Don’t wear white, don’t touch the queen, don’t be late and don’t forget to switch your mobile phone off, royal wedding guests have been warned.
Clarence House has confirmed a 22-page rulebook has been sent to each of the 1900 people invited to the April 29 nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
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The booklet covers all the pertinent do’s and don’ts for the occasion, including sections on table manners, punctuality, dress code, technology and royal protocol, the UK’s Daily Mail reported.
There are reportedly instructions on the correct way to eat food from a plate, a detailed description of the ideal tea-stirring technique (the spoon should move from north-east to south-west, not in a complete circle and without clinking against the china) and the proper way to address and behave around the Queen (never touch her, don’t speak unless spoken to and call her “ma’am”, as in “jam”).
Phones must be switched off during the ceremony and revellers must refrain from uploading any details about the wedding onto social networking sites.
Guests have also been instructed to be punctual and to steer clear of cream or white outfits to avoid stealing the spotlight from the bride. Men should remove their hats before entering Westminster Abbey, while women should avoid flashing too much flesh and make sure they wear a hat and gloves. Both sexes are warned to avoid chewing gum.
The official guest list for the royal wedding was leaked on the weekend. Celebrities including David and Victoria Beckham, singer Sir Elton John, comedian Rowan Atkinson and film director Guy Ritchie made the cut, alongside four of William’s ex-girlfriends and two of Kate’s rumoured former flames.
Related: Royal wedding guest list revealed
More than 15 members of Kate’s family are invited, as well as the couple’s friends from school, university and their favourite holiday destination Mustique, and several of their personal staff, including William’s former nannies Tiggy Pettifer and Barbara Barnes.
Prince Harry’s on-off girlfriend Chelsy Davy is also on the guest list, but it is not known whether she will attend as Harry’s date, or alone.
Your say: What would you include if you were writing a wedding rulebook?
The Weekly will be tweeting live from London on April 29. Follow @AWW_London and @WomensWeeklyMag for the latest news and gossip.
Video: William and Kate’s ex-flames invited to wedding
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