1 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:04,200 Speaker 1: Guess what will What's that man? Go? Do you realize 2 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:06,280 Speaker 1: that the Queen of England is actually a Game of 3 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:10,799 Speaker 1: Thrones fan? I did not know that. So apparently she's 4 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:13,280 Speaker 1: huge into Game of Thrones And I just love this 5 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: idea that she's waiting every Sunday night, like up late, 6 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:19,400 Speaker 1: just sitting in front of her HBO Go account, like 7 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:22,119 Speaker 1: waiting for the series to come on. But you know 8 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:24,560 Speaker 1: that the show shoots in Europe, so she decided to 9 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:27,480 Speaker 1: visit the set, and when she was there, she actually 10 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:30,800 Speaker 1: refused to sit on the iron throne. Really so and 11 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:33,880 Speaker 1: why was that? Well, according to The Daily Beast, even 12 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:36,080 Speaker 1: though she was overjoyed to see the throne and was 13 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 1: kind of fanning out about it in this way only 14 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:42,879 Speaker 1: demure queen could, she's technically not allowed to sit on 15 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: a foreign throne. And that's just one of the weird 16 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:48,559 Speaker 1: bits and rules that kind of governed her life. But 17 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 1: that's actually what we wanted to explore today, like what 18 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:53,599 Speaker 1: does the Queen carry in her purse? How does she 19 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:56,280 Speaker 1: choose to talk to who she talks to at Royal Dinners? 20 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:58,840 Speaker 1: And how on earth did she get a monopoly on 21 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: the country swan pop relation Because technically every Swan in 22 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 1: England belongs to her. Let's dig in y Hey, their 23 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 1: podcast listeners, Welcome to part Time Genius. I'm Will Pearson 24 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 1: and as always I'm joined by my good friend Ticketer 25 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 1: and on the other side of the soundproof glass demonstrating 26 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:37,840 Speaker 1: the Royal way to take your afternoon teeth. This is 27 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 1: not something I realized he understood, but that's our friend 28 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:44,119 Speaker 1: and producer Tristan McNeil. Now. Tristan has been doing a 29 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 1: lot of reading up on British etiquette all week just 30 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 1: in preparation for this episode, also changing his spelling to 31 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 1: put use in words where they don't belong. But I've 32 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 1: got to say this is probably the most refined I 33 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:59,080 Speaker 1: have ever seen this guy act. Yeah, I'd say what 34 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 1: really sells it is the way he's been drinking the tea. 35 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 1: Like if you just see how he keeps the cup 36 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:06,320 Speaker 1: at waist level and then always lifts it to his 37 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:08,800 Speaker 1: mouth to take a sift instead of like bending his head. 38 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 1: That's actually pure British traditions. Impressive yea. And the way 39 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 1: he's holding the cup too, is totally by the book, 40 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 1: Like he's keeping his pinky firmly tucked in it all times, 41 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 1: and he's only using one hand to hold the cup. Well. 42 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:23,799 Speaker 1: As the etiquette experts say, you can hug a mug, 43 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:26,639 Speaker 1: but you never hug a teacup. I think they say 44 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: that they always. Tristan is definitely living by those rules. 45 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 1: But the demands of a proper high tea are actually 46 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 1: a good example of why being a royal is not 47 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:38,080 Speaker 1: as easy as it may look from the outside. I mean, 48 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 1: they're all kinds of customs and protocol that royalty is 49 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: expected to live by every single day, and these include 50 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 1: things you know that we think of as super mundane. 51 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:49,520 Speaker 1: So we thought it'd be fun to take a closer 52 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:52,360 Speaker 1: look at some of the longstanding rules and the traditions 53 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 1: that govern the royal family's fashion and dining and travel. 54 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:57,680 Speaker 1: Will also take a look into some of the more 55 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 1: unusual perks that the queen enjoys. But anyway, there's a 56 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:02,720 Speaker 1: lot to cover some ango. Where do you want to 57 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 1: go first? So? I do you want to get to 58 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 1: some of those unexpected reasons for why it's good to 59 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:08,920 Speaker 1: be the queen. But before we get into those, I 60 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:11,919 Speaker 1: want to quickly mention one reason why Elizabeth the second 61 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:15,399 Speaker 1: might just deserve all those fancy perk she gets. And 62 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 1: it's from this easy to miss fact that she isn't 63 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:20,240 Speaker 1: just the Queen of England. She's actually the monarch of 64 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: sixteen different countries, not just the UK but uh, I'm 65 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: not gonna run through them, but all the Commonwealth countries. 66 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:31,079 Speaker 1: So like Australia, Canada, Jamaica, they all still recognize Elizabeth 67 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 1: as their queen despite the fact that they're kind of 68 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 1: these otherwise sovereign states. It's kind of a confusing setup, 69 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 1: but it's a lingering effect of England's time as a 70 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:43,560 Speaker 1: colonial empire and when it had all these nations under them. 71 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 1: That's pretty wild to think about. But but you're right, 72 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 1: I mean, reigning over that many countries cannot be easy. 73 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 1: So I feel like it's only fair that the Queen 74 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:54,000 Speaker 1: should enjoy certain privileges, like you know, say, being able 75 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 1: to eat all the swans and dolphins that she wants, 76 00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 1: which actually is a real thing. So do you want 77 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 1: to explain why, Well, because there are laws that grant 78 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: the queen legal ownership over all the dolphins and swans 79 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 1: in England, which I think this just maybe my favorite 80 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: rule of all. But in the case of the dolphins, 81 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 1: the law actually entitles the queen to any dolphin that 82 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 1: comes within three miles of the country's sure, so all 83 