Rules The Royal Staff Have To Follow
By Nick Hadji
1 year ago
1. Don't talk about any personal opinions
Image source: Reddit
One of the most strict rules, when you're a member of the royal staff, is NEVER to convey your opinions. You should remain unbiased at all times. Particularly on matters such as politics. It's essential to always appear impartial at all times.Original content sourced from Femanin.com2. Always address the Royals with their formal title
Image source: Reddit
When you are a member of the royal staff you can't shorten titles, you should always use the full and formal title of whichever royal family member it is that you are addressing. This is a sign of respect and it shows professionalism at all times, staff cannot become too familiar with the royal family.3. NEVER talk about what happens in the royal family
Image source: geotv
What happens in the royal family, stays in the royal family. Or so it should. Probbaly THE most important rule that royal staff must follow is to never divulge any information about the royal family to the outside (especially the press!), no matter how big or small the information may seem.4. Royal cleaners can't use a vacuum
Image source: belfasttelegraph
So here's an unusual rule that the royal family's staff must follow. They are not supposed to vacuum the palace. Instead, they must sweep the floors and the carpets. Vacuums are considered too loud and unpleasant to be heard by royal ears and so a sweeping brush must be used instead.5. Don't walk through the centre of the carpet
Image source: NBC
Another rule that you'd never have guessed is that the staff cannot walk directly through the middle of the carpet. This is because the royal carpets are extremely expensive and the heavy foot traffic can wear the carpet threads. Staff must walk along the sides of the carpet whilst the centre pathway is reserved for the royals.6. Check the tea with a thermometer before serving
Image source: Reddit
This rule in particular is one that King Charles insists upon. The thermometer isn't only there to check the tea is at a safe temperature to serve and drink but it's also to do with personal preference. King Charles likes his English breakfast tea to be served slightly cooler than his green tea.7. Be discreet at all times
Image source: Reddit
A servant essentially should be as discreet as possible - neither seen nor heard. They should not do anything to attract attention at all. In fact, the rule is that the staff of the royal family should be practically as invisible as they possibly can.8. Royal nannies are not allowed to use certain words
Image source: Reddit
Of course, when it comes to the upbringing of the royal children there are strict guidelines to follow. So strict, that certain words are banned from being said by the royal nannies. For example one of these words is 'kids', the royal children must never ben referred to as kids, only children. And even more preferably, just by their names.9. Stand for hours, but DON'T fidget
Image source: peoplemagazine
Have you ever noticed the royal staff standing, shifting in their feet or fidgeting? No. And, that's for a reason, because it would hardly scream professionalism. The royal staff must stand extremely still, even for hours on end without fidgeting at all.10. Never turn your back to a royal
Image source: Reddit
As a member of the royal's staff, you must never turn your back on a royal. It is considered the height of rudeness and is thought to show disrespect to the royal. The staff must wait until the royal member has turned, or must walk backward slightly to adjust their position.11. Don't wear a strong scent
Image source: Reddit
Another rule you may never have thought of is that royal staff should never wear a strong scented perfume or aftershave. In fact, this rule was particularly instilled by the late Queen's husband, The Duke Of Edinburgh who was extremely disgruntled when his footman was wearing a strong aftershave.12. Royal cooks have to avoid cooking with certain ingredients
Image source: Reddit
Imagine the pressure of cooking for the royal family. Especially when there is a list of things you must never serve to a royal. And, they each have their own preferences on ingredients they do not want to be served. For example, The late Queen despised garlic and banned garlic from the kitchen. And, shellfish is not allowed for the royals in case they get sick.13. Never say 'dinner is ready'
Image source: newsweek
Paul Kidd a former royal butler learned this the hard way when he irritated the late Queen by announcing 'Your majesty, dinner is ready'. Queen Elizabeth was apparently not happy as what should be said is 'your majesty, dinner is served', which sounds more formal.14. Royal stylists must be ready for every eventuality, including death
Image source: Pinterest
The job of a royal stylist is very difficult as they have to be prepared for all different kinds of events. In fact, they must ensure that a black outfit is packed whenever a royal family member travels in case somebody dies and the royal family has to dress in mourning clothes.15. Treat the royal dogs like royalty
Image source: Reddit
There's absolutely no dry or tinned dog food for the royal dogs. Oh no, they are served a freshly cooked meal of rabbit, beef, lamb, or game that has been freshly caught. Not only that, staff must treat them like a royal family member and tend to their every need.16. Prepare and store the food very particularly
Image source: Reddit
There are very particular rules on how to prepare the food and how to store it. One of the reasons for this is to ensure that the food is as safe as possible to avoid the royals getting sick. Another is to ensure that it is as fresh as possible. For example, the royal family prefers their cereal is kept in an air tight tupperware to keep it fresh.17. Always be professional
