A former member of the royal staff household has revealed what it was really like to work for the British royal family, describing the atmosphere inside Buckingham Palace as highly professional and kind.
Squadron Leader Adam Fox-Edwards, the former Assistant to the Master of the Household, shared his experience in an exclusive interview with the Daily Express. He spent one year on secondment at the palace starting in 1997 during Queen Elizabeth's reign, with his primary responsibility being the organisation of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh's golden wedding anniversary celebrations.
Professionalism behind the scenes
Fox-Edwards, an RAF fighter pilot, said: "It was very professional, and everybody is actually lined up trying to do the very best they can and put on a good show from the Royal Family and get everything right. So it's very, very professional, and you see that when you see the public events, they just work seamlessly. That doesn't happen by accident."
He explained that this is because of a very good, professional team behind the scenes at all levels, from senior private secretaries liaising with the Government to the lowest footman or butler. "They are all doing the very best, very professional, well-rehearsed, well-drilled, and it's just done correctly, and that was the nice thing that was just done. To make it look effortless takes a great deal of effort," he added.
Contrast with TV dramas
Comparing the reality of Buckingham Palace to TV depictions, Fox-Edwards pointed out that the attributes of professionalism and kindness "don't necessarily come across in TV dramas, which, of course, by the very nature, are trying to make things look dramatic and confrontational. Which wasn't the case."
Reflecting on his time working alongside the late Queen Elizabeth, he said: "It was a great honour, and the first couple of days while I was at Buckingham Palace, I went through the front gate, in the front door and along the passageway to my office, I was just pinching myself. I couldn't quite believe that's where I was actually working, and it still gave me a thrill, when I got in a taxi in London and said 'Take me to Buckingham Palace,' they would say 'Do you mean Buckingham Palace road,'" to which he would correct, "'No, Buckingham Palace.'"
The revelations come ahead of a new royal documentary, Buckingham Palace: A Year in the Life, premiering on Channel 5 on Saturday, September 3, airing Saturdays at 9:15 pm. Across four episodes, behind-the-scenes insiders share first-hand accounts of working life behind the famous black gates.
