Queen Forbids Royal Family From Playing Monopoly At Home

queen elizabeth ii london, england november 26 queen elizabeth visits the new headquarters of the royal philatelic society on november 26, 2019 in london, england photo by tolga akmen wpa poolgetty images

(Image credit: WPA Pool)

published 28 May 2020

As monarch Queen Elizabeth remains at home in Windsor indefinitely due to the coronavirus, there's a rather silly story about which board game the Royal Family can't play at home.
The game, you ask? Monopoly, because "it gets too vicious." I am delighted by this whole thing, TBH.
Looking for some Queenly nostalgia? The Royal Family released a beautiful, personal video of Elizabeth as a youngster for her recent birthday.

You guys, this story has made my entire week. According to Express, there's one game the Royal Family will not be playing as they remain quarantined—and that game is Monopoly, because the Queen has apparently "banned" it from being played at home.

Hasbro Monopoly Board Game

And, before anyone says anything, no, this is not a story about the Queen being a tyrant or imposing insane restrictions, etc. etc. It's just based on a (kind of adorable?) anecdote from 2008 that I'm just going to leave here:

"In December 2008, Prince Andrew attended Leeds Building Society’s newly-refurbished Albion Street headquarters. Before he left the Duke of York was given the property board game Monopoly to mark his visit.

"However, Andrew had to politely decline the game as he reportedly revealed: 'We are not allowed to play Monopoly at home.' The Daily Telegraph reported Andrew explained the game could cause arguments within the family, as 'it gets too vicious.'"

Guys, I cannot help but love this so much. It has everything I want! In my mind, the Queen dominating everything and winning every time (or playing the role of the banker, because, obviously). Family members wailing "Mum!" "Granny!" "Great-granny!" at the unfairness of it all. Cards and pieces and (eventually the board) going flying. Actually that last one's probably just Monopoly at my house—we have a lot of competitive people—but in my mind that's exactly how it works out.

Seriously, just imagine this Monopoly game, and tell me that's not the most amazing thing.

trooping the colour 2019 the royal family, london, england june 08 prince william, duke of cambridge, catherine, duchess of cambridge, prince louis of cambridge, prince george of cambridge and princess charlotte of cambridge during trooping the colour, the queens annual birthday parade, on june 8, 2019 in london, england photo by chris jacksongetty images

So intense (keep an eye on Charlotte, I bet she's sneakily the best player).

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commonwealth day service 2020 — (Image credit: Karwai Tang)

March 9, 2020

Meghan and Prince Harry attend the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey with all of the royal family. Meghan is wearing a custom Emilia Wickstead dress and carrying a Gabriela Hearst Demi bag; she's also wearing Birks earrings and Aquazzura heels.

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Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.

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