 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 1: you go and whenever you go out. Because obviously the 167 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:34,840 Speaker 1: Queen never has to worry about picking up a check 168 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:37,800 Speaker 1: or getting locked out of Buckingham Palace. But there is 169 00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:42,240 Speaker 1: one day a week when the Queen does carry cash. 170 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 1: That's on Sunday, and it's only for a short while. 171 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 1: And this is according to historian and royal biographer Sally 172 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 1: but Ll Smith. The Queen keeps a single five or 173 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:53,959 Speaker 1: ten pound note on hand, and that's to put in 174 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:57,320 Speaker 1: the collection basket at church. I love the idea of 175 00:08:57,320 --> 00:09:00,199 Speaker 1: her just like pulling out this super crinkled a it 176 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:02,480 Speaker 1: up bill that she's been like watching in her sweaty 177 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:05,959 Speaker 1: royal hands all day. It's kind of a weird image. 178 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:08,720 Speaker 1: But actually I'm not kidding about this. I mean, the 179 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:12,200 Speaker 1: bills themselves are supposedly ironed crisp by her butler and 180 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:16,160 Speaker 1: then carefully folded so that only the Queen's face is 181 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:19,440 Speaker 1: showing when she puts it in there. That feels so down. 182 00:09:19,559 --> 00:09:22,840 Speaker 1: Navvy or Jasister were like the butlers and servants, like 183 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 1: they are in the newspapers every morning, and they are 184 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:26,720 Speaker 1: in the sheets before they get put on the beds. 185 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 1: But you know, I can't imagine like waking up to 186 00:09:29,679 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 1: a warm christ newspaper every day. And uh, it's so 187 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:36,679 Speaker 1: weird that the money is folded to have her face out. Well, 188 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:38,880 Speaker 1: I mean, what's interesting to me is that she always 189 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 1: seems to have her handbag with her, even though she 190 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:44,080 Speaker 1: never has keys or a wallet or anything like that 191 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:46,439 Speaker 1: to carry around. Yeah. I was curious about that too. 192 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:48,800 Speaker 1: And apparently there's all sorts of stuff in there. I 193 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:51,320 Speaker 1: read this Telegraph article that got the dirt from her 194 00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:54,439 Speaker 1: friends and also these other eyewitnesses on what she's carrying, 195 00:09:54,520 --> 00:09:56,800 Speaker 1: and it turns out the queen is packing all sorts 196 00:09:56,800 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 1: of useful items as well as a few things that 197 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:01,040 Speaker 1: are just in there for funds. So, for instance, she 198 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 1: reportedly carries an assortment of good luck charms from her children, 199 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:08,680 Speaker 1: and these include miniature dogs, horses, and saddles. She's also 200 00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 1: got a few family photos and some crossbrod puzzles that 201 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:15,200 Speaker 1: are staff snips out from a newspaper. On the practical side, 202 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:19,080 Speaker 1: there's a normal stuff like breath man's reading glasses, lipstick tissues. 203 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:23,000 Speaker 1: But my favorite item is this little portable hook that 204 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 1: she uses to hang her purse from. So you've got 205 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:28,439 Speaker 1: to listen to this account. It's from this anonymous dinner 206 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:30,720 Speaker 1: guest who once eight with the queen. So this is 207 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:33,719 Speaker 1: what they said. Quote. I watched the Queen open her 208 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:36,760 Speaker 1: handbag and remove a white suction cup and discreetly spit 209 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:39,160 Speaker 1: into it. The Queen then attached the cup to the 210 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:41,960 Speaker 1: underside of the table. The cup had a hook on it, 211 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:44,920 Speaker 1: and she attacked her hand back to it. Can you 212 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 1: imagine how weird that would be to see like a 213 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:51,160 Speaker 1: queen delicately spit into a suction cup. I mean, it'd 214 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:55,080 Speaker 1: be so much better if it wasn't delicated, right, I 215 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:56,720 Speaker 1: guess it kind of makes sense that the Queen would 216 00:10:56,720 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 1: go to like all the trouble to keep her purse 217 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:01,560 Speaker 1: off the floor, But so like, why not just hand 218 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 1: it to your security or like your your person in 219 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:07,160 Speaker 1: waiting or whatever, like that's what they're there for. And 220 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:09,920 Speaker 1: it almost feels like she's trying so hard to be 221 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:12,520 Speaker 1: a woman of the people. But obviously people don't spin 222 00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 1: into suction cups and hang their stuff impromptu like that. 223 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 1: It's true. But what's funny is the bag is like 224 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:22,440 Speaker 1: kind of become this royal icon in its own right, 225 