When we think of royalty, we usually picture gleaming crowns, majestic palaces, and stately processions. But behind the grandeur, kings and queens have often been just as eccentric, peculiar, and downright quirky as the rest of us—sometimes even more so. From unusual diets to bizarre daily routines, royal history is filled with fascinating oddities that reveal the human side of monarchs. Let’s take a trip through time and uncover some of the strangest royal habits ever recorded.
King Louis XIV: The Sun King Who Loved Cleanliness (Sort Of)
King Louis XIV of France, also known as the “Sun King,” ruled for 72 years, making him one of the longest-reigning monarchs in history. But here’s the twist: despite having 1,000 servants and living in the lavish Palace of Versailles, Louis reportedly only took three full baths in his entire life.
Instead, he relied heavily on perfumes and scented powders to stay “fresh.” On the flip side, he was obsessed with changing clothes—he often changed outfits several times a day. It seems for Louis, smelling good mattered more than being squeaky clean.
Queen Elizabeth I: The Red-Headed Fashion Icon
England’s Queen Elizabeth I (1533–1603) was famous for her fiery red hair and dazzling gowns. But she took her fashion obsession to extreme levels. Elizabeth owned more than 2,000 dresses, and she coated her face with a white lead-based makeup called “Venetian ceruse.” While it gave her the pale, porcelain look admired at the time, the lead was toxic and probably damaged her health.
Her quirky habit? She reportedly polished her teeth with sugar—an unusual choice that left her with blackened teeth later in life. Ironically, her decayed teeth became such a recognizable trait that courtiers sometimes showed loyalty by having their own teeth filed to look like hers.
Emperor Nero: Performer of the Roman Stage
Roman Emperor Nero (37–68 AD) is remembered as one of history’s most infamous rulers, but he also had a very peculiar passion—he fancied himself an actor and musician. Despite being emperor of the most powerful empire on Earth, Nero would perform on stage in singing competitions and plays.
Roman nobles were forced to attend his shows, and once the doors were locked so no one could leave. Some accounts even claim women gave birth during his endless performances because they weren’t allowed to exit. Clearly, Nero believed that absolute power came with a captive audience.
King George III: Talking to Trees
Britain’s King George III (1738–1820) is best known for losing the American colonies, but he also had some eccentric personal habits. During bouts of mental illness—possibly caused by a rare blood disorder—he was said to talk to plants, believing they could respond.
One famous story claims he once shook hands with a tree, convinced it was the King of Prussia. While this might sound amusing, it also reveals how mental health was poorly understood and treated in the past.
Queen Victoria: Love Letters and Mourning Rituals
Queen Victoria (1819–1901) adored her husband, Prince Albert, so much that when he died in 1861, she mourned for the rest of her life. For more than 40 years, she dressed only in black and insisted that Albert’s room remain exactly as he left it, with fresh clothes laid out daily as if he were still alive.
Her quirky devotion may seem unusual today, but it was deeply tied to Victorian ideas of loyalty, love, and remembrance. It also helped shape the long-lasting tradition of formal mourning in Europe.
Tsar Peter the Great: Dentistry Hobbyist
Peter the Great of Russia (1672–1725) was known for modernizing his country, but he also had one of the strangest hobbies for a monarch—pulling teeth. Fascinated by medicine, Peter often performed dental extractions on his friends, courtiers, and even strangers.
He collected the teeth as trophies, storing them in a special pouch. While it may sound horrifying, people at the time often preferred having the tsar handle their toothache rather than risk the hands of a less-skilled village barber.
The Charm of Royal Quirks
From bizarre fashion choices to eccentric hobbies, these quirky habits remind us that even monarchs weren’t immune to human oddities. In some cases, their quirks became defining traits, remembered centuries later as part of their legend.
It’s easy to imagine kings and queens as stiff figures locked in history books, but their strange habits add color to their legacies and make them oddly relatable. After all, who hasn’t had an unusual routine, an odd obsession, or a guilty pleasure that others might find strange?
So next time you see a royal portrait in a museum, remember: behind those grand costumes and regal poses, there might have been someone polishing their teeth with sugar, whispering to a tree, or collecting teeth as souvenirs.