Kate Middleton is The Royal Breaking The Unwritten Rules Now

Kate Middleton is the new Princess of Wales and she’s already making the role her own. In fact, The Mirror reported that she’s also breaking some unwritten royal rules in the process. The rule-breaking reportedly occurred when the Duchess of Cambridge went to Scarborough in early November. 

One of the unwritten rules for the British royal family notes that any interactions with well-wishers must be limited to a handshake. However, in recent years, the younger members of the royal family, including Middleton and Meghan Markle, have decided to leave that rule behind in order to connect even further with those whom they meet. This was the case recently during Middleton’s appearance in Scarborough. During the outing, a fan asked to take a picture with her. When they went to take the photo, the man put his arm around Middleton’s shoulder. In turn, she did the same as she put her arm around him and smiled for the camera. The two then had a brief conversation before Middleton greeted others who had gathered. 

Middleton traveled to Scarborough with her husband, Prince William, to launch a new initiative. It marked their first joint appearance in several weeks. The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall were in town to launch an initiative to help fund support for young people’s mental health. The couple’s new initiative will serve as a collaboration between The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales and the Two Ridings Community Foundation. Their visit to the seaside town began at The Street, which is a community hub that helps support organizations in the area. 

After meeting up with local organizers, the Prince of Wales shared some words about this program. He said, “For Cathrine and I, the legacy of today, bringing people together and collaborating, showing what can be done when a community helps together collaboratively is really something we’d like to follow on and I hope can be represented more widely across the country. So you’re leading where I hope others will follow. Thank you and well done for making it all happen today.” Amanda Berry, CEO of The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales, also shared a statement about the royal duo’s latest collaboration, per PEOPLE.

Ensuring that young people have access to a wide range of mental health support is something that The Prince and Princess of Wales feel extremely passionate about,” Berry stated. “Tackling the stigma around mental health and ensuring that help is there for those who need it continues to be one of society’s biggest issues.” Her statement continued, “The Royal Foundation is therefore delighted that by working with Two Ridings Community Foundation, we have played a pivotal role in galvanizing funding to support the organizations doing this vital work in the community, creating a long-lasting impact for young people in Scarborough.”