Princess Eugenie reveals one thing she and other royals are banned from doing at the table

The royal shares two children with her husband Jack Brooksbank


Princess Eugenie
17 December 2023

While we don't know exactly how Princess Eugenie intends to celebrate Christmas, we do know that her knees likely won't be present at the family Christmas table…

The bizarre rule came up in conversation during Princess Eugenie's candid chat on the Table Manners podcast with songstress Jessie Ware and her mum, Lennie.

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Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie weren't allowed to put their knees at the table

Whilst much is already known about strict royal protocol, the royal mother-of-two, 33, made several surprising revelations about royal life, including how her mother, Sarah Ferguson, forbade knees at the table.

Opening up, Princess Eugenie shared: "So if I had a knee at the table, my mum would be like 'Are they invited to lunch? Are they invited to dinner?' And so they'd be down.

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Sarah Ferguson with her daughter Eugenie

"But it was like a funny thing. So now if we're on holiday or if my friends are around and they put their knees up, my mum's like 'Get those knees down!'"

Sharing a glimpse inside her private life with sons Augie and baby Ernest, Eugenie went on to reveal how knees are always welcome at her family home shared with husband Jack. When asked whether the knees will ever be invited to lunch, Princess Eugenie said: "Yeah!"

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Eugenie and Jack are parents to August and Ernest

Elsewhere in the chat, Princess Eugenie explained how she grew up with two contrasting sets of table manners: one set reserved for home, and one set for more formal settings featuring the late monarch, Queen Elizabeth.

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Princess Eugenie shared a close bond with her grandmother Queen Elizabeth II

When asked by podcast host Jessie "Being a member of the royal family, are there certain things that you grew up having to do?" Princess Eugenie explained: "We had 'Table Manners A' for like really little people… So when we were with granny, and 'Table Manners Z' was when we were at home."

WATCH: Princess Eugenie reveals how royals order takeaways to the palace

Christmas is set to be a very busy period for certain members of the royal family. As per tradition, the royals are expected to gather at the King's Sandringham estate, and according to ITV's royal editor, Chris Ship, the Queen has invited her children and grandchildren to have Christmas lunch with the royals.

Camilla is a doting mother to Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes from her previous marriage to Andrew Parker Bowles. Tom shares daughter Lola and son Freddy with his former wife Sara Buys, while Laura and her husband Harry are devoted parents to daughter Eliza and twin sons, Gus and Louis.

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Charles and Camilla are expected to host a Christmas luncheon

In the week leading up to the 25th, the monarch usually invites extended members of the royal family to a luncheon at Buckingham Palace. It's a chance for the King and Queen to celebrate the festive season with relatives they won't see on Christmas Day itself, such as Zara and Mike Tindall and their three children.

Meanwhile, on Christmas Eve, a select group of royals gather for a traditional dinner at Sandringham House, where they exchange low-key and often "jokey" gifts.

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