The royals with tattoos - and what the inkings mean (2024)

Outlandish style statements are not normally part of the royal dress code with Meghan Markle revealing she 'toned down' her wardrobeso as not to clash with senior family members.

Even nail colour has been regulated, with only natural-looking nails reportedly permitted at official royal events.

And it might be safely assumed that a tattoo would be strictly forbidden in the style guidebook but popular royals including Princess Eugenie have proudly displayed their inkings at formal public events.

From the heir to the Danish throne's leg tattoo of a shark to a glamorous British socialite exposing a tiger inked on her shoulder, it seems they are no longer taboo. Here, we reveal the royals with some very interesting inkings...

Princess Eugenie

Princess Eugenie: The Duke of York's youngest daughter exposed a small circle tattoo behind her ear at the Platinum Jubilee National Service of Thanksgiving

Wearing her hair down in loose curls, Prince Andrew's youngest daughter debuted a small circle tattoo behind her ear last year as she attended the Platinum Jubilee National Service of Thanksgiving to celebrate the Queen's reign.

The black circle inking was also visible when she attended a vigil at Westminster Hall to pay her respects to her late grandmother, the Queen after her death last year.

Although the princess - who is expecting her second child - has never revealed the meaning behind her tattoo, there have been some suggestion it can represent the cycle of life and death, or it can symbolise perfection, wholeness and totality

While it is rare for British royals to be seen with a tattoo, Eugenie is following on from her great-great-grandfather King George V who had a dragon and a tiger tattooed on his arms.

King George V, who reigned from 1910-1936, visited Japan in 1881 with his brother Prince Albert Victor when the pair were teenagers.

The tattoo was also visible just beneath the headband during a vigil at Westminster Hall as the princess paid her respects to the late Queen after her death in September last year

According to the official diary of the tour, compiled by their tutor, the Reverend John Dalton, the princes had their arms tattooed during their stay in Japan– Albert Victor with a pair of storks and George with a dragon and a tiger.

Serving as midshipmenaboard HMS Bacchante, Prince George's tattoos were chosen to symbolise the East and the West.

He wrote in his diary: 'We have spent a very pleasant week on shore up at Nara & Kioto (sic), we saw a great deal in the time but we were not long enough, it was too hurried.

'Nearly every body on board has been tattooed. I have got a dragon on one arm done at Tokio (sic) & a tiger on the other arm done at Kioto (sic).'

Lady Amelia Windsor

Lady Amelia Windsor, a model and granddaughter of the Queen's cousin, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, was the first member of the British royal family to show off her tattoos in public.

The stylish socialite displayed a small design on her rib, a parade of three bear cubs on her wrist and a glimpse of a tiger inked on her back while wearing a pink Chanel mini dress at theSerpentine Gallery Summer Ball in 2018.

She told Elle that the bear cubs are a sweet tribute to the bond between herself and her two siblings - Lady Marina and Edward Windsor.

She has a parade of three bear cubs on her lower arm as a tribute to her bond with her two siblings - Lady Marina and Edward Windsor

The stylish model and socialite also has a tiger on her back and a delicate design tattooed on her side

'One is of three bear cubs, which represent my brother, sister and I because we saw three cubs in Canada when we were really little and thought they were us on the beach,' she said. 'It was a really magical moment.'

Grant Harrold, who is known as The Royal Butler, previously told FEMAIL:'Lady Amelia Windsor is not a senior royal or a princess.

'As we know she is not even in the top 30 in line to the throne, so she will be aware that she can get away with personal choices such as tattoos or modelling for international fashion houses.'

Princess Sofia of Sweden

Princess Sofia of Sweden: The royal has displayed tattoos including a sunburst at a number of formal occasions

Sofia proudly showed off her back tattoo on her wedding day to Prince Carl Philip in 2015

The princess has a small tattoo on her ankle but reportedly had a tattoo on her arm removed

Princess Sofia of Sweden showed off the sunburst tattoo at the top of her back at her wedding to Prince Carl Philip in 2015.

She has proudly displayed the inking on many formal occasions, including at the 2019 Nobel Prize Awards Ceremony.

The princess also has a butterfly on her ribcage and a discreet tattoo on her ankle,but is reported to have had a tattoo on her arm removedfollowing her engagement to Carl Philip.

Pauline Ducruet

Pauline Ducruet: The niece of Prince Albert II of Monaco has showed off a number of inks, including on her lower left arm and her right ear

Following on from the example set by her mother PrincessStéphanie who has several tattoos, Pauline also has a daisy inked on her lower right arm

A diver, a designer and niece of Prince Albert II of Monaco, adventurous Pauline Ducruet has shown off a number of bold tattoos in public.

Her inkings includea daisy on her lower right arm, a delicate design on her wrist and writing on the inside of her left arm as well as a small tattoo at the top of her ear.

Pauline has previously opened up about her unconventional childhood, living in a caravan with a travelling circus after her mother PrincessStéphanie eloped with an elephant trainer.

She explained to the Sunday Telegraphthat while her childhood was 'random', travelling around the world also brought her 'pure freedom'.

Princess Stéphanie of Monaco

Princess Stéphanie of Monaco: The youngest daughter of actress Grace Kelly and Rainier III, Prince of Monaco has exposed a number of tattoos including on her back

She has also shown off an elaborate wrist tattoo on her right arm which is partnered with a ring tattooed on her finger

Pauline clearly followed the example of her mother Princess Stéphanie, the youngest daughter of actress Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III, who often exposes her various inks.

Dubbed a 'wild child', the princess - who has spent time as a model, a swimwear designer and a singer - has a dragon tattooed on her upper back as well as a flower bracelet around her wrist and a ring tattooed on her finger.

