Are You Keeping Up With the British Royal Family?

LIFESTYLE

By: Jennifer Post

7 Min Quiz

Image: Wiki Commons by Library and Archives Canada

About This Quiz

The House of Windsor has been on the throne since 1917, but it was even ruling before then, just under a different name. The name was changed from Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to Windsor after it was seen as unsavory to have a German-sounding name. Makes sense given what was happening at the time. While the British royal family doesn't technically have a last name, immediate heirs of Queen Elizabeth have the last name Mountbatten-Windsor, and everyone else is just known as Windsor. The whole last name thing is confusing, and it's not really that crucial to understanding the royal family.

There are so many fun facts and random tidbits that have come out about the royal family thanks to documentaries, Freedom of Information Act requests and simple observation. Now that fans of the family have smartphones and like to feel the rush of commenting on them to the press, we know that Kate and William called Princess Charlotte "Lottie" and they like to order Chinese takeout and binge-watch TV. The media rampage is a concern of the family, due to the untimely death of Princess Diana, but they have more control over what gets published than ever. How much more do you know about the British royal family? Take this quiz to find out!

What will be different about Harry and Meghan's titles now that they've stepped back?

Harry and Meghan were hoping to step back and to retain their titles, but the Queen insisted that they were stripped of the royal distinction. Instead of being known as Her Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, they will carry the less formal title of Duke and Duchess without the HRH.

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Which contemporary royal is said to be the Queen's favorite?

It wouldn't be proper for Queen Elizabeth to admit it, but many have said Sophie, Countess of Wessex is her favorite. A royal through marriage, Sophie is married to the Queen's youngest son, Prince Edward. Many speculate that she will fill in for the Sussexes now that they have stepped down.

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Princess Beatrice's fiance comes from which country's noble line?

In late December 2019, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Princess Beatrice announced their plans to marry. Although he was born in England, his father was born in Italy and still holds aristocratic ties to the country.

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In 2018, which royal has added Mrs. Jack Brooksbank to her name?

The tenth in line for the throne, Princess Eugenie of York married Jack Brooksbank in a ceremony at St. George's Chapel. Now, her full name reads Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie of York, Mrs. Jack Brooksbank.

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Do you know which duchess recently admitted to spending every Christmas alone?

Sarah, Duchess of York, mother to Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, recently admitted to spending every Christmas alone for the past 20 years. She doesn't harbor any bitterness about it, though. She says she's proud to share her children while they fulfill their royal holiday duties.

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Does Queen Elizabeth drink alcohol?

The Queen certainly imbibes! She has been seen enjoying champagne at official events and she is known to have a gin drink before lunch and wine during lunch. You won't ever see her drunk, though.

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Even though they're not supposed to, have members of the royal family signed autographs?

Meghan Markle, Prince Charles and the Queen herself have all been seen signing autographs. However, they were for very special circumstances. Meghan Markle, who was a celebrity prior to being a Duchess, may have just gotten lost in the habit.

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Why will you most likely only see the Queen in bright colors unless there's been a death?

You could say that the Queen is an important person, so her safety is crucial. If she's wearing bright colors, her security detail can keep a better eye on her and get to her more easily if something were to go wrong.

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What's the name of William and Kate's youngest child?

Prince Louis of Cambridge was born on April 23, 2018. The youngest of their three children, he is the first male born heir who will be further back in line for the throne than his sister due to a new birth order rule.

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How are Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, the Sussexes, raising their first child, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor?

Meghan and Harry have decided not to give their first child a title and to raise him as a private citizen, or as much or a private citizen he can be. He is still around seventh in line for the throne.

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Does the Queen need a driver's license?

The Queen is the only person in the UK who is not required to have a driver's license. She's never needed one ever since she learned to drive, and she can often be seen driving around town or around her estates.

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Which food is never allowed at dinners with the Queen?

She hates the smell of it almost as much as she hates the taste of it. You'll also never see shellfish on the menu if the Queen is in attendance. She does, however, eat Corn Flakes every morning.

