As well as being the British monarch, a position she has held for more than 66 years, Queen Elizabeth is a grandmother to eight grandchildren – and they haven’t always behaved in the most appropriate manner for their ‘royal’ statuses, according to reports.
The Queen has always played a hands-on role with Peter Phillips, 41, Zara Tindall, 38, Prince William, 37, Prince Harry, 35, Princess Beatrice, 31, Princess Eugenie, 29, Lady Louise Windsor, 15, and James, Viscount Seven, 11, who have all brought her endless happiness – along with the usual family dramas, which have often been compounded by royal expectations.
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According to a 2016 report in the Daily Express, the Queen’s cousin, Lady Elizabeth Anson, revealed that aside from her dismay that many of her grandchildren seemed to lack the art of conversation, she also confessed they had begun to help out the Palace staff.
“I suppose it’s because they’re always getting up and down and helping somebody and putting something in a dishwasher or whatever they’re doing,” she told the publication.
“They don’t have enough staff.”
While she may be unhappy that her grandchildren have been pulling their weight at the Palace, Queen Elizabeth is also partial to getting involved in the day-to-day running of the place.
According to a royal insider, the Queen once served a tradie working at Buckingham Palace with a mug of tea.
Kevin Andrews, the royal upholsterer to the late Queen Mother, recalls the story of the time a builder pal was stunned when he found out he’d been served his brew by Her Majesty herself, in a forthcoming TV programme, Secrets of the Royal Palaces.
The builder said he was dismantling a desk inside Buckingham Palace so he could not see who was making the offer when a well-spoken woman asked him if he would like a cup of tea.
“Yeah. In a mug. Two sugars. Builders’ tea,” he replied.
“I don’t want any of that nonsense I had the last time I was here, all that fine china and all that saucer stuff.”
When the the woman returned and said: “I’ve put your tea on the table here.”
He looked up and couldn’t believe it when he saw the Queen leaving the room after having made him a cuppa!