Image source: Reddit
Now this goes without saying, but the royal staff have to be professional at all times. Unlike some jobs, they are not allowed to have an off moment or a bad day where their professionalism may slip slightly. They must act the same each and every day no matter how they are feeling.18. Don't use an electronic device whilst on duty
Image source: telegraph
Picturing a royal staff member with a mobile in hand scrolling Instagram sounds completely unthinkable. And for this, the staff would most probably lose their job. The staff are not allowed on any electronic device whilst they are on duty as it is considered completely improper and unprofessional.19. Always have the correct uniform for the occasion
Image source: Reddit
The staff must make sure that they have the correct uniform on for each occasion. And, uniforms change with each occasion so this is quite a feat in itself. For example, nannies on formal events have to wear a tan dress and white gloves which is different to what a nanny is supposed to wear on a usual day in the palace.20. Peel the horses carrots to the exact length
Image source: Reddit
If there is a rule that sounds excessive, this may be it. The royal horses of course, are treated as an extension of the royal family. And, their carrots have to all be prepared at finger length. The staff must also peel the carrots. The size of the carrots is partly to prevent the royal family from being bitten if they feed the horses.21. Stand up when a royal enters the room
Image source: countryliving
All royal staff must stand up when a royal member walks into the room. It does not matter which member of the royal family it is, or if they are walking in and out of a room multiple times. It is considered a sign of respect to the royals that the staff must get to their feet.22. Hold the ashtray for hours
Image source: Reddit
At any kind of royal family event if there is a royal member smoking, a member of staff must stand to the side of them holding an ashtray. Peter Russell who is a former royal servant revealed that he would be stood for hours on end holding the ashtray for Princess Margaret so that she did not have to move to flick her cigarette.23. No loud noises before 10 am
Image source: theroyalfamily
Now this sounds like a rule that we can get behind. There is a strict rule that there is no loud noises or unpleasant noises in the palace before 10 am. This means that if certain things have to be done, they must be done a different way or they must wait until after 10 am so that they do not disturb the royal's morning routine.24. ALWAYS look clean
Image source: Reddit
If you are a member of the royal staff you MUST look clean at all times. At the end of the say, the staff represent the royal family in a way and they must look pristine without fail. There are changed of uniform available so that of one gets stained or dirty in any way the staff must change immediately.25. Do not initiate physical contact with a member of the royal family
Image source: Reddit
A member of the royal staff must not touch or initiate contact with a member of the royal family. If it is necessary to do so for example, a clothing fitting, then the royal family member must give their consent before the staff can touch them. On no occasion could a member of staff reach out first for a hand shake for example.26. Always be early and NEVER late
Image source: Reddit
On no occasion must a member of the royal staff ever be late. Lateness is something that is considered totally unacceptable within the rules of the royal family staff protocol. The staff must always be early for their work, so that they are punctual to start on time and ensure everything is in order.27. Always appear composed and never show signs of distress
Image source: Reddit
When you see the royal staff they always look completely composed. This is a strict rule that they must follow. No matter how they are feeling, or whether they are tired, they must always remain composed and look completely dignified, and never show any kind of discomfort or distress.28. Follow every single guideline strictly
Image source: yahoo
Without a doubt, every single guideline has to be followed. There are no 'optional' guidelines and if a staff member doesn't follow just one or two there could be serious repercussions. Each guideline is very important and despite how many there are, these can never be missed.29. Keep up with continuous training programmes
Image source: Reddit
Rules around the royal family constantly change, as do safety procedures. As the world changes, so do the rules. And so staff have to keep up with continuous training programs. If the staff does not continue to train, they are not considered fit to serve the royal family.30. Always follow the safety procedures
Image source: Reddit
Safety procedures are there to protect both staff and the royal family. If there is a rule that is considered one of the most important it is this. Because there are thousands of safety procedures to follow, from food preparation, to vehicle handling, to escorting royal members, this is quite a hard task.31. Special uniforms for special occasions
image source: dailymail.co.uk
It's no surprise that royal staff have strict dress codes, but it all depends on the occasion and what's going on. There will be different rules for different uniforms, and how staff need to dress for certain royal events. Their uniforms will change all the time depending on their job and the location.32. There's even a map for how to place tea trays!
