All the Times the British Royal Family Has Broken Tradition

The British royal family, especially the queen, are sticklers for protocol. After all, they represent the Commonwealth. And yet, there have always been rebels in the royal family. Here are all the times the royal family has turned their backs on tradition over the years. (Learn about the forbidden item Queen Elizabeth carries in her purse on page 10.)

1. Princess Diana hugs HIV/AIDS patients

Royal rule: Royalty can’t touch those outside the royal family.

Princess Diana’s warm spirit helped change the myths about HIV/AIDS in the ’80s and ’90s. She shocked the world when she picked up a dying child with AIDS and hugged him while visiting New York in 1989. The Los Angeles Times reported, “[The] little boy’s head [lay] on Diana’s shoulder, his arms around her neck.”

Next: When Prince William made this unprecedented move with his family