The royals of the United Kingdom has a number of rules and protocols to follow in their daily lives, but some of them are broken by those who are supposed to follow them.
Carrying cash is something royals are not supposed to do, and there’s a good reason for it. One person in the Firm, however, has their own reason for breaking the rule. Continue reading to learn who that person is and why they always have money on them.
Why don’t royals have any cash on them?
In 2017, an airline attendant described what it was like to have Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on board a flight. The couple was described as “adorable throughout the flight,” but there was some confusion when it came time for them to pay for the items they had ordered. The attendant wondered if the duke and duchess thought everything was free because they never asked to see the bill. Finally, their bodyguard picked up the tab at the end of the flight, claiming that Meghan and Harry “never carry any money and he’s in charge of paying for everything.”
Why is that, according to a former police protection officer for Princess Diana? He explained, “It’s done for security reasons, to keep things as private as possible” (per Express). “If a protection officer was in a situation where something had to be paid, be it rail tickets or food, he would pay for it and the money would be paid back to the officer if he used cash or the police force if he used a police-issued credit card.”
“I did this on numerous occasions when I worked with the late Princess Diana for things like meals at restaurants to hotel bookings,” he added.
The family member who carries cash in her purse at all times
Queen Elizabeth II, however, is the only member of the Firm who refuses to follow the no-cash rule. Yes, the matriarch of the royal family defies this rule and keeps a set amount of money on her person at least once a week.
Sally Bedell Smith, a royal biographer, revealed what the monarch keeps in her purse. A compact mirror, lipstick, a fountain pen, mint lozenges, and her reading glasses are among the items she carries. Every Sunday, she also carries a small bill or two for a church donation.
Despite the fact that the queen may not require any of those items at any given time, she must always carry a handbag because it serves a purpose other than just holding a few items and a small amount of cash. According to the Telegraph, Queen Elizabeth’s bags are also used to communicate with her staff in a discreet manner. She will, for example, move her purse from one hand to the other if she wants to end a conversation with someone. When the queen is ready to end a dinner party, she will place her handbag on the table to indicate that she wants the event to end as soon as possible.
