The One Surprising Royal Rule That Would Disqualify Heirs from Becoming King or Queen

It’s no secret the royal family is required to abide by a long list of (borderline ridiculous) rules. While some—like wearing bright nail polish—aren’t strongly enforced, there’s one surprising guideline that’s not up for discussion: Religion.

According to the royal family’s official website, the Queen or King of England must be Protestant Anglican, not Catholic. If a member were to get baptized in the Catholic church, they would automatically be disqualified as an heir to the British throne. (Yes, you read that right.)

The rule might surprise some royal aficionados, but it’s right there in Parliament’s Bill of Rights. In it, Parliament laid out specific criteria that a Sovereign must meet, like being a direct descendant of Princess Sofia.

In addition, “A Roman Catholic is specifically excluded from succession to the throne.”

This used to have an impact on both blood and non-blood relatives, but not anymore. As of today, members of the royal family are allowed to marry Roman Catholics without receiving any sort of ramifications. However, the line of succession would be directly affected if any member of the royal family converted to Catholicism.

This is just one of many rules the royal family must follow. Other restrictions include walking behind the queen, dressing modestly, not traveling in the same plane, not showing PDA, not signing autographs, not taking selfies and not leaving the table without permission.

Don’t get any ideas, Prince Harry.