Sorry to burst your bubble but the royal family isn’t perfect. Yes, they are always adorned in the finest clothing, articulate, socialize with the elite, and show compassion for the less fortunate but like every family they have secrets. The difference is that not every family is under constant scrutiny. As part of their public image, the royals are often forced to keep secrets. The thing is secrets don’t always stay buried forever. Here are some of the secrets that the royal family tried to keep hidden.

1. Queen Victoria Hated Motherhood

Queen Victoria was married to Prince Albert and had nine children but she hated being a mother. She referred to babies as ugly and nasty objects. She described pregnancy as being like a dog or cow. She didn’t play an active role in parenting most of her children and left that aspect to Prince Albert. Queen Victoria said she couldn’t bear noisy children. She did check-ins with the children every few months. Her maternal instincts never kicked in.

2. Prince John was Hidden From the Public

Optics is everything for the rich and famous and the royals are no exception. They often want to appear to the public as people of great strength with perfect lives. As such, when Prince John was born in 1905 with serious health conditions such as seizures and possibly being on the autism spectrum, he was hidden from the public. He was not allowed to go to school like his siblings, make public appearances or attend his father’s coronation. After he turned eight, he was excluded from family portraits and in 1916, he was sent to live with a governess. Prince John passed away in 1919.

3. King Charles is Related to Dracula

The name Dracula definitely rings a bell and sends shivers down your spine if you’ve ever read Bram Stoker’s novel or seen the 2014 film “Dracula Untold” based on a centuries-old vampire. Vlad Tepes, a Romanian prince who lived in the fifteenth century, is thought to be the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s renowned vampire. Through the consort of King George Vand Queen Mary, King Charles is thought to be the great-grandson of Vlad, sixteen times removed. Charles has made several trips to Transylvania since learning of the historical connection, purchased real estate there, and has done charitable work there through the Prince of Wales Foundation.

4. They Travel With Their Own Blood

While we all agree that having a personal blood bank and a doctor to accompany us while traveling can come in very handy, only a select few can brag of such a privilege. There are several important rules that the royals have to follow when they travel abroad. They have their blood supply on hand in case of emergencies where a transfusion is needed. This is particularly important when traveling to countries where blood supply is unreliable. The Royal Navy doctor is always present.   

5. Queen Elizabeth’s Family Might Not Be Legitimate Heirs to the Throne

It came as a shocker in 2012 when a report surfaced suggesting that the royals may not be the rightful heirs to the throne. King Richard III passed away in 1485 and was laid to rest at Greyfriars Abbey. Over 500 years later, his remains were found. Researchers discovered after DNA analysis that he had no living descendants. This suggests that at some point there was an affair that destroyed the line of descent for the monarchy. This could mean that a number of kings and queens weren’t genuinely heirs apparent.