Did you know that the members of British Royal Family always carry at least one black outfit with them when they’re travelling? Well, yes! Black is a universal colour and it goes without saying that it amps up the look effortlessly. However, this is not the reason why the royals carry a black attire with them always. The reason may actually surprise many of you, but when one thinks about it it does seem logical.
So, the royals have this proclivity where they want to be well-prepared for every situation and event in advance. However, since some of the events in life, like death of someone, come unannounced, royals have found a rather interesting way to be prepared for that event also. They always pack a black outfit so that in case someone suddenly dies, they always a proper, appropriate attire to wear and be present for such occasions. Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams shared, “They have to bring a black suit and tie, a dress or similar to be prepared if someone in the family dies while they’re away. This is a rule that has been in place for over seven decades and is closely followed.”
It is possible a lot of you are shaking your head in disbelief and finding this royal rule an oddity. However, what one has to understand here is that royals are known to dress appropriately for every situation. So, in view of this, this royal rule actually makes sense.
Wondering who came up with this rule and if there was any incident in particular that prompted someone to think in this direction? Well, it was when Queen Elizabeth II was just 25-years-old and her father King George VI had passed away unexpectedly. When the tragic death happened, the queen was enroute to Australia with her husband Prince Philip. When she got to known about her father’s demise, she immediately took a flight back wearing her blue jeans. It goes without saying that her attire was not deemed appropriate. So, she actually had to wait in the plane until someone got her a black attire.
What’s interesting to note here is that typically, the British royal family avoids wearing black on usual days, as the colour is more or less earmarked to be worn when one is mourning the loss of someone. However, princess Diana never followed the rule seriously. In fact, when her own mother had died, she had worn white colour instead of black.