When Queen Camilla smoked, she had silver cigarette boxes in every room – and you won’t believe how spoiled King Charles’ shoelaces are: Royal expert BRIAN HOEY reveals the extent of the royal family’s luxury life

No one outside the Royal Family truly knows the luxurious extent of the family’s lifestyle.

Outwardly, they give the impression of being frugal and frugal – which they often are, even though Princess Anne prefers to call it ‘the good old-fashioned Hanoverian household’.

But this frugality does not extend to what they eat, drink, wear, ride and drive.

They enjoy only the best that money can buy, even as they instruct their staff to negotiate the best deals when placing orders on their behalf.

As a family, they take luxury for granted and value loyalty above all other virtues.

When Queen Camilla still smoked, footmen were ordered to place silver cigarette boxes containing her favorite brand in every room. Above: Camilla smokes while riding the Beaufort Hunt, 1996

Princess Anne hates being driven, even by her husband, who has never been allowed to get behind the wheel

And as a former senior staffer once noted, “The Royal Family may not always be right, but they are never wrong.”

The idea of ​​having to accept second best in anything simply does not occur to anyone in the family.

The attention to detail that the royals insist on is remarkable these days.

For example, when Camilla still smoked, footmen were apparently ordered to place silver cigarette boxes containing her favorite brand in every room.

They also had to ensure that matchbox holders in solid silver boxes were placed upright at hand, with one half of the match sticking out, so that she did not have to look for a light.

When entertainers are called upon to entertain the royal family, they are given a seven-page document instructing them on how to behave.

For example, they are told not to slouch or lean against bars or tables under any circumstances, bow ties must be of the self-tie type and performers are not allowed to speak to any member of the royal family unless spoken to first. .

Hatchards are ‘invited’ to provide copies of the latest books, before the official publication date and always in hardback and unopened, because they love the feel of a brand new book.

When Queen Camilla is expected at a private home, her police officer calls the hostess on their cell phone five minutes before HM arrives so that the door is open

Hatchards are ‘invited’ to provide copies of the latest books, in advance of the publication date – always in hardback. Above: Charles reading a book at the Badminton Horse Trials, 1980

They like to have more than one copy of each book so that they can leave the book they are reading in one room and retrieve the identical copy, marked by a footman or maid, on the correct page.

The same goes for movies. Television and film companies provide the Palace with the latest releases before the general public sees them, so that the King and Queen can get a taste.

The royal servants are shown how to tie their masters’ shoelaces. Some need to be crossed and others just need to be tied straight.

And all laces must be ironed when the shoes are taken off.

The attendants keep a checklist of the outfits worn on a given day, and where, so that they can tell their patrons if they have worn something on more than one occasion in the same place.

The King also has a fully equipped barbershop directly above his chambers at Buckingham Palace, where his hairdresser visits once a week to trim the royal locks.

Valet Ken Stronach in the uniform room of Kensington Palace cleaning a ceremonial sword, 1986

King Charles III’s Police Protection Officer helps him put on his greatcoat after a visit to Luton Town Hall, December 2022

It was once said (but never proven) that Prince Edward fired a butler because the man was not outside the house when he returned and Edward had to open the car door himself.

The only time Queen Camilla leaves the palace for a medical appointment is to go to the dentist in Wimpole Street, Marylebone, as there is a fully equipped practice there.

Otherwise, doctors and nurses will all be called to wherever they are at the time.

When Queen Camilla is expected at a private home, her police officer calls the hostess on their cell phone five minutes before HM arrives so that the door is open.

The late Queen Elizabeth never rang the doorbell in her life.

The Princess Royal hates being driven, even by her husband, who has never been allowed to sit behind the wheel.

The King’s suits, of which he has sixty, cost over £5,000 each, while his shirts, all handmade, cost £1,000 and he has over 200 of them, while his collar stiffeners are solid gold.

His collection of ties, regimental, club and personal, amounts to more than 500.

A serving soldier, stationed at Birdcage Walk, polishes His Majesty’s boots and shoes every day – he has 50 pairs each costing more than £2,000 to make by Lobb of St James’s – and a housekeeper washes his silk underwear as soon as they are thrown away.

Nothing Charles or Camilla wears should ever come near a washing machine.

It was once said (but never proven) that Prince Edward fired a butler because the man was not outside the house when he returned and Edward had to open the car door himself.

His driver is instructed to always look forward, even when the car is stationary.

It’s clear that nothing is too much trouble for the most famous family in the world.

Adapted from Brian Hoey’s 2012 book Not in Front of the Corgis, published by Biteback Publishing.