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:24,680 Speaker 1: and that's probably because the Queen has more or less 226 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:27,559 Speaker 1: stuck with the same one since the nine eighties. I mean, 227 00:11:27,559 --> 00:11:29,560 Speaker 1: she's actually gone through different bags over the years, but 228 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:32,360 Speaker 1: since they've all been made special for her by this 229 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:35,599 Speaker 1: company called Luner, and over that period, the Queen is 230 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:38,280 Speaker 1: said to have owned between two hundred and three hundred 231 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 1: of their handbags. But in recent years, the model she's 232 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 1: mostly been using is called the Traviata, because it's big 233 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:46,240 Speaker 1: enough to hold all the stuff she carries with her, 234 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:48,160 Speaker 1: but also small enough not to get in the way 235 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 1: when she's shaking hands with her subjects. But there's actually 236 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:54,440 Speaker 1: another more important reason she carries around the purse, and 237 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:57,920 Speaker 1: what is that. According to royal biographers, the purse is 238 00:11:57,960 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 1: also this way for the Queen to send these sign 239 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:03,480 Speaker 1: those to her staff super discreetly, so If the Queen 240 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:05,240 Speaker 1: puts her hand back on the table during our meal, 241 00:12:05,360 --> 00:12:07,120 Speaker 1: that means she wants to end the event in the 242 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:09,680 Speaker 1: next five minutes. If he places on the floor instead 243 00:12:09,679 --> 00:12:11,720 Speaker 1: of the hook, that signal she's stuck in a boring 244 00:12:11,760 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: conversation and she kind of needs someone to come in 245 00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:18,000 Speaker 1: and rescue her. Wow, that's pretty clever, actually, But honestly, 246 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:19,720 Speaker 1: I don't know how discreet it is for the Queen 247 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:22,880 Speaker 1: to PLoP her purse on the dinner table like that. 248 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:25,079 Speaker 1: Seems like a pretty universal way of saying, like we're 249 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:28,320 Speaker 1: we're just about done here. But it is interesting to know. 250 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:30,760 Speaker 1: But since you got us on the subject of purses, 251 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:32,599 Speaker 1: what do you say we stick to that track and 252 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:35,000 Speaker 1: talk a little bit about the dudes and don't of 253 00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:37,839 Speaker 1: royal fashion. Sure, but first let's take a quick break. 254 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:55,960 Speaker 1: You're listening to part time Genius and we're talking about 255 00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:58,880 Speaker 1: the unexpected rules and traditions that influence the lives of 256 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:01,720 Speaker 1: British royals, all right, Well, before we dive into the 257 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:04,280 Speaker 1: dudes and don't, the Queen does have a couple of 258 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:06,960 Speaker 1: fashion related perks, and I think we should talk about 259 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:09,760 Speaker 1: those just for a minute. So for starters, she never 260 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 1: has to break in her own shoes. Instead, Queen Elizabeth 261 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:15,720 Speaker 1: has an attendant whose sole job is to walk around 262 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:19,600 Speaker 1: in her new shoes until they've lost their stiffness. Now, 263 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:21,680 Speaker 1: another fashion perk that the Queen enjoys is that she 264 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:25,400 Speaker 1: gets to wear super loud colors anytime she wants. And 265 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:27,680 Speaker 1: if you've ever seen the Queen, you know that she 266 00:13:27,760 --> 00:13:31,080 Speaker 1: pretty much does this all the time. So I'm curious, like, 267 00:13:31,160 --> 00:13:33,520 Speaker 1: why is that? Is it just personal taste or is 268 00:13:33,520 --> 00:13:35,840 Speaker 1: there some sort of like unridden rule that says the 269 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:38,640 Speaker 1: Queen can never wear dark or neutral colors? Like, I've 270 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:41,040 Speaker 1: been really curious about this. You know, I think in 271 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:44,800 Speaker 1: part she just does prefer the bright clothing. But according 272 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:48,440 Speaker 1: to Harper's Bizarre, the colors are also part of royal protocol, 273 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:51,080 Speaker 1: namely as a way to make sure the Queen always 274 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:53,560 Speaker 1: stands out in a crowd. I guess that makes sense, 275 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:56,640 Speaker 1: and that way both her security detail and her adoring 276 00:13:56,679 --> 00:13:59,360 Speaker 1: subjects can keep their eyes on there whenever they want. 277 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:02,559 Speaker 1: And I mean, I guess that makes a certain type 278 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:05,079 Speaker 1: of sense. It is fine, though, Like I've read that 279 00:14:05,160 --> 00:14:08,679 Speaker 1: the exact opposite rules apply when it comes to fingernail polish, 280 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:11,280 Speaker 1: like a friendly. Women in the royal family are supposed 281 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:14,280 Speaker 1: to stick to these subdued and kind of natural shades 282 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:18,720 Speaker 1: like clear or pale pink, and for all those loud outfits, 283 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:21,240 Speaker 1: the Queen seems to have no problem abiding by the rule. 284 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:24,520 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, People magazine reported that the Queen 285 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:28,120 Speaker 1: had been using the same color nail polished since nine 286 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:31,400 Speaker 1: and because I know you're as curious as I was, 287 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 1: her brand of choice is a shade called ballet Slippers. 