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How many birthdays does the Queen have?

The day she was born is April 21, but she officially celebrates her birthday on the second Saturday of June to celebrate with the public. This tradition actually goes all the way back to the 1700s.

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Does Charles, Prince of Wales, have someone else squeeze his toothpaste onto his toothbrush for him?

Prince Charles does, in fact, have his valet squeeze his toothpaste for him. His pajamas are also pressed every day, his shoelaces are pressed with a flat iron and he likes his bathwater tepid. He really does enjoy the finer things in life.

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What's the Queen's nail polish color that she wears every day?

The opaque pink "Ballet Slippers" is what the Queen always has on her nails. The Queen's hairstylist even sent Essie a letter telling them how much the monarch loves the color. Kate Middleton has also taken her lead and often wears the color.

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How long was Princess Diana's train on her wedding dress?

The marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana did not end at all how people thought, but the wedding itself was a huge spectacle. The train on Diana's dress was 25 feet long and is one of the longest in royal history.

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Can those who marry into the royal family spend Christmas with their own families?

Meghan Markle's mother has been invited by the Queen to Sandringham estate for Christmas, but if she weren't, Meghan, Harry and their children would see Meghan's family another time to celebrate the holiday.

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Does Camilla Parker-Bowles have a royal title despite being the second wife of Prince Charles?

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, was given that title to match Prince Charles as the Duke of Cornwall. She was not, and will not, be given the title of Princess of Wales. It is likely that she will be crowned Queen at some point, though.

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Which royal bride was the first one with a college degree?

Kate Middleton graduated from St. Andrews with a Master's Degree in History of Art. That makes her the only royal bride to obtain a college degree. Prince Harry also married a royal bride with a college education.

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Has Meghan Markle, as Duchess of Sussex, ever spoken about politics?

She once tweeted out that she was pleased about Ireland's decision to legalize abortion. Prior to marrying Prince Harry, Meghan was an outspoken feminist and just as outspoken about other aspects of politics.

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Do you know the official last name of the British royal family?

The last name of the royal family can get tricky. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's children have the last name of Mountbatten-Windsor, which is also the last name of Harry and Meghan's son, Archie. But William's last name is Windsor.

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Besides English, what language is the Queen fluent in?

It comes in handy, of course, when she travels to France, but she will use the language when she hosts guests at the palace from that region. It also might even save the taxpayers some money on an interpreter.

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Did Kate Middleton and Prince William ever break up?

It was reported that Prince William broke up with Kate over the phone, but that has never been confirmed. Kate said the time apart made her a stronger person and eventually made them stronger as a couple.

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How did Princess Diana die?

The paparazzi became a huge part of Princess Diana's life, especially after her divorce from Prince Charles. They became so involved that the driver of the car she was in crashed to try and get away from the press. The end result was the world losing the people's princess.

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Which of the below did Meghan Markle not have to do when she agreed to marry Prince Harry?

Working members of the royal family are not permitted to have personal social media accounts, so Meghan's, as well as her blog "The Big" had to be deleted. She was also baptized into the religion of the royal family and started studying to become a British citizen.

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Which of the below is a tradition for princes in the British royal family?

This has been a tradition for as long as anyone can remember, and while military training is not an exact requirement of the British royal family, it would be very odd and unheard of for a prince to not have military training.

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Do American citizens have to bow or curtsey to the Queen?

It is not required that American citizens address the Queen in any certain way, but it is a show of respect to bow or curtsey. All British citizens, however, are required to address her with a bow or curtsey.

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Are people normally allowed to take photos with the Queen?

The Queen has been known to say how much she hates when she looks at her fans and all she sees is the back of their phone because they're taking photos of her. Even if you ask to take a photo with her, she'll almost always say no unless it's for an official engagement.

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What year does Queen Elizabeth refer to as "annus horribilis" (horrible year)?

1992 was the year that Prince Charles and Diana divorced, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson divorced, and a fire broke out in Windsor Castle, damaging the Queen's residence and many irreplaceable things inside.

