7 daring times royals broke protocol and talked about politics

When it comes to following protocols, British royalty is usually very efficient at it. However, there are times when emotions and personal opinions get the better of them and makes them cross their conventional boundaries. While the royals are strictly prohibited from expressing any political views and must always stay neutral on political grounds, it is sometimes bizarre to watch them defy that mandate and step out of their comfort zone. That being said, although their attempts to raise political concerns are very subtle, here are 7 daring times the British royals talked about politics and defied rules.

Queen Elizabeth II has been a true follower of royal rules and regulation. Often known as “Elizabeth the Silent”, she choses to remain silent on many important issues looming over the country. However, going against the title she has been given, Queen Elizabeth has also occasionally raised her concerns about raging political turmoils in the country. During the decisions pertaining to the Scottish referendum, she was surprisingly very vocal when she said, “Well, I hope people will think very carefully about the future.” In the aftermath of which Scotland remained in the UK and David Cameron expressed his disappointment.

Brexit has been one of the greatest concerns of the British people. However, the Crown is prohibited from expressing anything for or against the matter. Defying that prohibition, the 92-year-old Queen delivered a plea for “respecting different points of view” and “coming together to seek out the common ground,” which seemd very diplomatic but didn’t seem pleasing to many politicians.

Throughout British history, there have been many reports suggesting Prince Charles’ involvement in many of the government decisions. Several letters written by Prince Charles to former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and senior ministers in 2004 and 2005 were published in 2015, which cleared the air and proved that the Prince was in fact not very politically neutral.

The ‘People’s Princess’, as she was popularly known as, has contributed a lot to the society, whether in terms of normalizing mental health or spreading awareness regarding AIDs and Leprosy. Although, Princess Diana never directly engaged with the government or their political stands, she did campaign against the use of landmines, which was then a seemingly political concern.

One of most politically outspoken person in the royal family is Meghan Markle, especially in the current times when the US Elections are just around the corner. During a virtual appearance at the When Women Vote conference, the Duchess of Sussex said those who don't vote are "complicit." She also emphasized on the need to understand what all is at stake. Even before she had become a royal, she was very vocal about her opinions and expressed her contempt for Trump.

With all the hype around Brexit, reportedly Prince William, during a visit to the Deepdale Hall Farm, asked the farmers if the Brexit was a big concern. To which one farmer replied: "I was very surprised that farmers voted for Brexit, to be honest. It was like turkeys voting for Christmas." While it may have been an attempt to start a friendly conversation, it is also seen as a defiance of royal protocol.

In 2003 reportedly, during a visit to the Welsh Assembly, the Queen encouraged the public to vote and said, "It is vital to the health both of the United Kingdom and of Wales that our democratic institutions flourish and adapt." After witnessing a low number of voter appearance, the Queen emphasized on making the most of the right to vote privilege.