288 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:38,440 Speaker 1: It's good to know, finly kind of nails, just like 289 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 1: the Queen. But if you want to complete the look, 290 00:14:40,960 --> 00:14:44,120 Speaker 1: you're gonna actually gonna have to up your hat game. Uh, 291 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:47,800 Speaker 1: because another fashion tradition the Queen has upheld is the 292 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:51,280 Speaker 1: requirement for women to wear hats to all official events. 293 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:54,760 Speaker 1: And apparently in England it was considered improper for a 294 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:57,800 Speaker 1: woman of high status to keep her head uncovered in public, 295 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:00,600 Speaker 1: but the rule was made official back in the nineteen 296 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:04,080 Speaker 1: fifties and uh, at the time, hats were beginning to 297 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:06,720 Speaker 1: fall out of fashion with women, and the monarchy kind 298 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 1: of hope to put a stop to that modernization by 299 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:14,120 Speaker 1: making these headgear requirement for the royals, I guess. But 300 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 1: over the decades, that rule has become a lot more lax. Still, 301 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:20,800 Speaker 1: Queen Elizabeth insists that the family adhere to it, at 302 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:23,640 Speaker 1: least for the time being. All Right, well, here's another 303 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:25,520 Speaker 1: one that just kind of makes me laugh, But this 304 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:28,880 Speaker 1: also deals with royal head covering. So once the clock 305 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:32,640 Speaker 1: strikes six pm, it's tiara a clock that you know. 306 00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:36,960 Speaker 1: I always say that that's right. Well, apparently that's the 307 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:39,640 Speaker 1: magic hour when you ditch your headgear and you don 308 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:42,040 Speaker 1: your tr or at least that's the case for any 309 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:44,800 Speaker 1: married women that are in the royal family. And that's 310 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:47,600 Speaker 1: because trs are kind of like wedding rings, so they're 311 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:49,880 Speaker 1: meant to show that the woman has moved on from 312 00:15:49,920 --> 00:15:53,440 Speaker 1: one family into another. I like this idea that if 313 00:15:53,480 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 1: you're like a bachelor just cruising the Royal dive bar, 314 00:15:57,160 --> 00:16:00,320 Speaker 1: that's how, you know, like to look elsewhere. That's right, 315 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:02,960 Speaker 1: But what if you're an unmarried royal woman, Like, did 316 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:05,000 Speaker 1: you just keep your hat on the whole time? Like, like, 317 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:07,920 Speaker 1: how's that work? No, it's six An unmarried woman can 318 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 1: just take off her hat. They don't have to don 319 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:12,320 Speaker 1: a tiara and that, you know, anything like that, But 320 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:14,920 Speaker 1: it does seem a little unfair and outdated, but but 321 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:18,720 Speaker 1: those are the rules. Well, speaking of outdated fashion traditions, 322 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:24,720 Speaker 1: have you ever noticed that young British princes never wear pants? 323 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:27,400 Speaker 1: I can honestly say I have not noticed that. But 324 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:29,280 Speaker 1: you're saying there's some kind of rule that the royal 325 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:31,880 Speaker 1: kids have to go pantless or something. Well, they have 326 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:35,600 Speaker 1: to wear short pants. And and maybe I'm I'm more 327 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 1: attuned to this because in India, especially when I was 328 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 1: a kid, like unless you're playing sports, men don't really 329 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:43,480 Speaker 1: wear shorts. I mean, kids wear it as a uniform 330 00:16:43,520 --> 00:16:45,880 Speaker 1: to school, but once you reach like a certain age, 331 00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 1: you just don't wear them. And I remember one of 332 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 1: my cousins kind of pulling me aside and telling me 333 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:51,920 Speaker 1: I looked like a tourist because I was wearing shorts 334 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:55,440 Speaker 1: when I was ten or something. But I guess England 335 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:57,160 Speaker 1: has a little of this too. And and there's this 336 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,520 Speaker 1: old tradition in England called breaching, which is when a 337 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:03,160 Speaker 1: boy grows out of the gowns he's worn as an 338 00:17:03,160 --> 00:17:07,359 Speaker 1: infant and begins to wear shorts or breeches instead. And uh, 339 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:09,320 Speaker 1: you know, it isn't until the age of eight or 340 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:12,440 Speaker 1: so that the boy is officially allowed to wear long pants. 