“I can’t write my name”: Kate Middleton Turned Down School Kids’ Autograph Requests in an Uncomfortable Moment Due to Royal Family Rules
The Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, made a surprise trip to the Chelsea Flower Show on Monday for the first-ever Children’s Picnic in London. When a group of schoolchildren requested her to sign their picture, she declined. But this is not due to any other reason except that the Princess of Wales was just keeping with an unspoken royal protocol.
Why Did Kate Middleton Refuse To Sign An Autograph For A School Kid?
The Princess of Wales surprisingly showed up for the inaugural children’s picnic for the Chelsea Flower Show on May 22 in London. For the occasion, she invited youngsters from ten different elementary schools to the outdoor lunch, where they could take a look at the garden’s many floral arrangements.
But the princess had to kindly refuse a seemingly simple request from some young children during a lesson with a group of kids on recognizing bugs and beetles.
When they asked Kate Middleton to sign their sketches, she was allegedly overheard saying: “I can’t write my name, but I can draw,” proceeding to illustrate a flower for a seven-year-old girl named Ruby, a tree for another child and a pond surrounded by plants for a third fan.
Asked why she couldn’t sign her name, she explained, “My name’s Catherine. I’m not allowed to write my signature, it’s just one of those rules.”
Kate Middleton is not the first member of the royal family to have to turn down a similar offer, as King Charles did so when he was still a prince in response to a fan’s request for an autograph: “Sorry, they don’t allow me to do that.”
Why Can’t Royals Sign Their Names?
The British royal family has a long-standing tradition that members cannot sign signatures, according to Express. According to reports, the Royal Family is not allowed to sign their autographs to prevent the risk of forgery, which may explain why the regulation is in place. However, they are allowed to take selfies with admirers.
But it looked like this rule had been broken previously. While touring locals in Cornwall in 2010, the son of a local couple received an autograph from the reigning monarch, Charles III. He reportedly scrawled “Charles 2010” on a piece of paper at the moment and apologized to the fan for his “shaky writing” because he “never writes standing up,” according to The Telegraph.
The mother of three emphasized how much she and her family value time spent outside, saying, “It’s so good for our bodies and our minds.”
The motive of Monday’s picnic was to support Kate Middleton’s long-standing advocacy for introducing more kids to gardening and the outdoors.
Source: CheatSheet
