Queen Elizabeth and Kate Middleton Never Wear Bright Nail Polish And The Reason Is Quite Bizarre
Elizabeth and Middleton have also loyally stood by another royal rule—female royals cannot sit with their legs crossed at the knee.
The late Queen Elizabeth was known for upholding and adhering to royal traditions. Similarly, her granddaughter-in-law, Kate Middleton, is typically also a stickler for royal customs. This explains why both the Queen and the Princess have never been seen wearing bright nail polish or fake nail extensions. According to reports, vibrant nail colors are considered ‘vulgar’ by the royal family.
The late Queen and Middleton are known for their classic chic styles. Middleton has only been photographed once with a manicure on her wedding day to Prince William. As per Glamour Magazine, the Queen had a strict rule regarding nail polish—that bright colours do not meet royal standards. OK! Magazine reported that according to royal etiquette, fake nails are not suitable for public appearances. Etiquette expert William Hansen told The Sun, “It needs to be skin colored, so hot red and bright pink, for example, are not correct, especially for official occasions and particularly during mourning. So it's either translucent or dusky pink, so that would basically be the colour of your nails, so it looks natural.”
The final portrait taken of Queen Elizabeth II by Basia Hamilton, 2022.
— Lilibet (@QueenLilibet_) February 17, 2024
The Queen sat for a private portrait sitting at Windsor Castle on Friday 6th May. The portrait was completed just in time for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.#QueenElizabethII pic.twitter.com/SsDO8UsKmy
The Princess of Wales, however, once famously broke the rule. She wore bright red nail polish for Easter mass in 2023, a far cry from her more somber colors. She also opted for a deep burgundy shade for her toes at the Thirty Club Dinner. As reported by Cosmopolitan, during the Queen’s reign, wearing red nails would potentially have signified a royal rebellion against the rules. Middleton’s 2023 Easter Sunday marked the first since the Queen’s passing.
William and Catherine, The Prince and Princess of Wales (with Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Prince George), King Charles III and the Queen Consort - attend the Easter Mattins Service at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle https://t.co/n0boqDYO7I ? @samhussein pic.twitter.com/tZb7FYd0hj
— Derek Momodu (@DelMody) April 9, 2023
The late Queen Elizabeth was incredibly loyal—not just to her husband of 73 years but also to her nail polish. For over 30 years, she reportedly wore the same shade and brand— Essie’s Ballet Slippers. Shockingly, the nail polish costs only £7.99. According to the brand’s website, the Queen's hairdresser sent a letter to the brand’s founder, Essie Weingarten, in 1989, requesting a bottle, stating it was “the only color Her Majesty would wear.” Middleton, following in her grandmother-in-law’s footsteps, chose the same pale pink shade for her wedding day. Meghan Markle has been spotted wearing a similar shade at public events.
Queen Elizabeth and Middleton have also loyally stood by another royal tradition. Although not technically a rule, it's generally frowned upon for female royals to sit with their legs crossed at the knee. They can, however, cross them at the ankle. Middleton’s signature pose, referred to as ‘the Duchess Slant,’ involves keeping her knees and ankles pressed together while carefully angling her legs to one side. Markle, however, has occasionally been seen straying from the pose in public.
