So many little girls out there dream of becoming a princess when they grow up.
I remember dressing up in tulle skirts, plastic necklaces, and pink tiaras, doing my own hair in a tangled mess and thinking it looked great, and going out to the porch to look over my "kingdom." I know I wasn't the only little girl out there who went through this elaborate game, too.
However, being a real princess these days takes a lot more than just looking the part, although that is still a bit of the deal. Being a princess means representing an entire country, and it's a full-time job. I don't just mean a nine-to-five, I mean an all-consuming job, affecting each and every part of life. Kate Middleton's life changed entirely once she started dating the prince, and once she joined the royal family officially, there were some very strict and sometimes strange rules set in place for her.
Becoming a princess of England or most any other country isn't easy. Not only do you have to have the right connections, but you've got to work hard to get to the right place at the right time.
These 10 requirements may be a bit surprising, but man do they make me appreciate the royal women out there a whole lot more.
Please SHARE with your family and friends on Facebook who you think might have dressed up in plastic tiaras when they were younger too.
[H/T: CBS Local, What Would Kate Do]
Thumbnail source: Wikimedia Commons
1. Learn As Many Languages As Possible
Modern-day princesses have to know as many languages as possible, so that when they visit diplomats from foreign countries, they can have at least most of the conversation in their native tongue.
2. Give Up Your Voting Rights
At least in England, that is. While there is no official law, the people of England consider it unconstitutional for the royal family to participate in elections, as they are supposed to represent the entire country. Once you become a princess, there's no more voting if you want to remain in the country's good graces.
3. Give Up Your Wild Side
A princess is most likely not the type to cause much trouble in the first place, but if she had any semblance of a wild side before, she's going to have to kiss that goodbye when she marries into the royal family. There aren't to be any scandals, no matter how small, coming from her or her family.
4. Prepare For A Life Of Formalities
Nicknames are not allowed in the royal palace. And you better get used to being called "Her Royal Highness the Princess ____ of ____."
5. Stay Impeccably Groomed
Princess Kate, or, rather, Catherine, goes to the salon at least three times a week for a blowout on top of haircuts and stylings. She's never caught in a bad moment, and she's an ideal example of a perfectly primped princess. Being a princess is not for those that like to run errands in their gym clothes after an intense workout.
6. Live By The Queen's Household Rules
The queen dictates a lot of the little things that go on in the day-to-day lives of the royal family. For example, everyone has to stop eating as soon as the queen is finished with her dinner, even if they've hardly touched it. So you better make sure you eat fast if you want to become a princess and still finish your food.
7. Go To The Best Schools And Events
To become a princess, you have to meet a prince. The likeliest places to do that are at the most prestigious institutions of higher education or at very high-end balls, galas, or charity events. So anyone expecting to be a princess had better get herself accepted to the best schools and on the lists for those events. It also looks much better, and it is better, for a princess to be well-educated, as she holds such a place of high importance in society.
8. Give Up Any Other Career Path
Being a princess is a full-time job, and it's expected to stay that way. So even if you went to the fanciest schools in the world to get the degree of your dreams, your dream to be a princess better be pulling you with a bit more strength. Princess Kate has a degree in art history, but she's a full-time princess now.
9. Skip Running For Office
A princess should never run for political office for similar reasons to the ban on voting. She's a representation of the whole country already, and running for a political office with a certain party would create a divide.
10. Find Causes You Care About
A major part of being a princess is doing a lot of charity work, and being a caring figure for the country. Most princesses find one or two causes that they truly care about and work toward making improvements in those areas.
Did you know any of these surprising requirements of princesses? Please SHARE with your family and friends on Facebook!
