Looks like this is mostly if not completely obsolete as of Rimworld 1.1.2579:

Update 1.1.2579
RimWorld - Tynan
Here's another polishing update for RimWorld!

The most notable change is in how titles interact with work types. Now, only certain characters will actually not do worktypes disallowed by their titles. Royals from the Empire, as well as colonists with the greedy or jealous traits will refuse to do any formally-prohibited work type, while others will take the titles less seriously and continue to work as normal, ignore formal restrictions on food, and not issue decrees.

@XenoVoid Royals below the rank of count can research. Counts basically can't do anything but talk to people. Its honestly not worth upgrading a noble that far, unless your planning on beating the game without building your own ship.

Oh thank you! Any chance you might expand this to allow us to "whitelist" other skills via mod settings at some point? It just struck me as odd that research, art, and doctor where considered "commoner" skills, rather that the work of the elite in such a society.

Even if not, this is still a very much welcome mod. :)

At Count/Countess, Nobles will refuse to Research. Downloading this because i lost my double-passion level 16 intellectual and had no replacement.

wait, this isnt vanilla? i'm pretty sure that my noble does research. that's like, the only job that she can do

There are two people with the Royality update:
The Nobilty
The Anarchist

There is no inbetween.

The nobility will never stoop to the level of manual OR intellectual labor. You will be hearing from lawyers.

You dare propogate the preposterous rumor that the rich WORK?! I’ll ship you to the cluster within our walls for this, peasant!

UP WITH TAXES?! UR NOBU IS THINKS HOW MAKE MOAR LUMP GREY METAL

Hello modder. I am here to inform you that all mods need to update Harmony and should make Harmony a dependent mod. Also include CE compatibility. RimWorld 1.1 is out. Thanks.

DOWN WITH THE SYSTEM

MAKE THE RICH WORK!