image source: edition.cnn.com
We know there are certain 'etiquette' rules about setting a table the right way, but surprisingly there's a specific 'table map' for where items should be placed for each royal family member! For example, Prince Philip required his oat cakes to be next to the honey.33. Take on board a royal's food preferences
image source: cafemom.com
Just like everyone else, royals have their own food preferences, intolerances and allergies - and the royal staff not only need to be aware of that, but make sure they're serving exactly what the royal family wants. Princess Anne requests specifically black bananas!34. Coffee has to be poured from a silver jug
image source: womanandhome.com
The royal family - and indeed the British! - are known for their love of tea, but they're partial to coffee, too. If the royal family was to drink coffee, it would have to be served from a silver jug rather than any regular coffee pot. Makes sense when you're in a palace!35. The Queen's cereal had to be kept in Tupperware
image source: cosmopolitan.com
This one might sound strange based on the amount of silverware rules there are in the palace, but the late Queen Elizabeth II apparently requested for her cereal to be kept in plastic Tupperware rather than anything fancy - she thought it kept it fresher for longer!36. Squeeze out toothpaste ready onto the toothbrush
image source: reddit.com
This one pertains to one royal in particular - Prince Charles, and now King Charles. When he was still a prince, it's claimed that his servants had to do pretty much everything for him, including applying the toothpaste onto the brush ready for him. We don't know if that would have changed since becoming king - or maybe now they need to actually brush for him!37. Nannies have to be trained in a lot more
image source: townandcountrymag.com
You might think being a qualified and trained nanny is enough to fill the role of... well, a nanny, but apparently not for the royals! Because nannies are protecting royalty, they also have to be trained in things like cyber security and defensive driving, so there's a protective element, too.38. Sometimes they don't have to wear the uniform if they don't want to draw attention
image source: vanityfair.com
It's true that the royal nannies have that very Mary Poppins-looking uniform that they have to wear whilst on duty, but sometimes they don't have to wear a uniform at all. This can be in situations where they don't want to draw attention to the fact they're escorting royal children!39. When the king or queen stands, everyone stands
image source: ndtv.com
This one not only refers to staff, but anyone in the ruling monarch's presence. When the Queen stood (or the now King stands) everyone must follow suit, and can't sit down until they sit down. Royal staff are standing the majority of the time anyway, but this is an important rule.40. The corgis had their very own butlers
image source: cafemom.com
The late queen's dogs were treated like royalty, but so much so that they actually had their own personal butlers to tend to their every need. The dogs' food bowls would be hand-delivered by these butlers, and they of course didn't have any old dog bowl - they were porcelain, of course!41. There are certain foods the royal chefs can't make
image source: today.com
The royal family have the right to ask for whatever food they're in the mood for, of course. One of the main stipulations is just things that the royal members might not like to eat, but there are other things banned from the menu, such as food risky to cook if it could cause food poisoning.42. King Charles likes one particular type of egg
image source: people.com
King Charles is a huge fan of soft boiled eggs, but he also likes them at a particular time of day - after he's got back from hunting and paired with whiskey! And this was before he came King, so we imagine it's even more important now to get those eggs boiled just right.43. And they have to keep making eggs if they don't know what time he'll be ready
image source: bbc.com
The trouble with this being King Charles favorite post-hunting snack is that the royal servants don't exactly know what time he's going to be back. The rule they have to follow is to just continuously make eggs until he arrives back, starting around 30 minutes before he's due back and then every few minutes until he gets home to eat!44. Lots of food gets wasted
image source: thekitchn.com
As you can imagine, this means a lot of food and eggs wasted. You'd think he'd just send a text when he's on his way back, but apparently that's not royal protocol. So if he's running an hour later after he's due back, you can imagine how much time (and eggs) that's wasted!45. They can't be seen or heard
image source: skynews.com
We've already mentioned about not being able to use a vacuum cleaner because it's so loud, but apparently the idea of noise extends to more than that. Servants have to not be seen and not be heard - in fact, the basis of 'who's the best at being a servant' can be decided with this!46. They have to keep the scandalous secrets
image source: people.com
Being part of royal staff definitely means you're going to be party to a little drama or two - think about all the royal scandals we hear in the news, after all! Part of your job as a royal staff member is to keep quiet and keep a secret when you're supposed to! You can't pay attention to the scandals.47. A lot of staff members aren't allowed to leave
image source: schedule.wttw.com
This sounds ominous, but really it means that most staff members will have live-in occupations where they need to stay on site 24/7 just in case they're needed at certain hours. This is definitely true of royal nannies, who need to be on hand throughout the night as well as the day!48. Staff members actually get jealous of each other
image source: euronews.com
image source: royal.uk