Being a royal wife might seem like a fairytale, but the truth is far darker. Princess Diana famously said in 1995, “There were three of us in this marriage,” highlighting the harsh realities. History shows unhappy royal marriages are common worldwide. Royal wives often find themselves trapped in decorative roles, expected to stand by their husbands and look pretty, without a voice or genuine happiness. From dealing with infidelity to facing public humiliation, here are 10 disturbing realities of being a royal wife.
Royal wives are expected to symbolize purity.
Royal wives gotta be pure, that’s for sure. Throughout history, royal marriages have been more about politics and baby-making than love. They figured a “pure” woman wouldn’t cheat on the king and mess up the royal bloodline with someone else’s kid.
There’s a ton of pressure to pump out heirs
Once a woman becomes a royal wife, the baby-making clock starts ticking. When William tied the knot with Kate, bam, Prince George arrived soon after. But not all royal brides have it that easy. Take Princess Charlene, who wed Prince Albert of Monaco in 2011. She struggled with fertility, and things got so tense that she banned all baby talk in the palace.
Royal spouses gotta kiss their careers goodbye
Historically, women have often sacrificed their careers for their husbands, and royal ladies are no exception. Take Grace Kelly, for example—she left Hollywood behind when she wed Prince Rainier of Monaco. Queen Letizia of Spain was a well-known reporter before she tied the knot with King Felipe and left journalism behind. Even Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, tried to run her own PR firm but had to give it up due to conflicts with her royal role.
