Something I think about a lot is how Kensington Palace had a staff of (easily) 40 to 50 people in 2017-18, and they ALL threw tantrums for years about the Duchess of Sussex’s preparedness and work ethic. KP is clearly staffed by clowns, morons and lazy, well-connected aristo-adjacents. Is it the same in other palace offices? We know King Charles was grossly over-staffed as Prince of Wales, and Prince William certainly inherited some of his father’s staff. We also know that QEII was a terrible manager and she really never bothered to improve the royal-office situation whatsoever. All of which means that one year into King Charles’s reign, he’s still dealing with his mother’s old staff, his old staff, the KP clownery and too few “royals” for it to make any sense. King Charles has new plans to cut royal household staff by 20%.
The King is planning to axe an estimated one in five of his middle-management staff to boost the Royal Household’s efficiency, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Charles and Camilla are said to be dismayed by what they believe are too many staff doing similar jobs. Nearly a year into his reign, the King is also weary of senior courtiers telling him: ‘But that’s how the Queen did it.’
The cuts will hit Buckingham Palace, Sandringham, Windsor Castle and Balmoral – which employ hundreds between them – and form part of the King’s long-held ambition to streamline and modernise the Monarchy. Dozens of workers could be affected. For years, a leaner Monarchy with fewer working Royals – potentially seven rather than 11 – has been a priority. But the King realises this involves staff reductions. He is said to be acutely conscious of the financial burden a vast household places on the taxpayer.
‘There is a real feeling that the staffing at all the palaces is too heavy,’ said one insider. ‘There are far too many assistants to assistants. The King and Queen would prefer to pay people proper wages top to bottom but have less people. For instance, there are chefs for them and chefs for the staff. Why, they ask, can’t there be one lot of kitchen staff for everyone?’
Camilla has made it clear that ‘a levelling-up of Royal staff’ is needed. She will have a key role in overseeing any changes. ‘Her Majesty cannot abide too many people doing the same jobs. Senior housekeeper, executive housekeepers and juniors,’ said a source. She has raised the matter with the Master of the Household, Vice-Admiral Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt.
Although Balmoral was his mother’s favourite residence, it does not find the same favour with Camilla. The Mail on Sunday has been told that she has made a conscious decision to stay at nearby Birkhall, the home she has shared with Charles for years in Scotland, because she cannot abide Balmoral’s ‘flummery’. A source said: ‘She is dipping in and dipping out while the King is staying at Balmoral. She is staying at Birkhall where she has a limited number of loyal staff – her people.’
[From The Daily Mail]
I… honestly don’t have a problem with this? Charles is actually right? How many royal household middle-managers does it take to screw in a lightbulb? How many royal-only chefs work in these palaces and castles full-time, when Charles and Camilla only spend a few weeks a year in some of them? Speaking of, that’s interesting about Camilla not wanting to spend time in Balmoral. It’s the same with Charles too – they’re in their 70s, they’re set in their ways, and they already had all of their homes set to their preferences. That’s why Camilla and Charles prefer Clarence House, Birkhall, Highgrove and Ray Mill. Anyway, while I think a culling of the royal household is a good idea, C&C are going to piss off a lot of those staffers and maybe those people will start spilling some real tea.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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