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:20,800 Speaker 1: dolphins out there, be careful. And actually the law doesn't 84 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 1: restrict her to just dolphins, but to all species of 85 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:28,280 Speaker 1: what it calls fishes royal, which is usually taken to 86 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:32,480 Speaker 1: mean marine mammals, so dolphins plus whales and porpoises. I mean, 87 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:35,040 Speaker 1: that's the power we didn't realize she had. So I 88 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 1: think what you're saying is like, if a whale gets 89 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:40,159 Speaker 1: beached on the shore or someone catches a dolphin, Queen 90 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 1: Elizabeth actually has the right to cart the thing away 91 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 1: for sushi. Right, Yeah, it's all hers. I mean, she 92 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:47,680 Speaker 1: she she could do that. But the law has actually 93 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 1: been in effect since the thirteen hundreds, which is when 94 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 1: Edward the second first insisted on this privilege. You know, 95 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:56,280 Speaker 1: whether the current queen ever invokes the rule or not 96 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:59,240 Speaker 1: is a totally different story. My guess is she doesn't. 97 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:01,839 Speaker 1: But really, if you go strictly by the letter of 98 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:04,640 Speaker 1: the law, Queen Elizabeth might not be entitled to that 99 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: beached whale because the law actually states that a king 100 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:10,000 Speaker 1: is due the entirety of a whale if he so 101 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:13,840 Speaker 1: demands it because that's his royal privilege. But apparently if 102 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:16,760 Speaker 1: a queen calls DIBs on a whale, it's sufficient to 103 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:20,080 Speaker 1: send her just the tail, just the whale tale. That's 104 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 1: just whale tale. You know what's funny is, originally I 105 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:25,920 Speaker 1: was rooting for the whale in the scenario, but now 106 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 1: I'm kind of hoping that Elizabeth eats the whole whale 107 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:33,159 Speaker 1: just to bring through that glass ceiling. That's great. What 108 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 1: about these swans, though, Well, the swan rule is a 109 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:38,720 Speaker 1: totally separate law, and this is one that predates the 110 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 1: Royal Fish Decree by about a hundred years or so. 111 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:45,440 Speaker 1: So back then, swan meat was actually considered a delicacy 112 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:48,159 Speaker 1: and the monarch didn't want it wasted on like unrefined 113 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:52,280 Speaker 1: palettes of commoners. So, in a completely sensible move, all 114 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 1: swans in the region were declared legal property of the crown. 115 00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 1: So within a few hundred years the law was relaxed 116 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 1: a little bit so that landowners could you know, pay 117 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:03,880 Speaker 1: for this privilege of owning and eating the queen's birds. 118 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:07,440 Speaker 1: But otherwise all wild swans were off limits to the public, 119 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 1: and poaching one carried a pretty hefty fine. Actually, but 120 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:13,360 Speaker 1: I'm guessing that's all kind of relaxed over time, right, 121 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:16,680 Speaker 1: Actually not not really. The finest is still in force 122 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:20,000 Speaker 1: today really. I mean, no, nobody really eats them, but 123 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 1: the Queen technically still owns all of them, and in fact, 124 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 1: Queen Elizabeth still attends a ceremony each summer called swan Upping, 125 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:30,920 Speaker 1: and this is basically an annual census where she's given 126 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:34,440 Speaker 1: an accurate count of just how many swans are in 127 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 1: her flock, which is just I love that this is 128 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:39,080 Speaker 1: the kind of thing she gets to spend. It feels 129 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 1: so British, Yeah it does. It does as love like 130 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 1: how the Queen has all these old, bizarre rights that 131 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 1: she will probably never exercise but still technically could if 132 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 1: she ever felt like. For instance, I was reading about 133 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:54,160 Speaker 1: this agreement from hundreds of years ago where one Scottish 134 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,040 Speaker 1: family was allowed to purchase land from the crown, and 135 00:06:57,080 --> 00:06:59,320 Speaker 1: the only condition of the sale was that, if it 136 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:01,839 Speaker 1: was so quested, the family would have to provide the 137 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 1: reigning sovereign with a snowball in the middle of the summer. 138 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:09,720 Speaker 1: So how were they expected to get a snowball in 139 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:12,240 Speaker 1: the summer? I guess that's what I'm curious. Well, it 140 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 1: wouldn't have been easy, but the land they bought did 141 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:17,559 Speaker 1: include a mountain that had this snowy peak year round, 142 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:20,320 Speaker 1: So if a monarch ever sent for a snowball, someone 143 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 1: from the family would actually have to scale the mountain 144 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:24,920 Speaker 1: and bring one down for them, which I'm assuming they've 145 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:27,280 Speaker 1: never actually had to do, right, So that's why I 146 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:29,680 Speaker 1: thought too. But it actually has happened once, and this 147 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 1: was back in seventy six. Apparently the Duke of Cumberland 148 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 1: stopped by the family's property while traveling, and he was 149 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 1: acting on the king's authority, so he ordered that some 150 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 1: snow be brought down from the mountains so that he 151 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 1: could use it to chill his afternoon wine. But I 152 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:47,600 Speaker 1: love the idea that the family who lives there just 153 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 1: like wakes up every morning super anxious that Queen Elizabeth 154 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:52,480 Speaker 1: might give them a call and, you know, just request 155 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 1: a snowball. Would he such a hassle? I'm guessing if 156 00:07:56,440 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 1: that's the case, you could just keep a stash of 157 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 1: emergency snowballs in your free her like if she just 158 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 1: happens to show up and ask for them. But all right, well, 159 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:06,560 Speaker 1: now that we've covered some of the weird historical privileges 160 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:08,800 Speaker 1: that the Queen enjoys. Let's also talk about a few 161 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:11,480 Speaker 1: of her more practical perks, like the one she actually 162 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:14,920 