Inside Buckingham Palace: A Home To A Small Army Of Staff It's no secret that the palace has plenty of bedrooms for live-in staff, but there are a few restrictions on living and working there. The Queen has over 1,000 staff members, many of whom live on-site, where their meals are free, according to Forbes.
A Royal Privilege: Living At Buckingham Palace
In addition, it houses over 1,000 members of staff, including maids, chefs, and other members of the housekeeping staff, who ensure that the palace runs smoothly. They not only serve a critical function, but many of them live on-site in the palace.
The palace's private quarters have been Queen Elizabeth II's formal residence since 1936 when her father took the throne and is speculated to be the new home of King Charles III and his Queen Consort.
Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms. These include 19 State rooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms.
According to Forbes, the Queen has over 1,000 servants, ranging from maids to footmen to chefs and more, and there are numerous rules that must be followed. One advantage of living in the palace is that they have free meals there. They do not get much in exchange.
While it is likely that secretaries, housekeepers, chefs, chauffeurs, gardeners etc. will be kept on, some of the queen's more personal staff may be made redundant or choose to leave the household voluntarily, such as her footmen and dressers.
The monarch has a private indoor swimming pool at Buckingham Palace, which has long been a favourite spot for the entire royal family.
Use of mobile phones are permitted only in the Palace's garden. Mobile phones must be switched off elsewhere on the visitor route. Photography is not permitted inside Buckingham Palace.
The most powerful members of the Queen's royal household don't necessarily have the most senior job titles. Lady Susan Hussey, 81, is one of the Queen's ladies-in-waiting, a role held by aristocrat women who act as personal assistants to the monarch.
Buckingham Palace servants are well compensated for their service; most make between £22,000 and £50,000 per year. Additionally, depending on their job and responsibilities, they may enjoy benefits such as free meals and housing. The highest-ranking servants can make up to £80,000 per year.
It's not just Queen Elizabeth, sitting on her own in the ballroom. Prince Phillip and Prince Edward, his wife and children all also reside there.
"While Her Majesty is enjoying her first cup of tea, her maid will go into the adjoining bathroom to draw the bath, which has to be exactly the right temperature: tested with a wooden-cased thermometer, and no more than seven inches of water," he told the Daily Mail.
Places like Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle are owned by the monarch of the moment because of their position as king or queen, while other properties, like Balmoral and Sandringham House, are personally owned and not publicly funded.
Non-royals live there too
Around 150 of those workers have housing accommodations at Windsor Castle.
Generally, every royal supports charities, appears at events, and occasionally travels the globe to strengthen diplomatic relationships. But some royals also have day jobs, and others have long military careers.
The royal's sizable personal household boasts 30 full-time-equivalent staff members in the Private Secretaries Office, including an equerry and administrative staff, as well as four chefs, two chauffeurs, three dressers and a butler.
Apparently, according to a report from Hello! magazine, Her Majesty takes no issue with performing the grunt work herself, even on holiday! Household chores aren't unfit for this Queen!
While the monarch enjoys her first cup of tea from the comfort of her bed, her maid “will go into the adjoining bathroom to draw the bath”. The bath has to be “exactly the right temperature” - how hot or cold the Queen likes her bath, no one knows.
The role is not typically paid, and it has been reported that Lady Hussey was not given a salary during her time in the position, instead serving the Queen out of loyalty.
Special people the Queen would answer the phone for
"The two people she phones the most are said to be her daughter Princess Anne and her racing manager John Warren." Warren can get through to the Queen "from anywhere in the world".
There is no formal dress code required to enter the Palace. Toilets and baby-care facilities are located in the garden, this is at the end of the route through the Palace. There are no toilet facilities at the start of the visitor route. Alternative arrangements can be made for visitors with disabilities on request.
The Queen had a phone with a 'highly encrypted anti-hacking mechanism'. The special mechanism in the phone, a Samsung model, was set up by the MI6 to prevent hackers from accessing any details of her personal conversations.
The Queen's official residence, Buckingham Palace, does not have air conditioning. In addition to its location in the temperate climate of Britain, this city provides natural ventilation by having open windows that allow it to cool down and breathe.
But few know that the palace also has a hospital, the Royal Mews Hospital, which has been providing medical care to the royal family and their staff since the 1880s.
The Private Apartments make up at least 25 of the 775 rooms in the palace – however, while this is considered a 'small' percentage in terms of the entire building, it is likely to offer ample space for Harry, Meghan, and their two children Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor.