OMG! Prince William carries cash
For most people, dropping into a store and paying cash for a loaf of bread or a carton of milk is no big deal. The members of the royal family are not "most people."
In fact, for centuries, they haven't bothered to carry cash at all. Instead, whenever they needed to pick up something around town, they simply borrowed a little cash from an assistant or member of their security team (and presumably paid them back).
The tradition began a long time ago and was due to do an old-school fear of germs and insects. The unspoken rule never went away. But Prince William, who is set to marry Kate Middleton on April 29, is doing his darndest to change the cash-less practice.
It may be hard to believe, but William is the first member of the royal family to actually handle cash. William wishes to be seen as a "modern royal" and not someone who is out of touch with regular people.
In times past, William has been known to lean on Kate to "settle up" with shopkeepers. In one well-publicized incident, William went to a shop in disguise in the hopes of remaining incognito. But the ruse was over as soon as he had to call on Kate to pay for his groceries. OK, so he's not James Bond...
According to CBS News, William's new policy of carrying a little cash "apparently has rubbed off on the prince's father, Prince Charles, and his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall. The couple has been given money of late for making donations when attending church." This wasn't always the case. In 2009, Charles had to borrow £3,000 from his security detail to pay for a trip for his sons, Harry and William.
One can see how this cashless-practice might get a bit tiresome. Not just for the foyal family, but also for their assistants who are constantly having to pony up the dough.