341 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:16,120 Speaker 1: It's uh, it's a status thing, and it's apparently considered 342 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:18,480 Speaker 1: middle class to let your son wear pants before he 343 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:22,600 Speaker 1: turns eight, strangely, and of course the royal family avoids 344 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:25,000 Speaker 1: anything that sort of puts them in the middle class. 345 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:28,520 Speaker 1: But I mean, Prince George and and Prince Louis will 346 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:31,640 Speaker 1: be spending the next few years exclusively in shorts. Wow, 347 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:34,680 Speaker 1: and he was not exactly known for its warm weather either. 348 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:37,280 Speaker 1: But although I still think I would take the shorts 349 00:17:37,280 --> 00:17:39,119 Speaker 1: over having to wear a hat all day, so I 350 00:17:39,119 --> 00:17:41,480 Speaker 1: guess it's not that bad. Yeah, And maybe there's some 351 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:43,680 Speaker 1: kind of work around, like they can just wear really 352 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:48,440 Speaker 1: long socks or something. All right, Well, since you bring 353 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:50,800 Speaker 1: up these workarounds, here's a clever trick that the queen 354 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:54,600 Speaker 1: uses to prevent any wardrobe malfunctions. She has these small 355 00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:57,239 Speaker 1: one ounce weight sewn into the hymn line of her 356 00:17:57,359 --> 00:18:00,520 Speaker 1: skirts and dresses, and that way, when she's out and about, 357 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:02,880 Speaker 1: there's no risk of a sudden breeze, you know, kind 358 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:06,040 Speaker 1: of showing too much skin. Oh, that's fascinating. I hadn't 359 00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:08,480 Speaker 1: heard that before, but I actually remember a similar trick 360 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:11,879 Speaker 1: that Princess Diana used to rely on so anytime she 361 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:13,919 Speaker 1: was stepping out of a car, she would hold her 362 00:18:13,960 --> 00:18:16,960 Speaker 1: clutch bag just tight against her chest so that the 363 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:20,480 Speaker 1: paparazzi couldn't snap any compromising photos of her. And apparently 364 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:23,760 Speaker 1: she had these clutches specifically designed with that purpose in mind, 365 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:26,800 Speaker 1: and she actually referred to them as her cleavage bags 366 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:28,480 Speaker 1: because she kind of had a good sense of humor 367 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:31,040 Speaker 1: about it. Yeah, I mean, she was definitely the people's 368 00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:33,000 Speaker 1: princess for a reason, and it did seem to have 369 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:34,920 Speaker 1: a good sense of humor. But now that we've talked 370 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:36,679 Speaker 1: about what it means to dress like a royal, I 371 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:38,480 Speaker 1: do feel like we should spend some time on what 372 00:18:38,560 --> 00:18:41,400 Speaker 1: it's like to travel and eat like one as well. 373 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:43,439 Speaker 1: But before we get to that, let's take one more 374 00:18:43,520 --> 00:19:02,080 Speaker 1: quick break. Okay, Well, so you mentioned earlier that the 375 00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:05,560 Speaker 1: Queen primarily dresses in bright tones during her outings. But 376 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:07,400 Speaker 1: do you know there's a different rule and play when 377 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:10,600 Speaker 1: the royal family is traveling abroad. So this is by 378 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:13,760 Speaker 1: order of the Queen, every family member has to pack 379 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:17,120 Speaker 1: an all black outfit whenever they travel. But it actually 380 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:19,840 Speaker 1: has a really practical reason. It's in case there's a 381 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:22,280 Speaker 1: sudden death while they're away, so like if they have 382 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:24,840 Speaker 1: to attend a funeral or something. Yeah, I mean that 383 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:27,080 Speaker 1: that would be one example, but it's really more for 384 00:19:27,119 --> 00:19:29,840 Speaker 1: the return trip back to England. It would actually be 385 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:32,399 Speaker 1: deemed inappropriate if a royal were seen getting off the 386 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:34,560 Speaker 1: plane in bright colors right after the loss of a 387 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:36,760 Speaker 1: family member. So the rules kind of this way to 388 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:40,000 Speaker 1: make sure that the appropriate morning attire is always on hand. 389 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:43,159 Speaker 1: But uh, you know what, while it sounds kind of 390 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:46,440 Speaker 1: like a specific circumstance to be wary of, it actually 391 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:48,720 Speaker 1: comes from experience. For the Queen, she ran to this 392 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 1: exact scenario in when her father passed away. At the time, 393 00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:55,160 Speaker 1: the Queen had been traveling to Kenya with Prince Philip 394 00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:57,960 Speaker 1: and that's when the news reached her, and unfortunately she 395 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:00,600 Speaker 1: hadn't packed a black dress for her trips. When she 396 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:02,919 Speaker 1: returned to England, she actually had to stay with the 397 00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:05,000 Speaker 1: plan on the tarmac until a dress could be brought 398 00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:06,920 Speaker 1: to her. Oh wow, Yeah, I mean I could see 399 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:08,880 Speaker 1: why she would want to prevent that from ever happening 400 