Rules shape every society and home, yet the royal family lives under the strictest of them all, with duty and decipline coming first for everyone from King Charles to Prince William.
Undoubtedly, royals adher to a set of carefully curated etiquette rules in public life. They even are very choosy when they communicate at home.
From avoiding some foods to following strict dress codes, there’s one word King Charles will not be caught saying even when he’s in the comfort of his own home.
Social anthropologist Kate Fox, author of ‘Watching the English: The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour,” revealed that the word ‘toilet’ is not in the royal vocabulary.
Instead, ‘lavatory’ or ‘loo’ are the preferred terms, the expert told Hello!.
Kate, who has studied the linguistic quirks of the upper classes, explained that the term ‘toilet’ was historically not used by the royals because it has French origins, which comes from the French word “toilette.”
The word used to refer to a room for dressing and getting ready.
The royals also avoid using some other common phrase and words in their rutine. They do not say ‘tea’ when referring to their evening meal, instead using ‘dinner’ or ‘supper’.
You also won’t hear the royals speaking about the lounge room in their home.
Buckingham Palace has a grand total of 775 rooms, but rather than a ‘lounge’, the royals and their guests will find a ‘sitting room’ or a ‘drawing room’ to unwind in.
Members of the royal family would refer to something as “smart” rather than “posh”.
The anthropologist explained that the royal family would only use the latetr word “ironically, in a jokey tone, to show that you know it’s a low-class word”.
2026-07-29 14:00:00