Speaker 1: puts the use in daily life. Now, the first one 163 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 1: is something I'd definitely like to have, and that's the 164 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:20,160 Speaker 1: freedom to leave your keys in cash at home, wherever 165 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:23,280 Speaker 1: you go and whenever you go out, because obviously the 166 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 1: Queen never has to worry about picking up a check 167 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 1: or getting locked out of Buckingham Palace. But there is 168 00:08:28,480 --> 00:08:32,800 Speaker 1: one day a week when the Queen does carry cash. 169 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:36,079 Speaker 1: That is on Sunday, and it's only for a short while, 170 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:38,920 Speaker 1: and this is according to historian and royal biographers Sally 171 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:42,320 Speaker 1: but L Smith. The Queen keeps a single five or 172 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:44,520 Speaker 1: ten pound note on hand, and that's to put in 173 00:08:44,559 --> 00:08:47,880 Speaker 1: the collection basket at church. I love the idea of 174 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 1: her just like pulling out this super crinkled, wattered upbuild 175 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 1: that you've been like watching in her sweaty royal hands 176 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:57,679 Speaker 1: all day. It's kind of a weird image. But actually 177 00:08:57,720 --> 00:08:59,839 Speaker 1: I'm not kidding about this. I mean the bills themselves 178 00:08:59,880 --> 00:09:03,559 Speaker 1: are supposedly ironed chris by her butler and then carefully 179 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:07,400 Speaker 1: folded so that only the Queen's face is showing when 180 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:10,480 Speaker 1: she puts it in there. That feels so down. Navvy 181 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:13,640 Speaker 1: or Jaster were like the butlers and servants, like they 182 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 1: ironed the newspapers every morning and they are in the 183 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:18,360 Speaker 1: sheets before they get put on the beds. But you know, 184 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 1: I can't imagine like waking up to a warm christ 185 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 1: newspaper every day. And uh, it's so weird that the 186 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 1: money is folded to have her face out. Well. I mean, 187 00:09:27,559 --> 00:09:29,960 Speaker 1: what's interesting to me is that she always seems to 188 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:32,520 Speaker 1: have her handbag with her, even though she never has 189 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:35,840 Speaker 1: keys or a wallet or anything like that to carry around. Yeah. 190 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:38,160 Speaker 1: I was curious about that too. And apparently there's all 191 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:40,439 Speaker 1: sorts of stuff in there. I I read this Telegraph 192 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:42,880 Speaker 1: article that got the dirt from her friends and also 193 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:45,600 Speaker 1: these other eyewitnesses on what she's carrying, and it turns 194 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:48,319 Speaker 1: out the queen is packing all sorts of useful items 195 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:49,800 Speaker 1: as well as a few things that are just in 196 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:52,640 Speaker 1: there for fun. So, for instance, she reportedly carries an 197 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:55,640 Speaker 1: assortment of good luck charms from her children, and these 198 00:09:55,640 --> 00:09:59,520 Speaker 1: include miniature dogs, horses, and saddles. She's also got a 199 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:02,640 Speaker 1: few family only photos and some crossbrod puzzles that are 200 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:05,760 Speaker 1: staff snips out from a newspaper. On the practical side, 201 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:09,640 Speaker 1: there's a normal stuff like breath man's reading glasses, lipstick tissues. 202 00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:13,560 Speaker 1: But my favorite item is this little portable hook that 203 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:16,719 Speaker 1: she uses to hang her purse from. So you've got 204 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 1: to listen to this account. It's from this anonymous dinner 205 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:21,280 Speaker 1: guest who once eight with the queen. So this is 206 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:24,280 Speaker 1: what they said. Quote. I watched the queen open her 207 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 1: handbag and remove a white suction cup and discreetly spit 208 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:29,719 Speaker 1: into it. The queen then attached the cup to the 209 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 1: underside of the table. The cup had a hook on it, 210 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 1: and she attacked her hand back to it. Can you 211 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:37,520 Speaker 1: imagine how weird that would be to see like a 212 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 1: queen delicately spit into a suction cup. I mean, it 213 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:44,839 Speaker 1: would be so much better if it wasn't delicated, right, 214 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:47,000 Speaker 1: I guess it kind of makes sense that the queen 215 00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:49,120 Speaker 1: would go to like all the trouble to keep her 216 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:51,880 Speaker 1: purse off the floor, but also like why not just 217 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:54,559 Speaker 1: hand it to your security or like your your person 218 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:56,720 Speaker 1: in waiting or whatever, Like that's what they're there for. 219 00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 1: And it almost feels like she's trying so hard to 220 00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:02,880 Speaker 1: be a woman of the people. But obviously people don't 221 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:05,720 Speaker 1: spit into suction cups and hang their stuff impromptu like that. 222 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:09,960 Speaker 1: It's true. But what's funny is the bag is like 223 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:13,000 Speaker 1: kind of become this royal icon in its own right, 224 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:15,199 Speaker 1: and that's probably because the Queen has more or less 225 00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:18,040 Speaker 1: stuck with the same one since the eighties. I mean, 226 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:20,120 Speaker 1: she's actually gone through different bags over the years, but 227 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 1: since they've all been made special for her by this 228 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 1: company called Luner, and over that period, the Queen is 229 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:28,840 Speaker 1: said to have owned between two hundred and three hundred 230 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:31,800 Speaker 1: of their handbags. But in recent years, the model she's 231 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:34,880 Speaker 1: mostly been using is called the Traviata, because it's big 232 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 1: enough to hold all the stuff she carries with her, 233 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:38,679 Speaker 1: but also small enough not to get in the way 234 00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:41,320 Speaker 1: when she's shaking hands with her subjects. But there's actually 235 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:45,000 Speaker 1: another more important reason she carries around the purse, and 236 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:48,480 Speaker 1: what is that. According to royal biographers, the purse is 237 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:50,800 Speaker 1: also this way for the Queen to send these signals 238 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 1: to her staff super discreetly. So if the Queen puts 239 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:55,960 Speaker 1: her hand back on the table during a meal, that 240 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:57,839 Speaker 1: means she wants to end the event in the next 241 00:11:57,920 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 1: five