17-year-old Stéphanie was in the car with her mother when they were in a crash after driving around a hairpin curve, leading to her mother's death in 1982.

Shewas later hounded with false reports suggesting that the princess had been driving the car at the time of the crash.

Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark

Crown Prince Frederik: The Danish royal has displayed a tattoo on his arm and a shark inked on his lower leg

Heir to the Danish throne, Crown Prince Frederik has not tried to hide tattoos on his arm and a depiction of a shark on his calf.

The sharkis the insignia of the Danish Navy's elite frogman corps, possibly chosen as a tribute, while his arm tattoo refers to the nickname Pingu that he was given aftercompleting his training to become a badged Frogman.

The Frogman Corps are a unit of professional divers and commandos that are tasked with assaulting enemy ships, advanced force and maritime anti-terrorism tasks among others.

The training for the Frogman Corps is notoriously difficult with participants having to complete stages including a scuba diving course, a survival course and a combat swimmer course in nine months. Only 311 soldiers have been accepted into the unit since its creation.

Prince Frederik’s grandfather, King Frederik IX, also acquired tattoos during his time in the navy, having birds and dragons inked on his torso and arms.

The royals with tattoos - and what the inkings mean (2024)

FAQs

Do any members of the royal family have tattoos? ›

While it is rare for British royals to be seen with a tattoo, Eugenie is following on from her great-great-grandfather King George V who had a dragon and a tiger tattooed on his arms. King George V, who reigned from 1910-1936, visited Japan in 1881 with his brother Prince Albert Victor when the pair were teenagers.

Does Queen Camilla have a tattoo? ›

Although Queen Camilla does not have permanent ink, the Queen did partake in some henna activities while on an official engagement in 2011 with her husband, King Charles, then Prince Charles, while in Zanzibar. The Queen Consort visited a henna tattooist and had her own ink creation painted on her hand.

Does Princess Kate have any tattoos? ›

Despite what TiKTok may say, there's no evidence the Princess of Wales has any tattoos.

What does the royalty tattoo mean? ›

People get crown tattoos as a metaphor to be like kings of ancient times: just, fair, progressive, and kind. Some prefer to give it the power of future prosperity, abundance, riches, and evolution, not only in an economic sense but also in friendship, love, relations, admiration, and gratitude.

Does Prince William have a tattoo? ›

Does Prince William have any tattoos? Prince William does not have any tattoos, but according to reports the Duke of Cambridge was keen to have his skin inked at one point. Allegedly, it was his now wife, the duch*ess of Cambridge, that stopped him from getting a tat.

Does Kate Middleton have permanent eyeliner? ›

It isn't as drastic as Rihanna's chest eagle or a bum full of flowers like Cheryl Cole, the princess has opted for something smaller and more subtle. Some people might not even consider it a tattoo. However permanent ink and a needle have been used, so technically it is a tattoo. The duch*ess of…

Did Prince Philip have a tattoo? ›

The Prince made one of the soldier's roll his sleeve up so he could get a closer look at the tattoo, and seemed impressed. One source said: “He was asking them where they had got them done and what the story was behind them. A corporal was telling him that his was in tribute to a family member who had passed away.”

Does Camilla have any royal blood in her? ›

But did you know that Camilla actually has royal blood herself? Her royal ancestry is distant, but there's a definite linkage that's worth mentioning. The Earl of Albermarle, Camilla's 2x great-grandfather. The link comes from Camilla's 2x maternal great-grandfather Lieutenant Colonel William Coutts Keppel, born 1832.

Does Queen Camilla have pierced ears? ›

Despite having a vault of royal jewelry at her disposal, Queen Camilla has never had her ears pierced — and says she never will!

Does Princess Kate dye her hair? ›

While you'll probably never see Middleton with platinum blonde or fiery red hair, she definitely partakes in a little hair dye every now and then — though her hair color timing is quite traditional, too.

Does Princess Kate cook? ›

While Prince William has admitted he's not the most gifted in the kitchen, Princess Kate has often shared an insight into her passion for cuisine, favouring home-cooking for her children without the help of a royal chef.

Does Princess Kate wear false eyelashes? ›

Eyelash expert Saffron Hughes, from FalseEyelashes.co.uk, told Fabulous: “Kate, the Princess of Wales, loves a sophisticated yet natural false eyelash.

What does the 5 row tattoo mean? ›

Meaning Sak Yant Chat Petch 5 lines Traditional Thailand Tattoo , the five row yantras represent yant's of magical spells. It blesses the bearers with success, charm, loving kindness, good luck and protection from evil spirits. It has a similar meaning to another Sak Yant, Hah Taew Yant but Chat Petch.

How many royals have tattoos? ›

6 royals from around the world who have gotten tattoos, and the meanings behind them. It's becoming more common for royals from around the world to get tattooed. Britain's Princess Eugenie showed off a tiny circle tattoo behind her ear at a royal event in June.

What does the tattoo 100% mean? ›

The number can be worn as a tattoo, but is normally found on flyers and letters. • 100% – This is an expression of an individual's pure Aryan or white roots. It is common among white supremacists. It can be a tattoo or used as a saying between members.

Do any royals have piercings? ›

Did you know royals including Meghan Markle and Zara Tindall have braved the needle?

Which king of England had tattoos? ›

King Harold II of England had a number of tattoos. After his death at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, his tattoos were used to identify his body. Many other royals throughout history have been tattooed.

Does Prince Jackson have a tattoo? ›

Michael Jackson's 20-year-old son, Prince, has got a tattoo tribute to his late father. Prince took to Instagram last night to share video footage of his new inking, which shows the iconic singer posing with his arms in the air as angel wings unfurl from his back. Michael was just 13 when his father died.

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