Unusual royal traditions or practices

[Lumutqueen]

Originally Posted by crisiñaki

How about bringing water from the Jordan River to christening the little ones?

I think this is a wonderful tradition.
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[crownprincessrhey]

Getting the water from the Jordan river, i think, signifies a link with Christ's baptism...I mean, most of the royalties are Christians

[Hereditary Thane]

Children of royals are treated no more differently than childrten of commoners by the Church. What a preposterous and silly idea that they are.

[Princess Agnes]

About the presence of parents at christenings, a few decades ago in some catholic regions (I'm portuguese) the mother wouldn't be present at a baby's christening. For example, my grandmother stayed home during the christening of all her 4 children.

This has to do with some ancient traditions that forbade newmothers from entering a church for some time after birth (most places said 40 days I believe).
Nowadays no one cares about it and also children are bapthised much older.

[Duchessmary]

I believe the same applies to the Russian Orthodox faith. I think the Tsar and Empress had to wait outside until the baptism of their child was complete.

[PrincessKaimi]

I would find it very odd if all British children were baptized with water from the actual Jordan River.

And, are you sure, Duchessmary, that this custom is in Russian Orthodoxy? In Greek Orthodoxy, the parents are present. I'm not sure where to check this fact, modern Russian orthodoxy might be quite different, considering the hiatus it had.

But surely, this must be broadly known by members of the faith.

[snowflower]

Actually, until the late 19th - early 20th century Greek Orthodox mothers were also not present in their children baptism, I have no idea why, but this practice has been abandoned for at least a century. So when the Grand Duchesses and Alexei were baptised , many Greek Orthodox mothers were doing the same with Alexandra and were missing the christening

[thraxed]

Not a royal orb and Aztecs on the right.

[Emperor Roku XIV]

Hmm... I can't think of a strange royal tradition. The ones mentioned in this thread are quite interesting, though.