Palace Aides Reveal What It’s Really Like Working for the Royals — and the One They Dread the Most
From Princess Diana's clever quips to Andrew's arrogance, royal staff members share their stories.
While the royal family may be some of the most popular faces in the world, they are driven by protocol to be on their best behavior when out in public. Although the current generation of royals is trying to be as relatable as possible, thereby leaving the public with the idea that they actually do know the royals, it might be surprising to hear accounts of people who are (or were) in actual company with the members of The Firm. Recently, former royal staff members have spoken about their experiences working for the monarchy, even reflecting on their personal anecdotes about certain royal members.
Former royal butler, Martin Higgins, recalled that Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip had a "great sense of humor," while Princess Anne "was always very charming and down to earth." He further mentioned why there was a 'mutual respect' between the family and the staff. "They understood that they relied on us, as we relied on them, so there's mutual respect," GB News quoted him as saying. Recently, Dai Davies, who headed Scotland Yard’s Royal Protection Command between 1994 and 1998, spoke about his interactions with the royal family members.
“I was treated with civility. Charles was polite,” he said. While Davies was complimentary of the then-Prince of Wales, there was one particular royal who left a lasting impression on him, and it was none other than Princess Diana. He also shared an amusing question she asked him after he started the job. “Diana, I liked her very much. When I started, she said to me: 'You poor man, do you know what you've taken on?” Although Davies found the “other members perfectly pleasant”, he didn’t have many nice things to say about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
Finding the 66-year-old, “boorish and ignorant,” Davies recalled a specific phone conversation between him and Mountbatten-Windsor, where the latter wanted to discuss a security matter and insisted on speaking to a superior. The chief of the Royal Protection had to explain to him that it was simply not possible, considering he himself was the head of security. Unsurprisingly, Davies was not the only former royal staff member to have complaints about Andrew.
Dickie Arbiter, former press secretary to the late Queen Elizabeth, Charles, and Diana, claimed Mountbatten-Windsor was “arrogant and entitled.” Arbiter further added that the Palace would be relieved that “it doesn’t have to answer” for him any longer.
Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of all his royal titles in October last year due to his connection with convicted financier Jeffrey Epstein. Earlier this year, he was arrested for misconduct in public office, and more recently, he was ousted from his 30-room mansion, Royal Lodge.
The repercussions for his involvement in the Epstein scandal have extended far beyond him. There have been rising calls to strip his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, of their titles as well. While the royal family has already established its intent on separating from Mountbatten-Windsor, it is being speculated that the family also wants to distance itself from Beatrice and Eugenie.