minutes. If she places on the floor instead of 242 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:02,800 Speaker 1: the hook, that signal she's stuck in a boring conversation 243 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 1: and she kinda needs someone to come in and rescue her. Wow, 244 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 1: that's pretty clever, actually, But honestly, I don't know how 245 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:11,280 Speaker 1: discreet it is for the Queen to PLoP her purse 246 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 1: on the dinner table like that. Seems like a pretty 247 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:16,840 Speaker 1: universal way of saying, like, we're we're just about done here. 248 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:19,720 Speaker 1: But it is interesting to know. But since you got 249 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:21,880 Speaker 1: us on the subject of purses, what do you say 250 00:12:21,880 --> 00:12:24,080 Speaker 1: we stick to that track and talk a little bit 251 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:27,160 Speaker 1: about the dudes and don'ts of royal fashion. Sure, but 252 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:45,360 Speaker 1: first let's take a quick break. You're listening to part 253 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:47,720 Speaker 1: time Genius and we're talking about the unexpected rules and 254 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:51,320 Speaker 1: traditions that influence the lives of British royals, all right, Well, 255 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:53,880 Speaker 1: before we dive into the dues and don't the Queen 256 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:56,599 Speaker 1: does have a couple of fashion related perks, and I 257 00:12:56,640 --> 00:12:58,680 Speaker 1: think we should talk about those just for a minute. 258 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:01,200 Speaker 1: So for starters, she never has to break in her 259 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:04,720 Speaker 1: own shoes. Instead, Queen Elizabeth has an attendant whose sole 260 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 1: job is to walk around in her new shoes until 261 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:11,280 Speaker 1: they've lost their stiffness. Now, another fashion park that the 262 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:13,720 Speaker 1: Queen enjoys is that she gets to wear super loud 263 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:17,320 Speaker 1: colors anytime she wants. And if you've ever seen the Queen, 264 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:20,079 Speaker 1: you know that she pretty much does this all the time. 265 00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:22,719 Speaker 1: So I'm curious, like, why is that? Is it just 266 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:25,559 Speaker 1: personal taste or is there some sort of like unridden 267 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:27,680 Speaker 1: rule that says the Queen can never wear dark or 268 00:13:27,760 --> 00:13:30,920 Speaker 1: neutral colors? Like, I've been really curious about this. You know, 269 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:34,440 Speaker 1: I think in part she just does prefer the bright clothing. 270 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:37,720 Speaker 1: But according to Harper's Bizarre, the colors are also part 271 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 1: of royal protocol, namely as a way to make sure 272 00:13:40,679 --> 00:13:43,280 Speaker 1: the Queen always stands out in a crowd. I guess 273 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:46,320 Speaker 1: that makes sense, and that way both her security detail 274 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:49,040 Speaker 1: and her adoring subjects can keep their eyes on there 275 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:52,600 Speaker 1: whenever they want. And I mean, I guess that makes 276 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:54,560 Speaker 1: a certain type of sense. It is fine, though, like 277 00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:57,840 Speaker 1: I've read that the exact opposite rules apply when it 278 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 1: comes to fingernail polish. Like a friendly women in the 279 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 1: Royal family are supposed to stick to these subdued and 280 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:07,520 Speaker 1: kind of natural shades like clear or pale pink. And 281 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:10,240 Speaker 1: for all those loud outfits, the Queen seems to have 282 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:12,679 Speaker 1: no problem abiding by the rule. I mean, you know, 283 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:15,840 Speaker 1: People magazine reported that the Queen had been using the 284 00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:20,400 Speaker 1: same color nail polished since nine And because I know 285 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:23,400 Speaker 1: you're as curious as I was, her brand of choice 286 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:27,160 Speaker 1: is a shade called ballet slippers. Let's get to know, 287 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:30,240 Speaker 1: I fly kind of nails just like the Queen. But 288 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:32,120 Speaker 1: if you want to complete the look, you're gonna actually 289 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:36,320 Speaker 1: gonna have to up your hat game. Uh, because another 290 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 1: fashion tradition the Queen has upheld is the requirement for 291 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:43,040 Speaker 1: women to wear hats to all official events. And apparently 292 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:45,680 Speaker 1: in England it was considered improper for a woman of 293 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 1: high status to keep her head uncovered in public, but 294 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:51,760 Speaker 1: the rule was made official back in the nineteen fifties 295 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:54,920 Speaker 1: and uh, at the time, hats were beginning to fall 296 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:57,400 Speaker 1: out of fashion with women, and the monarchy kind of 297 00:14:57,440 --> 00:15:00,760 Speaker 1: hope to put a stop to that modernization by making 298 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:05,160 Speaker 1: these headgear requirement for the royals, I guess. But over 299 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:08,000 Speaker 1: the decades that rules become a lot more lax. Still, 300 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:11,360 Speaker 1: Queen Elizabeth insists that the family adhere to it, at 301 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:14,200 Speaker 1: least for the time being. All right, well, here's another 302 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:16,120 Speaker 1: one that just kind of makes me laugh. But this 303 00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:19,440 Speaker 1: also deals with royal head covering. So once the clock 304 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:24,600 Speaker 1: strikes six pm, it's tiara a clock that I always 305 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:28,200 Speaker 1: say that that's right. Well, apparently that's the magic hour 306 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:30,880 Speaker 1: when you ditch your headgear and you don your tr 307 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:33,400 Speaker 1: or at least that's the case for any married women 308 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 1: that are in the royal family. And that's because trs 309 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:38,480 Speaker 1: are kind of like wedding rings, so they're meant to 310 00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:41,200 Speaker 1: show that the woman has moved on from one family 311 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:44,320 Speaker 1: into another. I like this idea that if you're like 312 00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:48,200 Speaker 1: a bachelor just cruising the royal dive bar, that's how 313 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 1: you know, like to look elsewhere. That's rights, right, But 314 00:15:51,480 --> 00:15:53,680 Speaker 1: what if you're an unmarried royal woman, Like did you 315 00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 1: just keep your hat on the whole time? Like, like, 316 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:58,480 Speaker 1: how's that work? No, it's six An unmarried woman can 317 00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:00,560 Speaker 1: just take off her hat. They don't have to Donna 318 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:03,160 Speaker 1: tiara and that, you know, anything like that. But it 319 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:05,920 Speaker 1: does seem a little unfair and outdated, But but those 320 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:09,360 Speaker 1: are the rules. Well, speaking of outdated, fashion traditions. Have 321 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:15,239 Speaker 1: you ever noticed that young British princes never wear pants? 