6 Ways Meghan Markle Broke Royal Protocol And Charted Her Own Path

Since becoming an official member of the royal family, Meghan Markle has broken protocol more than a few times. Here are 6 ways that the Duchess of Sussex has done it, according to Reader's Digest:

Signing autographs:

Members of the royal family are technically not allowed to give autographs anymore. However, Meghan has been spotted signing things for fans during her time as the Duchess of Sussex.

Bare legs:

Beginning from the time that the Duke and Duchess announced their engagement, Meghan has been seen on occasion without nude stockings. According to royal expert Victoria Arbiter when speaking with Business Insider, wearing tights is "really the only hard, steadfast rule in terms of what the Queen requires," but that has not stopped Meghan from making her own fashion choices.

She has her own coat of arms:

Traditionally, the bride's father will receive a coat of arms before she marries into the royal family. However, due to the absence of Meghan's father in her life and wedding, Kensington Palace announced that a coat of arms would instead be created specifically for her. The image is said to reflect her new home and life in addition to paying homage to California, which is her home state.

Dark nail polish:

At the 2018 British Fashion Awards, Meghan made an apperance to honor the woman who designed her wedding dress, Clare Waight Keller. There, she wore a shade of nail polish that went against the Queen's preference of nude shades.

Closing her own door:

During her first solo outing as the Duchess of Sussex at London's Royal Academy, Meghan closed her own car door. This move is rarely seen by royals and is viewed to be a strong indication of her independent personality.

Spending Christmas with the queen:

According to insiders, Queen Elizabeth II has a very exclusive list regarding who she spends Christmas Eve with. Typically, the list only consists of family members and their spouses. However, due to the fact that Meghan's family was not in England for the holidays in 2017, it is said that the Queen extended an invitation to her, even though she and Harry had not yet married.