The Princess of Wales(Kate Middleton) turned down fan's autograph request due to strict royal rule.

 The Princess of Wales(Kate Middleton) turned down fan's autograph request due to strict royal rule.

The Princess of Wales often happily obliges to requests for hugs and selfies while greeting crowds that come out to see her.

But it seems she was forced to decline a fan's request during a lively walkabout, all because of a strict royal rule. Both Kate and Prince William delighted well-wishers in February by making an unscheduled stop to greet them in torrential rain during a visit to Powys ahead of St David's Day.

The pair each clutched a black umbrella and spent 25 minutes braving the downpour, chatting to supporters, including children who presented them with bunches of flowers and hand-drawn pictures. Kate handed out high-fives and hugs, while she and husband William happily posed for photos and selfies with those keen to meet them.

One man who approached Kate attempted to hand her a pen and paper, asking if she would sign an autograph. She politely declined, telling him: "I can't sign things, I'm so sorry. I can shake your hand, though." The pair instead shared a brief hug before she posed for a photograph with him.

This isn't the first occasion Kate has referenced the rule preventing her from signing items while on official duty. Back in 2023 at the Chelsea Flower Show, she toured the grounds alongside a group of inquisitive schoolchildren.

At one point, Kate and the youngsters explored the Royal Entomological Society's garden, attempting to identify insects and sketching what they found.

Eager to take home a lasting memento, some of the children asked the princess to sign their drawings. She told them: "My name's Catherine. I'm not allowed to write my signature, it's just one of those rules."

Not wishing to leave the children without a memento, she sketched several drawings for them – among them a flower, a tree, and a pond nestled amongst plants.

According to the Daily Mail, a royal signature can bring in “a significant amount of money when sold online,” and the Royal Family doesn’t want fake signatures of its members circulating.

There was only one exception to this rule according to the publication —when King Charles, then Prince Charles, signed “Charles 2010” on a scrap of paper for victims of flooding in Cornwall, when he was still the Duke of Cornwall.

Charles asked Tony and Meg Hendy if there was anything he could do to help after their home had flooded. Meg asked the then-future king for an autograph for her son, Tom, telling him, “I’m not sure if you do autographs, but it would make his day.”

Charles then broke royal protocol and “stunned his protection squad,” by asking them to find a piece of paper for him to sign. Charles even apologised for his “shaky writing” because he “never writes standing up.” While the royals don’t sign autographs for individuals, they’re well known for signing guest books at official royal engagements.

Members of the British royal family are strictly forbidden from signing autographs during public walkabouts and official duties. The longstanding protocol serves as a security precaution to prevent official royal signatures from being forged, copied, or sold fraudulently.

Instances Where Kate Addressed the Rule.

Recent Walkabout in Powys, Wales: When an enthusiastic fan approached the Princess of Wales with a pen and paper asking for an autograph, she politely declined. She explained, "I can't sign things, I'm so sorry. I can shake your hand, though," before offering a warm hug and posing for a photograph instead.

Chelsea Flower Show: During a tour with schoolchildren, several children asked her to sign their drawings. Kate explained the protocol by saying, "My name's Catherine. I'm not allowed to write my signature, it's just one of those rules." To ensure they didn't leave empty-handed, she sketched small drawings of a flower, a tree, and a pond on their pads instead.

While royals routinely sign official guest books and commemorative registry documents, direct autographs for the public remain strictly off-limits.

Tags: Queen, Prince Charles, Camilla, Prince Louis, Prince William and Kate Middleton, Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Meghan, Lilibet

Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email thuongvietland@gmail.com. We'd love to hear from you.