322 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:17,960 Speaker 1: I can honestly say I have not noticed that. But 323 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:19,840 Speaker 1: you're saying there's some kind of rule that the royal 324 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:22,440 Speaker 1: kids have to go pantless or something. Well, they have 325 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:26,160 Speaker 1: to wear short pants. And and maybe I'm I'm more 326 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:28,600 Speaker 1: attuned to this because in India, especially when I was 327 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:31,520 Speaker 1: a kid, like, unless you're playing sports, men don't really 328 00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:34,040 Speaker 1: wear shorts. I mean, kids wear it as a uniform 329 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:36,400 Speaker 1: to school, but once you reach like a certain age, 330 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:38,320 Speaker 1: you just don't wear them. And I remember one of 331 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 1: my cousins kind of pulling me aside and telling me 332 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:42,480 Speaker 1: I looked like a tourist because I was wearing shorts 333 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:46,000 Speaker 1: when I was ten or something. But I guess England 334 00:16:46,040 --> 00:16:47,720 Speaker 1: has a little of this too. And and there's this 335 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 1: old tradition in England called breaching, which is when a 336 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:53,720 Speaker 1: boy grows out of the gowns he's worn as an 337 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:57,960 Speaker 1: infant and begins to wear shorts or breeches instead. And uh, 338 00:16:58,040 --> 00:16:59,840 Speaker 1: you know, it isn't until the age of eight or 339 00:16:59,840 --> 00:17:03,840 Speaker 1: so that the boy is officially allowed to wear long pants. It's, uh, 340 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:07,359 Speaker 1: it's a status thing. And it's apparently considered middle class 341 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:10,760 Speaker 1: to let your son wear pants before he turns eight, strangely, 342 00:17:10,840 --> 00:17:14,040 Speaker 1: and of course the royal family avoids anything that sort 343 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:16,680 Speaker 1: of puts them in the middle class. But I mean, 344 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:19,600 Speaker 1: Prince George and and Prince Louis will be spending the 345 00:17:19,640 --> 00:17:22,680 Speaker 1: next few years exclusively in shorts. Wow. And he was 346 00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:26,159 Speaker 1: not exactly known for its warm weather either. But although 347 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:28,280 Speaker 1: I still think I would take the shorts over having 348 00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:30,080 Speaker 1: to wear a hat all day, so I guess it's 349 00:17:30,119 --> 00:17:32,359 Speaker 1: not that bad. Yeah, and maybe there's some kind of 350 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:35,080 Speaker 1: work around, like they can just wear really long socks 351 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:39,919 Speaker 1: or something. Alright, Well, since you bring up these workarounds, 352 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:42,159 Speaker 1: here's a clever trick that the Queen uses to prevent 353 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:46,040 Speaker 1: any wardrobe malfunctions. She has these small one ounce weight 354 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:48,960 Speaker 1: sewn into the hem line of her skirts and dresses, 355 00:17:49,520 --> 00:17:51,520 Speaker 1: and that way, when she's out and about, there's no 356 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:53,919 Speaker 1: risk of a sudden breeze, you know, kind of showing 357 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:57,240 Speaker 1: too much skin. Oh that's fascinating. I hadn't heard that before, 358 00:17:57,280 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 1: but I actually remember a similar trick that Princess Diane 359 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:02,639 Speaker 1: and I used to rely on. So anytime she was 360 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:04,879 Speaker 1: stepping out of a car, she would hold her clutch 361 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:08,119 Speaker 1: bag just tight against her chest so that the paparazzi 362 00:18:08,119 --> 00:18:11,119 Speaker 1: couldn't snap any compromising photos of her. And apparently she 363 00:18:11,160 --> 00:18:14,320 Speaker 1: had these clutches specifically designed with that purpose in mind, 364 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:17,359 Speaker 1: and she actually referred to them as her cleavage bags 365 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:19,040 Speaker 1: because she kind of had a good sense of humor 366 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:21,600 Speaker 1: about it. Yeah, I mean, she was definitely the people's 367 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:23,560 Speaker 1: princess for a reason, and it did seem to have 368 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:25,480 Speaker 1: a good sense of humor. But now that we've talked 369 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:27,240 Speaker 1: about what it means to dress like a royal, I 370 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:29,040 Speaker 1: do feel like we should spend some time on what 371 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:31,960 Speaker 1: it's like to travel and eat like one as well. 372 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:34,000 Speaker 1: But before we get to that, let's take one more 373 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:52,639 Speaker 1: quick break. Okay, Well, so you mentioned earlier that the 374 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:56,040 Speaker 1: Queen primarily dresses in bright tones during her outings. But 375 00:18:56,320 --> 00:18:57,919 Speaker 1: do you know there's a different rule and play when 376 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:01,120 Speaker 1: the royal family is traveling abroad. So this is by 377 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 1: order of the Queen, every family member has to pack 378 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:07,680 Speaker 1: an all black outfit whenever they travel. But it actually 379 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:10,399 Speaker 1: has a really practical reason. It's in case there's a 380 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:12,800 Speaker 1: sudden death while they're away, So like if they have 381 00:19:12,920 --> 00:19:15,400 Speaker 1: to attend a funeral or something. Yeah, I mean that 382 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:17,639 Speaker 1: that would be one example, but it's really more for 383 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:20,399 Speaker 1: the return trip back to England. It would actually be 384 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:22,960 Speaker 1: deemed inappropriate if a royal were seen getting off the 385 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:25,119 Speaker 1: plane in bright colors right after the loss of a 386 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:27,320 Speaker 1: family member. So the rules kind of this way to 387 00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:30,560 Speaker 1: make sure that the appropriate morning attire is always on hand. 388 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:33,720 Speaker 1: But uh, you know what, while it sounds kind of 389 00:19:33,800 --> 00:19:37,000 Speaker 1: like a specific circumstance to be wary of, it actually 390 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:39,280 Speaker 1: comes from experience. For the Queen, she ran to this 391 00:19:39,359 --> 00:19:43,120 Speaker 1: exact scenario in when her father passed away. At the time, 392 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:45,720 Speaker 1: the Queen had been traveling to Kenya with Prince Philip 393 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:48,520 Speaker 1: and that's when the news reached her. And unfortunately she 394 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:51,080 Speaker 1: hadn't packed a black dress for her trips, so when 395 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 1: she returned to England she actually had to stay with 396 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:55,320 Speaker 1: the plane on the tarmac until a dress could be 397 00:19:55,359 --> 00:19:57,280 Speaker 1: brought to her. Oh wow, yeah, I mean, I could 398 00:19:57,280 --> 00:19:58,960 Speaker 1: see why she would want to prevent that from ever 399 00:19:59,040 --> 00:20:02,479 Speaker 1: happening to her or anybody else