Unsplash/Martin BennieThe British monarchy is steeped in centuries of ritual, symbolism, and inherited ceremony, but not all of it makes sense. While many traditions are rooted in history and dignity, others are just… odd. Even within royal circles, some customs raise eyebrows, whether for how outdated they are, how needlessly complicated they’ve become, or how little relevance they hold today. Here’s a look at some of the more peculiar royal traditions that, even for those born into The Firm, might seem a little baffling.
The royal swan ownership
Technically, the monarch owns all unmarked mute swans on open waters in England and Wales. This quirky law dates back to the 12th century, when swans were considered a delicacy, and only the nobility could eat them. These days, no one’s putting them on a dinner table, but the Crown’s claim still exists.
Each year, there’s even an official ceremony called Swan Upping, where the Queen’s Swan Marker (yes, that’s a real title) and a team of rowers count and inspect swans on the Thames. It’s part conservation, part tradition, and while it has its ecological value now, it’s easy to imagine some royals wondering why they’re still involved in a census of birds they’re never going to eat. The tradition endures mostly as a spectacle, but it remains one of the most unusual examples of royal oversight.
The refusal to play Monopoly
According to Prince Andrew, the royal family is apparently banned from playing Monopoly at home because it “gets too vicious.” While this might sound like a family joke, it’s been repeated often enough to gain a life of its own.
Whether it’s meant seriously or not, it’s become one of those strange anecdotes that sticks. The idea that a board game is too cutthroat for royal decorum has become a shorthand for the odd combination of formality and family life inside palace walls. It also hints at just how tense things can get when high-ranking family members are locked in fierce competition, even if it’s only over fake property.
Royal toasts must follow protocol, even with orange juice
When the monarch is toasted at a banquet, everyone must stand, raise their glass, and reply with “The Queen” or “The King,” regardless of whether there’s champagne in their glass or just orange juice. This custom holds even if the monarch themselves is abstaining from alcohol.
What makes it particularly strange is how strictly it’s enforced. There’s no winging it, no cheeky jokes, and certainly no skipping the moment. For newcomers to royal life, it’s one of those seemingly minor things that carries huge symbolic weight, and an unexpected amount of pressure. Even a moment’s hesitation or misstep during this small ritual can be seen as a breach of decorum.
Birthday honours… for two birthdays
The monarch gets two birthdays. The real one (for Elizabeth II, it was April 21st; for Charles III, it’s November 14th), and the “official” one, celebrated in June with the Trooping the Colour ceremony. The second birthday tradition started with King George II, who wanted better weather for his public festivities.
It might seem odd to throw a birthday party that’s months away from the actual date, but it’s now completely institutionalised. Even modern royals play along, though there’s probably a part of them that finds the charade slightly absurd. The pomp and pageantry of the official celebration often eclipses the real birthday itself, turning it into more of a public performance than a private milestone.
Black outfits must always be packed
When royals travel abroad, they’re required to bring a full set of mourning clothes, just in case a close relative dies while they’re away. The rule was firmly established in 1952 when Elizabeth, then Princess, was caught off guard by her father’s death while in Kenya and had no black dress to wear upon returning.
Since then, every royal trip involves preparing for worst-case scenarios. It’s practical, in its way, but also a morbid packing ritual that must feel unsettling, no matter how many times they’ve done it. There’s something uniquely grim about having to plan your wardrobe around potential grief, especially when travelling for diplomacy or celebration.
Bowing and curtsying to each other
Members of the royal family bow or curtsy to the monarch, and sometimes to each other, depending on seniority and whether they’re “on duty.” This hierarchy can become confusing, especially as titles shift with marriage, birth, or death.
It’s not always clear who should bow to whom, and even royals have admitted in interviews that it can get awkward. When tradition gets in the way of simply greeting your relatives, it’s understandable that some royals might find the whole system more hassle than it’s worth. Add in different rules for who’s considered “working royal” and the entire thing quickly becomes a delicate social dance.
The royal washing-up code
At Sandringham and Balmoral, the royals take turns doing the dishes after informal meals, but even this comes with a hierarchy. One person washes, one dries, and another puts away, all in order of seniority. No one jumps the queue, not even to help.
For people who are used to centuries of formality, there’s something endearingly ridiculous about having a pecking order for washing plates. But it’s also a glimpse into how even the most mundane tasks can be turned into tradition. For newcomers or guests, trying to slot into this unspoken routine might be one of the more confusing parts of royal hospitality.
The Balmoral test
Though not officially written down, the “Balmoral test” is something many royal insiders and biographers have spoken about. It refers to an informal, unspoken assessment of a guest’s behaviour during a visit to the royal family’s Scottish estate. Everything from dress code to dinner table small talk can be silently evaluated.
Diana reportedly passed with flying colours, while other guests have floundered. It’s a throwback to a time when subtlety, composure, and deference were considered the highest social currencies. Even among royals, it’s a tradition that adds pressure to what should be a relaxing country retreat.
The British royal family is known for its pomp and protocol, but some of its customs veer into the downright bizarre.
While many of these traditions are upheld out of respect for history, even the royals themselves seem to acknowledge how odd some of them are. Whether it’s bowing to your cousin, packing funeral clothes for every trip, or playing swan census every summer, these strange traditions remind us just how unique, and at times absurd, life inside the palace gates can be. And despite their eccentricities, these customs offer a window into how power, history, and ceremony are tightly bound in royal life, even in the twenty-first century.
