While you may be able to hold your own at dinner with friends, this is the wedding of the century, (with the Queen Mum herself in attendance) and something tells us you’ll have a lot more to worry about than which fork to use first.
Luckily, if you manage to swing an invite, you will be given very strict instruction on what’s expected once you’re inside Westminster Abbey. However, if you’re anything like us and like to be prepared, here’s a crash course in royal wedding etiquette⎯including pointers from both the Monarch and Anna Dello Russo.
The biggest no-no? Latecomers. The Queen was apparently more than a little miffed when the late Princess Diana showed up a few minutes late, so you can only imagine the reception you’d get as a late guest. Give yourself plenty of time to get to the ceremony.
Turn off your phone! It can be mortifying to have your phone go off anytime during a large, formal event, but during the royal wedding? Social suicide. As well, as tempting as it may be to share, no Tweeting or Facebooking allowed!
No matter how nervous you are trying to muster up the courage to approach Harry, don’t overdo it with the beverages.
The grand duchess of everything fashion, Anna Dello Russo, has provided us all with her take on royal etiquette⎯or at least the dress code. Here are a few of her pointers:
“Please complete your outfit with HAT. Even if your call relates only the second marriage.”
“Don’t match shoes and CLUTCH, and don’t fill it of sugared almonds when you greetings the MARRIED COUPLE.”
“Escape as the death, shops specializing in FORMAL DRESS.”
“Don’t choose a MIDI-length dress, especially if equipped with old SHAWLS or worse shoulder-cover. They’ll mistake you for the bride’s AUNT”
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