in our family. And honestly, 400 00:20:02,480 --> 00:20:04,639 Speaker 1: it's one of those reminders that these big trips that 401 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:07,600 Speaker 1: we see royals taking, they aren't always something to be 402 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:10,639 Speaker 1: jealous of. I mean, not that they're that terrible or 403 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:12,840 Speaker 1: that difficult, but most of them are a little bit 404 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 1: more like business trips than they are these fun vacations 405 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:18,159 Speaker 1: that we might imagine. So, for example, I read this 406 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:21,199 Speaker 1: article from a reporter who's accompanied the Royal family on 407 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 1: some like twenty tours or so it was. It was 408 00:20:23,880 --> 00:20:26,880 Speaker 1: Gordon rain Or and he he says that every aspect 409 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:30,280 Speaker 1: of the trips are decided in advance and choreographed down 410 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:32,399 Speaker 1: to the minute. So this is how he put it 411 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:35,320 Speaker 1: in one of his stories. Touring the world, meeting heads 412 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:38,159 Speaker 1: of state and being shown cultural treasures sounds like a 413 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:41,679 Speaker 1: wonderful life. Yet I have no envy for the Royal family. 414 00:20:42,119 --> 00:20:44,760 Speaker 1: Their visits to world famous sites rarely last more than 415 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 1: forty minutes, and chances are they will never return to 416 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:50,840 Speaker 1: see them. Yeah, I mean, it sounds like all formalities 417 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:52,680 Speaker 1: and not like a lot of time to have fun. 418 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:56,160 Speaker 1: But it's such a strict and grueling schedule. And also 419 00:20:56,160 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 1: they have to look out for a bunch of things 420 00:20:57,520 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 1: that most of us don't have to worry about when traveling. 421 00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:02,520 Speaker 1: And it isn't just like carrying an extra pair of 422 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:05,560 Speaker 1: black clothes. So I read that Prince Charles and Camilla 423 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:08,040 Speaker 1: sometimes bring their own alcohol with them so that they 424 00:21:08,040 --> 00:21:11,119 Speaker 1: can make sure nobody's poisoned their drinks. Like that's still 425 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:14,359 Speaker 1: a concern for them. And apparently one of their bodyguards 426 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:16,200 Speaker 1: is always ready with a bag containing the goods for 427 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:19,640 Speaker 1: an emergency gin and tonic or or sometimes a really 428 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:22,400 Speaker 1: good red wine. And this is even weirder. So Prince 429 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:24,119 Speaker 1: Charles and the Queen also have to bring along a 430 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:26,959 Speaker 1: supply of their own blood wherever they travel, and this 431 00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:29,359 Speaker 1: is just in case there's a shortage wherever that happens 432 00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:32,520 Speaker 1: to be. I mean, can you imagine carrying extra bags 433 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 1: of blood everywhere you go? It feels like slascha hassle. Wow. Well, 434 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:38,480 Speaker 1: there is a little more room in their bag because 435 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:40,840 Speaker 1: one thing the Queen doesn't have to worry about traveling 436 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:43,439 Speaker 1: with is a passport. She doesn't need it whenever she 437 00:21:43,520 --> 00:21:46,119 Speaker 1: travels to other countries. That's really funny, Like I I 438 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:48,639 Speaker 1: guess it's because I get my shoes taken away from 439 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:51,639 Speaker 1: every inspection at the airport when every time I travel, 440 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:53,680 Speaker 1: Like I guess, I always just assumed that the same 441 00:21:53,720 --> 00:21:58,040 Speaker 1: customs rules applied to everyone, but didn't Prince George actually 442 00:21:58,119 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: have to get a baby passport when when he flew 443 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:01,879 Speaker 1: some years like, I feel like I read that in 444 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:04,840 Speaker 1: newspapers or something. Well, the rest of the Royal family 445 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:07,600 Speaker 1: actually does have to carry passports and adhere to the 446 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:11,879 Speaker 1: immigration rules, but the Queen is exempt on a technicality. Basically, 447 00:22:12,320 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 1: you know, since British passports are issued in the name 448 00:22:14,880 --> 00:22:18,200 Speaker 1: of her Majesty, she can't exactly issue one to herself 449 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:21,560 Speaker 1: and therefore doesn't need one traveling. So anyway, that said, 450 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:23,920 Speaker 1: the Queen does still have to go through an identity 451 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:27,159 Speaker 1: check whenever she flies in or out of Britain, and 452 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:29,600 Speaker 1: each time she has to meet with immigration officials and 453 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:33,760 Speaker 1: give her full name, age, address, nationality, gender, and of 454 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:36,520 Speaker 1: course place of birth. I mean that sounds horrible. It 455 00:22:36,520 --> 00:22:39,080 Speaker 1: sounds worse than having to show your passport. But you know, 456 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:42,000 Speaker 1: as many precautions and hoops as there are to jump 457 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:44,440 Speaker 1: through when it comes to traveling, there an equal number 458 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:47,080 Speaker 1: when it goes to royal dining as well. For example, 459 00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:49,640 Speaker 1: do you know that a shellfish is actually banned from 460 00:22:49,680 --> 00:22:52,720 Speaker 1: the royal dinner table. I like the fact that porpoises 461 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:55,680 Speaker 1: are fine to eat, but for some reason, shrimp scampy 462 00:22:55,680 --> 00:22:58,159 Speaker 1: is forbidden, so I'm curious that, Like, what is the 463 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:01,040 Speaker 1: logic there? Is it an allergy thing? They just preferred 464 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:06,280 Speaker 1: dolphins scampy? Okay? So no, it's because eating shellfishes is 465 00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:08,680 Speaker 1: more likely to result in food poisoning than other kinds 466 00:23:08,680 --> 00:23:11,440 Speaker 1: of foods, and and obviously allergies too, So I guess 467 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:15,000 Speaker 1: it's just considered too risky to serve to them. Alright, So, 468 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:17,280 Speaker 1: I mean, we know what they are allowed to eat 469 00:23:17,359 --> 00:23:19,280 Speaker 1: and what they're not allowed to but I'm curious, like 470 00:23:19,320 --> 00:23:21,960 Speaker 1: what did they like to eat? Like what's an ideal 471 00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:25,800 Speaker 1: meal for Queen Elizabeth? So, as you might expect, what 472 00:23:25,880 --> 00:23:28,320 Speaker 1: to eat is completely up to her because she is 473 00:23:28,359 --> 00:23:31,680 Speaker 1: the queen, and she actually reviews this big, red leather 474 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:35,880 Speaker 1: bound menu book like twice a week, and whichever suggested 475 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:38,119 Speaker 1: items she marks are exactly what's served to her in 476 00:23:38,160 --> 00:23:40,760 Speaker 1: the next couple of days. But apparently one of her 477 00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:43,560 Speaker 1: chefs has said that she only really eats to live, 478 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:46,280 Speaker 1: and she actually has much simpler taste than you'd imagine. 