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What was the name of Prince Charles' published book and corresponding documentary?

Prince Charles has long been an advocate of preserving British architecture and style without modern renovations. His book and documentary, "A Vision of Britain," focuses on the prince's endeavors for building restoration.

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Was Queen Elizabeth ever expected to be Queen?

She was third in line for the throne behind her Uncle Edward and her father. When Edward proposed to divorced American Wallis Simpson, he was basically forced to abdicate, putting Elizabeth's father on the throne. She became Queen after his untimely death.

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When did Charles and Diana finalize their divorce?

Their marriage was nothing short of tumultuous, with both of them having extramarital affairs before their divorce was official. Late in the summer of 1996, the couple finalized the details of their divorce, and Diana officially lost her title, though people still called her "princess."

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Did the NSA (National Security Agency) in the United States have Princess Diana under surveillance?

Due to national security concerns, the contents of her file cannot be released, so it is not exactly known why she was under surveillance or what they found, but a Freedom of Information Act request did show that the NSA had her under surveillance.

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How did Prince Harry and his now-wife, Meghan Markle meet?

A mutual friend set the two up, and reportedly told Meghan that she "might" like him, the "him" being sixth in the line to the British throne. Turns out, the friend was right and Meghan did like him. The rest is history!

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Is there an ATM inside Buckingham Palace?

You would never see the Queen on the street at an ATM or at the bank, so she has her very own ATM inside Buckingham Palace. The weirdest part? The money that comes out of the Queen's ATM has the Queen's face on it.

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Was there a dating show based on Prince Harry?

Believe it or not, there was in fact a dating show called "I Want to Marry Harry." Barely anyone watched it, because there was an actor portraying Harry. It's not clear if the women actually thought Prince Harry was appearing on a reality dating show, but it was canceled after four episodes.

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Which actress did Princess Diana invite to tea because Prince William had a crush on her?

How embarrassing! Prince William had a schoolboy crush on Cindy Crawford, so Princess Diana thought it would be funny to invite her to tea. Can you imagine sitting through that tea?

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What will Kate Middleton's title be when Prince William becomes King?

The Queen Consort is the wife of the reigning King. She shares the same noble and societal status as her husband, but does not have ruling power equal to the King. It is different than Queen Regent, as that one inherited the throne by family.

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Are Queen Elizabeth and her husband related?

Queen Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, are third cousins. This might seem weird now, but it was actually really common at that time. It was a way to keep the royal family all in the same bloodline.

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When did Prince Harry fight on the front lines in Afghanistan?

He was sent on a secret mission to Afghanistan in 2008, but was sent home in 2012 after the media learned of his service there. It's easy to see why knowledge of Prince Harry on the front lines might put him, and his regiment, in danger.

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Who was Prince Charles dating when he met Diana Spencer, future Princess of Wales?

When Diana and Charles met, she was only 16 years old. That would be weird, but Charles wasn't actually courting Diana at that time. He was dating her older sister! He eventually married, and then divorced, Diana.

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How do the ladies in the royal family keep their dresses and skirt from flying up in the wind?

The Queen started the tradition of having weights sewn into the hems of her dresses and skirts. This was to avoid wardrobe mishaps like the skirt flying up and revealing more skin than should ever be seen. Modesty is key.

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Why is it a requirement that every member of the royal family travels with a black outfit?

On royal tours, every member going must pack a black outfit in the event that someone dies while they're on tour. They must always have the appropriate outfit and show respect no matter where they are.

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Prince William and his children are never supposed to travel together. Why?

If the whole family travels together by plane and the plane goes down, the heir and his heirs are no longer. That would seriously mess up the line of succession and wouldn't preserve the lineage.

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According to popular polls, who is the least popular member of the royal family?

Maybe it's the way he treated Diana or the distant relationship he had with his sons for a while, but Prince Charles is by far the least popular member of the royal family. Hope that doesn't keep going once he becomes king.

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