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:11,919 Speaker 1: to her or anybody else in her family. And honestly, 401 00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:14,080 Speaker 1: it's one of those reminders that these big trips that 402 00:20:14,119 --> 00:20:17,040 Speaker 1: we see royals taking, they aren't always something to be 403 00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:20,119 Speaker 1: jealous of. I mean, not that they're that terrible or 404 00:20:20,119 --> 00:20:22,280 Speaker 1: that difficult, but most of them are a little bit 405 00:20:22,320 --> 00:20:25,040 Speaker 1: more like business trips than they are these fun vacations 406 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:27,600 Speaker 1: that we might imagine. So, for example, I read this 407 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:30,639 Speaker 1: article from a reporter who's accompanied the Royal family on 408 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:33,280 Speaker 1: some like twenty tours or so it was. It was 409 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:36,399 Speaker 1: Gordon Rayner, and he he says that every aspect of 410 00:20:36,440 --> 00:20:39,840 Speaker 1: the trips are decided in advance and choreographed down to 411 00:20:39,920 --> 00:20:41,960 Speaker 1: the minute. So this is how he put it in 412 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 1: one of his stories. Touring the world, meeting heads of 413 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:48,520 Speaker 1: state and being shown cultural treasures sounds like a wonderful life. 414 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:51,720 Speaker 1: Yet I have no envy for the Royal family. Their 415 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:54,919 Speaker 1: visits to world famous sites rarely last more than forty minutes, 416 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:58,600 Speaker 1: and chances are they will never return to see them. Yeah. 417 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:00,840 Speaker 1: I mean, it sounds like all formal teas and not 418 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:03,120 Speaker 1: like a lot of time to have fun. But it's 419 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:05,840 Speaker 1: such a strict and grueling schedule. And also they have 420 00:21:05,880 --> 00:21:07,240 Speaker 1: to look out for a bunch of things that most 421 00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:09,760 Speaker 1: of us don't have to worry about when traveling, and 422 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:12,639 Speaker 1: it isn't just like carrying an extra pair of black clothes. 423 00:21:12,680 --> 00:21:15,680 Speaker 1: So I read that Prince Charles and Camilla sometimes bring 424 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:17,760 Speaker 1: their own alcohol with them so that they can make 425 00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:21,160 Speaker 1: sure nobody's poisoned their drinks. Like that's still a concern 426 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:24,200 Speaker 1: for them. And apparently one of their bodyguards is always 427 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:26,399 Speaker 1: ready with a bag containing the goods for an emergency 428 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:29,840 Speaker 1: gin and tonic or or sometimes a really good red wine. 429 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:32,320 Speaker 1: And this is even weirder. So Prince Charles and the 430 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:34,200 Speaker 1: Queen also have to bring along the supply of their 431 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:36,760 Speaker 1: own blood wherever they travel, and this is just in 432 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:39,760 Speaker 1: case there's a shortage wherever that happens to be. I mean, 433 00:21:39,920 --> 00:21:43,040 Speaker 1: can you imagine carrying extra bags of blood everywhere you go? 434 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:46,520 Speaker 1: It feels like slacha hassle. Wow. Well, there is a 435 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:48,320 Speaker 1: little more room in their bag because one thing the 436 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:51,560 Speaker 1: Queen doesn't have to worry about traveling with is a passport. 437 00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:54,600 Speaker 1: She doesn't need it whenever she travels other countries. That's 438 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:56,920 Speaker 1: really funny, Like I I guess it's because I get 439 00:21:56,960 --> 00:21:59,920 Speaker 1: my shoes taken away from every inspection at the airport 440 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:02,160 Speaker 1: when every time I travel, Like I guess I always 441 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:04,760 Speaker 1: just assumed that the same customs rules applied to everyone. 442 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:08,200 Speaker 1: But didn't Prince George actually have to get a baby 443 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:10,400 Speaker 1: passport when when he flew some years back. I feel 444 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:13,320 Speaker 1: like I read that in newspapers or something. Well, the 445 00:22:13,359 --> 00:22:15,639 Speaker 1: rest of the Royal family actually does have to carry 446 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:18,680 Speaker 1: passports and adhere to the immigration rules, but the Queen 447 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:22,480 Speaker 1: is exempt on a technicality. Basically, you know, since British 448 00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:25,679 Speaker 1: passports are issued in the name of her Majesty, she 449 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:28,800 Speaker 1: can't exactly issue one to herself and therefore doesn't need 450 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:32,000 Speaker 1: one traveling. So anyway, that said, the Queen does still 451 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:34,600 Speaker 1: have to go through an identity check whenever she flies 452 00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:37,399 Speaker 1: in or out of Britain, and each time she has 453 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:42,600 Speaker 1: to meet with immigration officials and give her full name, age, address, nationality, gender, 454 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:45,880 Speaker 1: and of course place of birth. I mean, that sounds horrible. 