479 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:48,880 Speaker 1: So while there are a few fancy foods that she likes, 480 00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:52,520 Speaker 1: she supposedly abstains mostly for financial reasons. And I you 481 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:54,760 Speaker 1: wouldn't think of the Queen is cheap, but apparently she is. 482 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:58,760 Speaker 1: So This is quote from her personal chef Darren McGrady. 483 00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:01,720 Speaker 1: The Queen loves gram bled eggs with smoked salmon and 484 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:04,920 Speaker 1: grading of truffle, but she was too frugal to ever 485 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:07,920 Speaker 1: order fresh truffles and only really enjoyed them at Christmas 486 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:11,000 Speaker 1: when the truffles were sent as a gift. So instead, 487 00:24:11,040 --> 00:24:14,240 Speaker 1: her typical breakfast is just special K with fresh fruit. 488 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:16,920 Speaker 1: Isn't that crazy? That is crazy? And why is it 489 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:19,600 Speaker 1: special K advertising this? Like I feel like the cereal 490 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:22,560 Speaker 1: sales would skyrocket from this, but you know, it also 491 00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:24,439 Speaker 1: feels like kind of a waste, Like why isn't she 492 00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:28,040 Speaker 1: eating wild boar bacon and like this post emu egg 493 00:24:28,119 --> 00:24:31,920 Speaker 1: like every single day? And are there any ritzy foods 494 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:34,800 Speaker 1: that she does eat? So not that I can tell, 495 00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:37,199 Speaker 1: But probably the fanciest thing about her meals is the 496 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:39,520 Speaker 1: care that goes into preparing the simple stuff she does 497 00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:42,520 Speaker 1: like to eat. So for example, one staff member who 498 00:24:42,520 --> 00:24:44,720 Speaker 1: worked in the Palace kitchen in the nineties recalled this 499 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:46,720 Speaker 1: time when he had to learn the proper way to 500 00:24:46,760 --> 00:24:50,359 Speaker 1: prepare the Queen's tuna sandwiches, and the level of detail 501 00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:52,960 Speaker 1: is kind of surprising. So here's what he said. A 502 00:24:53,040 --> 00:24:55,879 Speaker 1: chef once told me off for serving the sandwiches with crust. 503 00:24:56,200 --> 00:24:58,800 Speaker 1: He then showed me how to make the perfect tuna sandwich, 504 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:02,520 Speaker 1: cutting the loaf nth wise, buttering both sides, adding the 505 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:06,000 Speaker 1: tuna mayonnaise mixture, and thinly sliced cucumbers with a crack 506 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:09,320 Speaker 1: of pepper. He then folded over the two lengths, removed 507 00:25:09,359 --> 00:25:13,399 Speaker 1: the crust, and cut it into eight identical triangles. The 508 00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:17,280 Speaker 1: palace kitchen was all about that detail. I mean, that 509 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 1: doesn't seem decadent so much. It's just kind of weird. 510 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 1: Who cuts their sandwiches into eight equal Queen of England, 511 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:28,480 Speaker 1: I guess, I guess that's fair. Still, despite the fact 512 00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:30,840 Speaker 1: that the Queen prefers simple foods, that doesn't mean that 513 00:25:30,880 --> 00:25:33,400 Speaker 1: the royal dinners are laid back at all. In fact, 514 00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:36,400 Speaker 1: every aspect of a royal meal is just as carefully 515 00:25:36,440 --> 00:25:39,840 Speaker 1: scrutinized and orchestrated as every bit of that travel itinerary. 516 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:44,360 Speaker 1: So even the Queen's dinner conversations are tightly scheduled. I mean, 517 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:46,919 Speaker 1: is there somebody They're just sitting there timing it or what. 518 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:50,560 Speaker 1: Not exactly, but almost like the queen only speaks to 519 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:52,760 Speaker 1: the two people on either side of her, and she 520 00:25:52,840 --> 00:25:55,120 Speaker 1: does it in sequence. So for the first course she'll 521 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:57,560 Speaker 1: talk exclusively with the person on her right, and then 522 00:25:57,560 --> 00:25:59,639 Speaker 1: for the second course she'll switch and talk only to 523 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 1: the per sit on her left. She'll just ignore the 524 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:04,040 Speaker 1: other side of the conversation. I mean, it feels like 525 00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:05,639 Speaker 1: you get a crick in your neck. That would be 526 00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:08,639 Speaker 1: my biggest concern with this, But you know, just seeing this, 527 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:11,280 Speaker 1: like every part of their lives just feels so regimented 528 00:26:11,320 --> 00:26:14,720 Speaker 1: and beholden to tradition or these obscure laws or whatever. 529 00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:19,639 Speaker 1: But it does sometimes make me feel almost bad for them. 530 00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:21,560 Speaker 1: I mean, would it make you feel any better if 531 00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:23,679 Speaker 1: I told you that the royal family's net worth is 532 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:28,440 Speaker 1: estimated to be north of ninety billion dollars billion dollars. 533 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:30,200 Speaker 1: I don't know if it makes me feel better, but 534 00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 1: I guess I would agree to eat my sandwiches and 535 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:35,199 Speaker 1: tiny squares and maybe use a portable hook for my 536 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:38,720 Speaker 1: backpack if somebody gave me that amount of money. Yeah, 537 00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:40,840 Speaker 1: I mean, I think it's one of those grasses always 538 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:43,720 Speaker 1: greener situations. I mean, the money and privilege that royalty 539 00:26:43,760 --> 00:26:47,080 Speaker 1: get is definitely preferable to all sorts of other lifestyles. 540 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:49,600 Speaker 1: But there's obviously something to be said for, you know, 541 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:51,760 Speaker 1: being able to dress how you want and eat how 542 00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:54,960 Speaker 1: you want without fear of I guess, upsetting these nonsensical 543 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:59,399 Speaker 1: traditions or even these public expectations. You know, you know, 544 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:01,600 Speaker 1: I may never in all the swans in England, but 545 00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:03,560 Speaker 1: at least we have the freedom to paint our nails 546 00:27:03,560 --> 00:27:08,880 Speaker 1: bright colors and dress our sons and pants very well 547 00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:10,919 Speaker 1: put mango al right, Well, now that we have a 548 00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:13,520 Speaker 1: better feel about our lot in life, I guess what 549 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:14,919 Speaker 1: do you say we head into the fact off and 550 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:18,160 Speaker 1: cover off a few more offbeat rules of royalty. I'm 551 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:28,280 Speaker 1: pah okay, so I'm gonna start whip the quick one. 552 00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:31,480 Speaker 1: The Queen of England's portrait has been on enough international 553 00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:33,560 Speaker 1: bank notes that if you took the money from those 554 00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:37,719 Speaker 1: Commonwealth countries, you can actually make a timeline of her aging. 