13 very interesting words you'll never hear the royals say

Publish Date
Tuesday, 14 March 2017, 10:43AM

We all know there are certain things we’ll never see the royal family do. But did you also know there are some words that the Queen, Wills, Kate and co. are forbidden from using?

Social anthropologist Kate Fox, author of Watching the English: The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour, has shared with us a few dos and don'ts for conversations with the Windsors.

And they’re quite surprising...

  1. Posh
    It's a word that most of us would use to describe the upper classes, but the royal themselves would never opt to say 'posh'. Instead, they would use the word 'smart'.

  2. Perfume
    Female members of the royal household, including the Queen, Kate and Duchess Camilla, never wear perfume. Instead they spritz on a favoured 'scent'.

  3. Pardon
    We’ve always been taught that ‘pardon’ is the polite term, but the royals will simply say 'sorry?' or 'what?'.

  4. Tea
    Never refer to your evening meal as 'tea'. At the palace, the royals sit down at the end of the day to their 'dinner' or 'supper'.

  5. Toilet
    If the Duchess ever needs to excuse herself, you won’t hear her saying she’s popping to the 'toilet,' 'ladies’ room,' or 'bathroom'. 'Lavatory' or 'loo' are the preferred terms.

  6. Lounge
    Buckingham Palace has a huge number of rooms – but you won't find a single 'lounge'. Instead, the Windsors relax in a 'sitting room' or a 'drawing room'.

  7. Couch
    Queen Elizabeth would spend a lazy day on the 'sofa,' but wouldn't be caught dead on a 'settee' or a 'couch'.

  8. Mum and dad
    We might not have referred to our parents as 'mummy and daddy' since we were kids, but the royals continue this tradition well into adulthood.

  9. Patio
    Royal kids only have a 'terrace' to play on.

  10. Refreshments
    Refreshments are only served only at middle-class functions. Royal parties just have 'food and drink.'

  11. Sweets
    Royals refer to dessert as 'pudding.'

  12. Function
    While we may call it a function. The royals just call it a 'party.'

  13. Portions
    The royals eat their food in 'helpings.'

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