455 00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:48,320 Speaker 1: It sounds worse than having to show your passport. But 456 00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:51,119 Speaker 1: you know, as many precautions and hoops as there are 457 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:53,240 Speaker 1: to jump through when it comes to traveling, there an 458 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 1: equal number when it goes to royal dining as well. 459 00:22:55,960 --> 00:22:58,480 Speaker 1: For example, do you know that a shellfish is actually 460 00:22:58,560 --> 00:23:01,360 Speaker 1: banned from the Royal dinner too? I like the fact 461 00:23:01,400 --> 00:23:03,919 Speaker 1: that porpoises are fine to eat, but for some reason, 462 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:07,239 Speaker 1: shrimp scampy is forbidden. So I'm curious that, Like, what 463 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:09,600 Speaker 1: is the logic there? Is it an allergy thing or 464 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:13,639 Speaker 1: they just prefer dolphins scampy? Okay, I guess so yeah, No, 465 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:16,680 Speaker 1: it's because eating shellfishes is more likely to result in 466 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:20,080 Speaker 1: food poisoning than other kinds of foods, and obviously allergies too, 467 00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:22,760 Speaker 1: so I guess it's just considered too risky to serve 468 00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:25,440 Speaker 1: to them. All right, So, I mean, we know what 469 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:27,840 Speaker 1: they are allowed to eat and what they're not allowed 470 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:29,679 Speaker 1: to eat, but I'm curious, like what did they like 471 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:33,560 Speaker 1: to eat? Like what's an ideal meal for Queen Elizabeth? So, 472 00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:36,719 Speaker 1: as you might expect, what to eat is completely up 473 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:38,959 Speaker 1: to her because she is the queen and she actually 474 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:42,919 Speaker 1: reviews this big, red leather bound menu book like twice 475 00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:46,760 Speaker 1: a week, and whichever suggested items she marks are exactly 476 00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:48,720 Speaker 1: what's served to her in the next couple of days. 477 00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:51,320 Speaker 1: But apparently one of her chefs has said that she 478 00:23:51,560 --> 00:23:54,360 Speaker 1: only really eats to live, and she actually has much 479 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:56,679 Speaker 1: simpler taste than you'd imagine. So while there are a 480 00:23:56,680 --> 00:24:00,000 Speaker 1: few fancy foods that she likes, she supposedly abstains mostly 481 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:02,639 Speaker 1: for financial reasons. And I you wouldn't think of the 482 00:24:02,680 --> 00:24:05,080 Speaker 1: Queen is cheap, but apparently she is. So this is 483 00:24:05,080 --> 00:24:08,840 Speaker 1: this quote from her personal chef Darren McGrady. The Queen 484 00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:12,320 Speaker 1: loves scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and grading of truffle, 485 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:15,560 Speaker 1: but she was too frugal to ever order fresh truffles 486 00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:18,120 Speaker 1: and only really enjoyed them at Christmas when the truffles 487 00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:21,480 Speaker 1: were sent as a gift. So instead her typical breakfast 488 00:24:21,640 --> 00:24:24,879 Speaker 1: is just special K with fresh fruit. Isn't that crazy? 489 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:27,879 Speaker 1: That is crazy? And why is it special K advertising this? 490 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:30,840 Speaker 1: Like I feel like the cereal sales with skyrocket from this, 491 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:33,240 Speaker 1: But you know, it also feels like kind of a waste, 492 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:35,840 Speaker 1: Like why isn't she eating wild boar bacon and like 493 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:40,200 Speaker 1: this post emu egg like every single day? And are 494 00:24:40,240 --> 00:24:43,320 Speaker 1: there any ritzy foods that she does eat? So, not 495 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:45,880 Speaker 1: that I can tell, But probably the fanciest thing about 496 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:48,040 Speaker 1: her meals is the care that goes into preparing the 497 00:24:48,040 --> 00:24:50,840 Speaker 1: simple stuff she does like to eat. So, for example, 498 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:52,960 Speaker 1: one staff member who worked in the Palace kitchen in 499 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:55,200 Speaker 1: the nineties recalled this time when he had to learn 500 00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:58,800 Speaker 1: the proper way to prepare the Queen's tuna sandwiches, and 501 00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:01,280 Speaker 1: the level of detail is kind of surprising. So here's 502 00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:03,760 Speaker 1: what he said. A chef once told me off for 503 00:25:03,840 --> 00:25:06,600 Speaker 1: serving the sandwiches with crust. He then showed me how 504 00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:09,919 Speaker 1: to make the perfect tuna sandwich, cutting the loaf lengthwise, 505 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:13,800 Speaker 1: buttering both sides, adding the tuna mayonnaise mixture, and thinly 506 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:17,080 Speaker 1: sliced cucumbers with a crack of pepper. He then folded 507 00:25:17,119 --> 00:25:20,240 Speaker 1: over the two lengths, removed the crusts, and cut it 508 00:25:20,280 --> 00:25:24,560 Speaker 1: into eight identical triangles. The palace kitchen was all about 509 00:25:24,640 --> 00:25:28,080 Speaker 1: that detail. I mean, that doesn't seem decadent so much. 510 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:30,440 Speaker 1: It's just kind of weird. And who cuts their sandwiches 511 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:35,440 Speaker 1: into eight equal Queen of England, I guess, I guess 512 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:38,960 Speaker 1: that's fair. Still, despite the fact that the Queen prefers 513 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:41,199 Speaker 1: simple foods, that doesn't mean that the royal dinners are 514 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:43,760 Speaker 1: laid back at all. In fact, every aspect of a 515 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:47,600 Speaker 1: royal meal is just as carefully scrutinized and orchestrated as 516 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:50,600 Speaker 1: every bit of that travel itinerary. So even the Queen's 517 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:54,520 