555 00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:41,399 Speaker 1: Oh that's pretty awesome. So here's one about Princess Diana 556 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:44,800 Speaker 1: from Vanity Fair. Apparently she and Freddie Mercury were friends 557 00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:46,920 Speaker 1: and they used to day drink together, like listen, to 558 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:50,080 Speaker 1: this detail, Dash she used to watch Golden Girls reruns 559 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:55,119 Speaker 1: together while drinking. But during one of these sessions, she 560 00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:58,000 Speaker 1: told Mercury she wanted to go clubbing with him that evening, 561 00:27:58,000 --> 00:27:59,800 Speaker 1: I guess. And and there were these two other friends 562 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:02,359 Speaker 1: with them, and they were saying, you know, it's way 563 00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:05,479 Speaker 1: too risky, but Mercury was up for it, and he 564 00:28:05,520 --> 00:28:08,200 Speaker 1: really just wanted his friend to have some fun. And Diana, 565 00:28:08,760 --> 00:28:11,040 Speaker 1: I guess she she was obstinate about it too, So 566 00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:14,280 Speaker 1: they hatched this scheme and later that night they dressed 567 00:28:14,280 --> 00:28:16,800 Speaker 1: her up in this oversized army jacket and a hat 568 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:19,920 Speaker 1: and sunglasses, and they took her incognito into a gay 569 00:28:19,920 --> 00:28:22,200 Speaker 1: bar in South London and just danced the night away. 570 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:24,720 Speaker 1: I love that story. Alright. Well, here's a question I've 571 00:28:24,720 --> 00:28:27,040 Speaker 1: been wondering ever since I saw that dust up about 572 00:28:27,040 --> 00:28:30,280 Speaker 1: whether Meg and Marco was out walking her dog. And 573 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:32,480 Speaker 1: while the Palace denied that the woman in the photo 574 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:35,760 Speaker 1: was in fact Megan, the official answer is that Royals 575 00:28:35,920 --> 00:28:39,040 Speaker 1: do walk their dogs. In fact, they also pick up 576 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:42,560 Speaker 1: after them, which is really surprising that. According to a 577 00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:45,880 Speaker 1: Royal researcher who spoke with bizarre quote, when it comes 578 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:49,120 Speaker 1: to dealing with a dog's business. No royal has been 579 00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:52,800 Speaker 1: too proud to handle things themselves. Of course, they're more 580 00:28:52,840 --> 00:28:55,720 Speaker 1: likely to walk dogs in private rather than public parks, 581 00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:58,440 Speaker 1: and most of their homes have great lawns or grass 582 00:28:58,480 --> 00:29:01,760 Speaker 1: behind walls. But still I wouldn't have thought that. Yeah, 583 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:04,320 Speaker 1: I had no idea. But speaking of dogs, the Queen 584 00:29:04,360 --> 00:29:06,760 Speaker 1: of course has Corgis, which he is known to walk herself, 585 00:29:07,160 --> 00:29:09,680 Speaker 1: but you have to be very, very careful around them. 586 00:29:09,720 --> 00:29:12,920 Speaker 1: So apparently the palace staff is under no circumstance allowed 587 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:16,640 Speaker 1: to reprimand the Queen's coreys and when there's sirt their meals, 588 00:29:16,760 --> 00:29:18,960 Speaker 1: it's prepared by a palace chef and brought to them 589 00:29:18,960 --> 00:29:22,760 Speaker 1: by a royal footman. Uh all right, Well you might 590 00:29:22,840 --> 00:29:25,000 Speaker 1: have seen this photo from a few years ago. But 591 00:29:25,160 --> 00:29:28,320 Speaker 1: when Lebron James put his arm around Kate Middleton when 592 00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:31,280 Speaker 1: they were posing after a game, there was this huge 593 00:29:31,360 --> 00:29:34,640 Speaker 1: internet storm about it, and like who's allowed to touch 594 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:36,920 Speaker 1: or you know when you can touch a royal? And 595 00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:40,360 Speaker 1: after all these people started talking about Lebron James, the 596 00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:44,200 Speaker 1: monarchy's website actually made it clear quote there are no 597 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:47,120 Speaker 1: obligatory codes of behavior when meeting the queen or a 598 00:29:47,160 --> 00:29:49,760 Speaker 1: member of the royal family. They do have a list 599 00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:52,760 Speaker 1: of traditional behaviors you can observe if you'd like, like 600 00:29:53,240 --> 00:29:55,680 Speaker 1: men should do a neck bow and women should do 601 00:29:55,720 --> 00:29:59,040 Speaker 1: a courtesy, but they aren't essential rules, and according to 602 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:01,680 Speaker 1: The Atlantic, the monarch he doesn't really take offense when 603 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:04,800 Speaker 1: they do get touched. And it's mostly just like the 604 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:07,720 Speaker 1: British tabloids who liked to thir things up when you know, 605 00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:11,160 Speaker 1: especially Americans, get the antequated etiquette a little bit wrong. 606 00:30:11,680 --> 00:30:13,560 Speaker 1: I know, I feel like these rules come up when 607 00:30:13,560 --> 00:30:16,440 Speaker 1: people thought the kings were divinely appointed, but you know, 608 00:30:16,680 --> 00:30:19,560 Speaker 1: no one really thinks that's the case anymore. But here's 609 00:30:19,600 --> 00:30:22,040 Speaker 1: something I loved. Mental Floss made a strange list of 610 00:30:22,080 --> 00:30:24,640 Speaker 1: wedding gifts that have been given to royals, and while 611 00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:27,400 Speaker 1: royals mostly direct people to send money to charities that 612 00:30:27,440 --> 00:30:30,000 Speaker 1: they're choosing, they still get some of the registry items 613 00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:33,080 Speaker 1: that they haven't asked for, like h tandem bikes. Some 614 00:30:33,320 --> 00:30:37,560 Speaker 1: royals got how to stop smoking courses. One got a 615 00:30:37,720 --> 00:30:40,920 Speaker 1: giant jigsaw puzzle that was assembled by people who came 616 00:30:40,920 --> 00:30:44,080 Speaker 1: to a mall and spent a month solving it. Gandhi 617 00:30:44,160 --> 00:30:47,520 Speaker 1: apparently hand wove a lace doily that he sent to Elizabeth, 618 00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:50,320 Speaker 1: which is particularly funny because her Grandmam thought it was 619 00:30:50,360 --> 00:30:53,800 Speaker 1: a loin cloth. And of course the traditional gift of 620 00:30:53,880 --> 00:30:57,240 Speaker 1: three leopards, which I guess King Henry the Third got 621 00:30:57,280 --> 00:31:00,400 Speaker 1: because two leopards weren't enough of a gesture, right of 622 00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:03,560 Speaker 1: course not Yeah, that would be ridiculous. But well, here's 623 00:31:03,560 --> 00:31:06,600 Speaker 1: something I had never heard, and it comes from business insider. 624 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:09,600 Speaker 1: So when Queen Elizabeth dies, the people of Britain are 625 00:31:09,680 --> 00:31:13,120 Speaker 1: forbidden from laughing or merriment. And you'll see this on 626 00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:16,560 Speaker 1: TV two. For the twelve days between her death and 627 00:31:16,640 --> 00:31:20,200 Speaker 1: her funeral, all BBC channels will be under strict orders 628 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:23,480 Speaker 1: not to air anything funny. And much like the way 629 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:27,040 Speaker 1: the royal family travels, the stations and anchors all have 630 00:31:27,120 --> 00:31:29,960 Speaker 1: black suits and clothes on hand to change into if 631 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:33,800 Speaker 1: and when that news breaks. Oh man, that's crazy. I mean, 632 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:35,920 Speaker 1: we're hoping it doesn't happen for a very long time. 633 00:31:36,040 --> 00:31:38,280 Speaker 1: But what a bizarre fact. And and that is a 634 00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:39,840 Speaker 1: hard one to top. I I think you ought to 635 00:31:39,880 --> 00:31:42,800 Speaker 1: take the crown for this week. Oh thanks so much. Well, 636 00:31:42,840 --> 00:31:45,960 Speaker 1: there is no shortage of great stuff out there about 637 00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:48,160 Speaker 1: the royal family over the years, so I'm sure we've 638 00:31:48,240 --> 00:31:50,520 Speaker 1: left out some terrific facts. We always love hearing those 639 00:31:50,560 --> 00:31:52,880 Speaker 1: from you guys. You can email us part time genius 640 00:31:52,880 --> 00:31:55,120 Speaker 1: at how stuff works dot com or always hit us 641 00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:58,560 Speaker 1: up on the socials anytime. But from Mango, Tristan, Gabe, 642 00:31:58,560 --> 00:32:00,000 Speaker 1: and me, thanks so much for listen.