Royal rules Meghan must follow
Now that the former American actress has a royal title, there are a few rules she's got to be mindful of at all times.
Some are simple etiquette rules, and others pertain to the order of the royal family.
She must curtsy to higher-ups
Meghan will have to curtsy to anyone that outranks her upon entering a room. That includes the Queen, of course, as well as Kate Middleton and Camilla Parker Bowles.
She'll also have to do this at official events.
Mourning clothes must be kept on-hand when travelling
After the death of King George while then-Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip were travelling in Africa, members of the royal family now have to travel with mourning clothes.
No dark nail colours
OK! magazine reported that members of the royal family are forbidden from sporting dark nail polish colours.
No social media
Members of the royal family are forbidden from having their own social media accounts. Updates and statements from them are released on the Kensington Palace Twitter and Instagram accounts, as well as the palace's website.
Before marrying Prince Harry, Meghan was forced to shut down her lifestyle blog and Instagram account.
No autographs
Meghan's autograph-signing days are over. The former Hollywood star is forbidden from signing fan autographs and, in most cases, guestbooks.
No selfies
According to the Daily Mirror, Meghan and Harry were recently approached by a young couple who asked if they could have a selfie with them. The pair declined politely and Meghan explained: "We're not allowed to do selfies."
Speaking with Smooth Radio, royal family etiquette expert Jennifer Gehmair delved deeper into the rule.
"Turning your back to the Duke and Duchess and taking a selfie is discouraged if at all possible. I know it's fun to do, but they much would rather see your face."
No short skirts
Meghan won't be showing off her legs now that she's a member of the royal family. The Queen reportedly doesn't approve of hemlines any higher than one or two centimetres above the knee.
No leg crossing
According to Hello!, members of the royal family are expected not to cross their legs. Instead, they should cross their ankles.
Kate often does this move during engagements. It's become known as "the Duchess Slant".
Dinner with the Queen is at 8.30pm sharp
When sharing dinner with the Queen, guests are expected to eat by 8.30pm. The meal will be over at 10pm.
Queen Elizabeth II is apparently serious about her schedule.
No eating before or after the Queen
StyleCaster reported that Meghan can't begin eating before Queen Elizabeth, nor can she continue after.
No sleeping until the Queen sleeps
If Meghan stays with Queen Elizabeth, she must wait until she's asleep to go to bed herself, according to the Daily Beast.
Meghan must always be seated next to her husband
Open seating is reportedly a no-no now that Meghan is a member of the royal family. She's expected to be sat next to Prince Harry, 33, at all events.
Respect the order
In addition to curtsying to higher-ranking family members, there's an order for entering rooms according to Reader's Digest.
The Queen enters first, followed by Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Camilla Parker Bowles, Prince William, Kate Middleton. Prince Harry and then Meghan are thought to be next.
Pinkies in
Contrary to popular belief, the proper way to drink tea is by using your thumb and index finger to hold the top of the tea cup handle while your middle finger supports the bottom of the cup.
Coffee should be consumed with your index finger through the cup handle.
In either scenario, pinkies must be in, Myka Meier told People.
No shellfish
This rule has been relaxed recently, though Queen Elizabeth II still adheres to it strictly.
The royal family is generally not to consume shellfish to avoid getting food poisoning.
Line of succession
The line of succession plays an important part in many of the new rules Meghan must follow now that she's the Duchess of Sussex.
The order is as follows:
Prince Charles of Wales
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge
Prince George of Cambridge
Princess Charlotte of Cambridge
Prince Louis of Cambridge
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Princess Beatrice of York
Princess Eugenie of York
Duchess of Sussex
Meghan Markle became the Duchess of Sussex after she married Prince Harry on Saturday, May 19, 2018. The Queen passed the title on to the couple as a gift of sorts.
Prince Harry is the first Duke of Sussex since 1843.
READ MORE: Royal Wedding 2018: Meghan Markle's thoughtful gift for Kate
Queen Elizabeth II did a similar gesture with Prince William and Kate Middleton, naming them the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Meghan's official title is Her Royal Highness Princess Henry of Wales.
