7 times royals rebelled against makeup protocol including Princess Anne's faux pas

Princess Kate can normally be seen sporting a natural dewy glow, complemented with a nude lip that shows off her natural beauty. But even the princess isn't immune to wanting a change in her beauty routine, particularly during the Christmas season when holly red is all the rage.

In 2021, the Princess of Wales attended a carol service at Westminster Abbey and matched her bright red dress coat with a similar shade of lipgloss. If you can't try out a new look at Christmas, when can you?

It's not just lipstick that can cause a stir: Meghan Markle has often pushed against royal protocol for a decidedly modern look, bringing a new glow to the royal fashion books. Bold eyeshadow is reportedly a no-no in royal convention but sometimes it's fun to break the rules.

Meghan brushed on a metallic blue shade during her last official engagement in 2020 for a Commonwealth service at Westminster Abbey. Fashion, after all, can speak volumes, so perhaps this rebellion was a neat reference to their pending exit – referencing Prince Harry's mother's own love of bright eye makeup.

Princess Anne has always had her own unique approach to royal life, deciding not to pass on titles to her children and maintaining active interests outside of her royal duties. This quiet rebellion extends to her appearance, with the princess selecting a lip colour to fit her own tastes.

While a bright lip can lead to all sorts of hazards – transferring easily to teeth or clothes – that hasn't deterred Anne from painting on a red gloss for royal events, proving sometimes it's best to please yourself, and flout the royal rules once in a while. 

Princess Diana was well-known for her show-stopping fashion moments, from her iconic revenge dress to her up-to-the-minute makeup. But there was one particular beauty choice that breached royal protocol.

In the '80s, a bit of electric blue eyeliner was bang on trend, with the neon kohl becoming a signature of the princess' makeup look. With her already startling eyes, this would-be overwhelming choice enhanced her natural beauty and still inspires fans to brighten up their makeup today.

Sometimes it's not what you've applied, but how you've gone about putting a quick dash of lipstick on. In 1985, the late Queen Elizabeth II herself was caught on camera refreshing her painted lip in a breach of the royal rulebook.

 The bold pink lip balm was already a standout choice but it was her public reapplication that will have had royal fans raising their eyebrows: you don't often see royals touching up their glam as it's greatly discouraged, meaning the monarch herself was going against protocol for the perfect lip.

Eye makeup can get notoriously messy, particularly when layers of dark eyeshadow, mascara and eyeliner are added into the mix. No one wants a racoon moment on the red carpet – least of all the wife of the heir to the throne!

But Kate has previously broken the rules, sporting a classic smokey eye at events like The Art Room's 2013 charity exhibition at The National Portrait Gallery and again at the 2018 EE British Academy Film Awards.

A bolder lipstick colour is the perfect pairing for Princess Beatrice's auburn hair, providing an extra flash of colour to highlight her glowing natural charms.

In 2015, she arrived in a simple all-black outfit at a private view of the V&A's 'Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty' showcase, complimenting the simple outfit with a bright red lip.