Unbelievable! Kate Middleton ignores a 100-year-old royal rule!

A royal tradition that stood for over a century was shattered by none other than Kate Middleton.

[{"selector":"#anim-1a6a2c25-234f-420c-bcd2-4c7b0c705a5f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f27f1918-abcc-4602-a23f-33bc1b92f4a9","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ba3b49fc-1cad-44a5-a2a6-da19e173401f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] This 115-year-old tradition involved giving shamrocks to the Irish Guards on St Patrick's Day.

[{"selector":"#anim-944b0263-15c1-4e6c-9b06-3314e3b8dcd9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-73b615a4-43de-4217-b762-1a70167ac676","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-331a7e3a-4452-4d1e-ba1a-d287b11bc3e9","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Kate has been accompanying Prince William to the ceremony since their marriage in 2011.

But in 2016, Kensington Palace announced that Kate would not be carrying on the tradition.

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[{"selector":"#anim-ad98faf8-1c15-4c25-b3a4-bc5952c27549 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2b568c99-eb31-4e11-9e82-34e845db16d8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-709b1f36-b1bf-4d1d-a163-2fa551f81e30","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Why, you ask? Because Kate wanted to prioritize spending time with her children.

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[{"selector":"#anim-7a3f8bc4-ddac-42e9-8027-fab224f008c7 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b7816737-a27a-4066-a44b-ae809f14df14","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6125b94b-36b7-4f85-806e-5aa7b198b749","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] But that doesn't mean she shirks her royal duties - she celebrated St Patrick's Day with Prince William and the Irish Guards.

[{"selector":"#anim-cf0eb2a1-da9e-46f9-a692-775b64acd6ae [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-925caab9-6f10-47f9-9f26-159f3de12c91","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1736c82f-8edd-484e-927e-29a1d65867de","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] In fact, Kate is now the Colonel of the Irish Guards, a role she took over from Prince William.

[{"selector":"#anim-4e7dd74a-432f-465a-965a-d61775412253 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-63f221b8-4e9b-4769-b47b-b4807dad0355","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e61fd5a9-cb56-4c3d-a626-6765ab135120","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] All in all, Kate's decision to break with tradition is a pleasant and relatable shift from the usual royal rigmarole. Long live the Queen (of motherhood)!