#75: Can You Touch a Royal?

Whenever a member of the British royal family appears in public, people wonder what the rules are. Can you hug them? Pat them on the back? Take a selfie? The official protocol is more reserved: members of the public are generally expected to stick to a polite handshake.

Of course, royal protocol gets bent all the time — there are plenty of photos of royals giving hugs or accepting more informal contact. But technically, the expectation is formality first. It’s a carefully maintained balance between being approachable and preserving the mystique of the monarchy.

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