Speaker 1: dinner conversations are tightly scheduled. I mean, is there somebody 518 00:25:54,520 --> 00:25:57,920 Speaker 1: they're just sitting there timing it or what. Not exactly, 519 00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:00,280 Speaker 1: but almost like the Queen only speaks of the two 520 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:02,520 Speaker 1: people on either side of her, and she does it 521 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:05,440 Speaker 1: in sequence. So for the first course she'll talk exclusively 522 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:07,199 Speaker 1: with the person on her right, and then for the 523 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:09,520 Speaker 1: second course she'll switch and talk only to the person 524 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:11,520 Speaker 1: on her left. She'll just ignore the other side of 525 00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:13,879 Speaker 1: the conversation. I mean, it feels like you get a 526 00:26:13,920 --> 00:26:16,200 Speaker 1: crick in your neck. That would be my biggest concern 527 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:18,719 Speaker 1: with this, But you know, just seeing this, like every 528 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:21,360 Speaker 1: part of their lives just feels so regimented and beholden 529 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:25,000 Speaker 1: to tradition or these obscure laws or whatever. But it 530 00:26:25,080 --> 00:26:29,440 Speaker 1: does sometimes make me feel almost bad for them. I mean, 531 00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:31,280 Speaker 1: would it make you feel any better if I told 532 00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:33,800 Speaker 1: you that the royal family's net worth is estimated to 533 00:26:33,800 --> 00:26:38,160 Speaker 1: be north of ninety billion dollars billion dollars. I don't 534 00:26:38,160 --> 00:26:40,639 Speaker 1: know if it makes me feel better, but I guess 535 00:26:40,680 --> 00:26:43,200 Speaker 1: I would agree to eat my sandwiches and tiny squares 536 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:45,399 Speaker 1: and maybe use a portable hook for my backpack if 537 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:48,560 Speaker 1: somebody gave me that amount of money. Yeah, I mean, 538 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 1: I think it's one of those grasses always greener situations. 539 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:53,600 Speaker 1: I mean, the money and privilege that royalty get is 540 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:57,160 Speaker 1: definitely preferable to all sorts of other lifestyles. But there's 541 00:26:57,200 --> 00:26:59,440 Speaker 1: obviously something to be said for, you know, being able 542 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:01,560 Speaker 1: to dress how you want and eat how you want 543 00:27:01,560 --> 00:27:05,280 Speaker 1: without fear of, I guess, upsetting these nonsensical traditions or 544 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:09,119 Speaker 1: even these public expectations. You know, you and I may 545 00:27:09,160 --> 00:27:11,600 Speaker 1: never own all the swans in England, but at least 546 00:27:11,640 --> 00:27:13,680 Speaker 1: we have the freedom to paint our nails bright colors 547 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:18,920 Speaker 1: and dress our sons and pants very well put mango 548 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:21,080 Speaker 1: al right. Well, now that we have a better feel 549 00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:23,159 Speaker 1: about our lot in life, I guess what do you 550 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:24,800 Speaker 1: say we head into the fact off and cover off 551 00:27:24,840 --> 00:27:36,200 Speaker 1: a few more offbeat rules of royalty. I'm pay okay, 552 00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:38,480 Speaker 1: So I'm gonna start with the quick one. The Queen 553 00:27:38,520 --> 00:27:41,480 Speaker 1: of England's portrait has been on enough international bank notes 554 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:44,119 Speaker 1: that if you took the money from those Commonwealth countries, 555 00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:47,719 Speaker 1: you can actually make a timeline of her aging. Oh 556 00:27:47,840 --> 00:27:51,120 Speaker 1: that's pretty awesome. So here's one about Princess Diana from 557 00:27:51,160 --> 00:27:54,399 Speaker 1: Vanity Fair. Apparently She and Freddie Mercury were friends and 558 00:27:54,440 --> 00:27:56,959 Speaker 1: they used to day drink together. Like listen to this detail. 559 00:27:57,200 --> 00:28:00,560 Speaker 1: They actually used to watch Golden Girls reruns together drinking. 560 00:28:02,920 --> 00:28:05,439 Speaker 1: But during one of these sessions, she told Mercury she 561 00:28:05,440 --> 00:28:07,840 Speaker 1: wanted to go clubbing with him that evening, I guess. 562 00:28:07,840 --> 00:28:09,920 Speaker 1: And and there were these two other friends there with them, 563 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:12,560 Speaker 1: and they were saying, you know, it's way too risky, 564 00:28:12,680 --> 00:28:15,399 Speaker 1: but Mercury was up for it, and he really just 565 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:18,280 Speaker 1: wanted his friend to have some fun. And Diana, I 566 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:20,960 Speaker 1: guess she she was obstined about it too, So they 567 00:28:20,960 --> 00:28:23,840 Speaker 1: hatched this scheme and later that night they dressed her 568 00:28:23,880 --> 00:28:27,160 Speaker 1: up in this oversized army jacket and a hat and sunglasses, 569 00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:29,639 Speaker 1: and they took her incognito into a gay bar in 570 00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:32,200 Speaker 1: South London and just danced the night away. I love 571 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:34,280 Speaker 1: that story, all right. Well, here's a question I've been 572 00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:36,760 Speaker 1: wondering ever since I saw that dust up about whether 573 00:28:36,800 --> 00:28:40,040 Speaker 1: Megan Marco was out walking her dog. And while the 574 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:42,440 Speaker 1: Palace denied that the woman in the photo was in 575 00:28:42,520 --> 00:28:46,000 Speaker 1: fact Megan, the official answer is that royals do walk 576 00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:49,040 Speaker 1: their dogs. In fact, they also pick up after them, 577 00:28:49,040 --> 00:28:53,040 Speaker 1: which is really surprising. According to a royal researcher who 578 00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:56,040 Speaker 1: spoke with bizarre quote. When it comes to dealing with 579 00:28:56,080 --> 00:28:59,280 Speaker 1: a dog's business, no royal has been too proud to 580 00:28:59,360 --> 00:29:02,920 Speaker 1: handle things themselves. Of course, they're more likely to walk 581 00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:06,040 Speaker 1: dogs in private rather than public parks, and most of 582 00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:08,800 Speaker 1: their homes have great lawns or grass behind walls. But 583 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:12,000 Speaker 1: still I wouldn't have thought that. Yeah, I had no idea. 584 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:14,880 Speaker 1: But speaking of dogs, the Queen of course has Corgis, 585 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:17,160 Speaker 1: which he is known to walk herself, but you have 586 00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:19,960 Speaker 1: to be very very careful around them. So apparently the 587 00:29:19,960 --> 00:29:23,200 Speaker 1: palace staff is under no circumstance allowed to reprimand the 588 00:29:23,280 --> 00:29:26,760 Speaker 1: Queen's coreys. And when they're served their meals, it's prepared 589 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:28,640 Speaker 1: by a palace chef and brought to them by a 590 00:29:28,720 --> 00:29:32,720 Speaker 1: royal footman. All right, well you might have seen this 591 00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:35,680 Speaker 1: photo from a few years ago. But when Lebron James 592 00:29:35,720 --> 00:29:38,480 Speaker 1: put his arm around Kate Middleton when they were posing 593 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:42,040 Speaker 1: after a game, there was this huge internet storm about it, 594 00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:45,000 Speaker 1: and like who's allowed to touch or you know when 595 00:29:45,080 --> 00:29:47,680 Speaker 1: you can touch a royal? And after all these people 596 00:29:47,720 --> 00:29:51,920 Speaker 1: started talking about Lebron James, the monarchy's website actually made 597 00:29:51,920 --> 00:29:55,280 Speaker 1: it clear quote. There are no obligatory codes of behavior 598 00:29:55,320 --> 00:29:58,000 Speaker 1: when meeting the Queen or a member of the royal family. 599 00:29:58,400 --> 00:30:00,680 Speaker 1: They do have a list of tradition all behaviors you 600 00:30:00,680 --> 00:30:03,600 Speaker 1: can observe if you'd like, like men should do a 601 00:30:03,720 --> 00:30:06,160 Speaker 1: neck bow and women should do a courtesy, but they 602 00:30:06,160 --> 00:30:09,560 Speaker 1: aren't essential rules. And according to the Atlantic, the monarchy 603 00:30:09,640 --> 00:30:12,520 Speaker 1: doesn't really take offense when they do get touched, and 604 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:15,640 Speaker 1: it's mostly just like the British tabloids who like to 605 00:30:15,720 --> 00:30:18,520 Speaker 1: stir things up when you know, especially Americans, get the 606 00:30:18,560 --> 00:30:21,920 Speaker 1: antequoated etiquette a little bit wrong. I know, I feel 607 00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:23,960 Speaker 1: like these rules come up when people thought the kings 608 00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:26,840 Speaker 1: were divinely appointed, but you know, no one really thinks 609 00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:30,320 Speaker 1: that's the case anymore. But here's something I loved. Mental 610 00:30:30,360 --> 00:30:32,440 Speaker 1: Foss made a strange list of wedding gifts that have 611 00:30:32,520 --> 00:30:35,480 Speaker 1: been given to royals, and while royals mostly direct people 612 00:30:35,520 --> 00:30:37,840 Speaker 1: to send money to charities that they're choosing, they still 613 00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:40,520 Speaker 1: get some of the registry items that they haven't asked for, 614 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:44,280 Speaker 1: like h tandem bikes. Some royals got how to stop 615 00:30:44,320 --> 00:30:49,080 Speaker 1: smoking courses. One got a giant jigsaw puzzle that was 616 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:51,320 Speaker 1: assembled by people who came to a mall and spent 617 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:55,200 Speaker 1: a month solving it. Gandhi apparently hand wove a lace 618 00:30:55,280 --> 00:30:58,480 Speaker 1: doily that he sent to Elizabeth, which is particularly funny 619 00:30:58,520 --> 00:31:02,040 Speaker 1: because her Grandmam thought it was a owincloth. And of 620 00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:05,280 Speaker 1: course the traditional gift of three leopards, which I guess 621 00:31:05,480 --> 00:31:08,280 Speaker 1: King Henry the Third got because two leopards weren't enough 622 00:31:08,280 --> 00:31:11,040 Speaker 1: of a gesture, right of course not Yeah, that's would 623 00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:14,080 Speaker 1: be ridiculous. But well, here's something I had never heard, 624 00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:17,960 Speaker 1: and it comes from business insider. So when Queen Elizabeth dies, 625 00:31:18,040 --> 00:31:21,600 Speaker 1: the people of Britain are forbidden from laughing or merriment, 626 00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:24,520 Speaker 1: and you'll see this on TV two. For the twelve 627 00:31:24,600 --> 00:31:28,280 Speaker 1: days between her death and her funeral, all BBC channels 628 00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:31,960 Speaker 1: will be under strict orders not to air anything funny. 629 00:31:32,120 --> 00:31:34,600 Speaker 1: And much like the way the royal family travels, the 630 00:31:34,640 --> 00:31:37,760 Speaker 1: stations and anchors all have black suits and clothes on 631 00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:41,040 Speaker 1: hand to change into if and when that news breaks. 632 00:31:41,800 --> 00:31:44,200 Speaker 1: Oh man, that's crazy. I mean, we're hoping it doesn't 633 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:47,000 Speaker 1: happen for a very long time, but what a bizarre fact. 634 00:31:47,040 --> 00:31:48,720 Speaker 1: And and that is a hard one to top. I 635 00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:51,280 Speaker 1: I think you ought to take the crown for this. Week. Oh, 636 00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:54,280 Speaker 1: thanks so much. Well, there is no shortage of great 637 00:31:54,320 --> 00:31:56,880 Speaker 1: stuff out there about the royal family over the years, 638 00:31:56,880 --> 00:31:58,960 Speaker 1: so I'm sure we've left out some terrific facts. We 639 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:01,400 Speaker 1: always love hearing those from you guys. You can email 640 00:32:01,480 --> 00:32:03,800 Speaker 1: us part Time Genius and how Stuff Works dot com, 641 00:32:03,880 --> 00:32:06,400 Speaker 1: or always hit us up on the socials anytime. But 642 00:32:06,480 --> 00:32:09,640 Speaker 1: from Mango, Tristan, Gabe and me, thanks so much for listening. 643 00:32:22,520 --> 00:32:22,560 Speaker 1: H