Behind the scenes with the Queen's page
Does the Queen take sugar in her tea? What is her favourite television programme? How many pillows does she like in bed? The answers to these and many other quirky personal questions are known only by a handful of employees, the Queen’s Pages. And they’ll never pass on these little secrets. Their loyalty and discretion are unsurpassed. They are personally chosen by the Queen and she places her complete trust and faith in them. They never break their vow of discretion.
I was fortunate enough to grow up around these remarkable individuals – my great uncle was the Queen’s first and longest-serving Page, Ernest Bennett (often called Henry by Her Majesty). They really are the unsung heroes of the Royal Household.
The correct title of these senior royal servants is Page of the Backstairs, and the Queen currently has four. They were first appointed by Queen Anne in the 1700s when she wanted to differentiate between the Ladies of the Bedchamber and her closest male servant. Such was their importance that the Page was set apart from the other domestic staff of the Royal Household and was paid a salary in excess of £100.
Not much has changed since those days, other than perhaps the salary, which is undisclosed. It is reputed not to be that high, but certain perks are afforded to the Page, which gives him an air of seniority and superiority.
The Page’s office is situated next to the Queen’s lift, at the entrance to her private apartments. One remains with her at all times, with a deputy standing in on the rare occasions when time off is taken. They serve her drinks and meals. They deliver the red boxes, and deal with all of her domestic arrangements. The corgis are under their control: one previous Page incurred the wrath of Her Majesty by squirting a soda siphon at one of the dogs that had misbehaved. The Queen was not amused.
No one is permitted access to the private apartment, not even other members of the family, without their permission. They are the only members of the Queen’s household who will be in attendance in her private moments on holiday, or with friends and family. In the past, the Queen and Prince Philip would escape to a very small cottage where she enjoyed cooking for her husband. The duty Page commented that he was left to do the washing up and that Her Majesty’s scrambled eggs were a nightmare to remove from the pans.
Their duties in the Palace include personally meeting and greeting important visitors such as dignitaries and heads of state. They will then escort them to Her Majesty. At state functions, they will be spotted standing directly behind the chair on which Her Majesty is sitting. When travelling in a State Coach they will be there, standing at the back of the carriage dressed in uniform, which is worn for ceremonial and state duties.
The Queen has been fortunate over the years and has chosen well. She has formed strong bonds with her Pages. They become close confidants, and know exactly what each little nod, smile or raised eyebrow means. Her first Page, my great uncle Ernest Bennett, was chosen when she was still a princess. He was working for the Countess of Athlone but the then princess was so impressed that she asked him to work for her.
My great uncle was with her in Kenya when she received the news that she had become Queen. He then went on to support her through a substantial period of her reign. Such fondness and high regard grew between them that she awarded him the Royal Victorian Silver and Gold medals. He attended the coronation, and all overseas visits and formed strong relationships with the Queen’s children. Prince Charles was quoted as saying ‘he was one of the family’.
At Sandringham, which by royal standards is small and cramped, the workload of the Page increases. They will personally oversee the family’s needs and wishes. A few years ago, one Page muttered that he and Her Majesty had collected well over a hundred chamber pots from the cellar.
Not much is written or divulged about the life of the Pages as they remain private and discreet. Offers and bribes to sell their story are politely and firmly refused. My great uncle, for example, meticulously kept diaries of his work and of all the overseas trips on which he accompanied the Queen. But they are now safely in the Windsor archives.
The walls of the Page’s office and private apartment within the Palace are often adorned with handwritten notes, cards and signed photographs from all members of the family and visiting families. This vast collection of royal memorabilia will rarely be seen by the public. The Page lives a life of total discretion and privacy.
One Page who did become publicly known was William Tallon, who served the Queen Mother and was known by other members of staff as ‘Backstairs Billy’. He lunched daily with the Queen Mother and always had a perfectly mixed gin ready at noon. His devotion to the Queen Mother and to Clarence House was so great that he was utterly devastated when she died. It was impossible for him to adjust to ‘normal life’ and he died a very unhappy man.
The life of the Page is arduous. It is a vocation. They are in possession of great knowledge and confidences. They rarely mix with other staff, making their way up and down the vast corridors of power as inconspicuously as possible. Those who do retire, find it hard to settle into normal life. Most continue in their duties way past retirement age. They become almost as royal as the Royals themselves.
Of course, many changes are now taking place in the Palace. A new era is dawning. Prince Charles will be taking more and more responsibility. There are rumours of staff changes. But while the role of the current Page will evolve, he will doubtless remain one of the most important members of the Royal Household.
I was fortunate enough to grow up around these remarkable individuals – my great uncle was the Queen’s first and longest-serving Page, Ernest Bennett (often called Henry by Her Majesty). They really are the unsung heroes of the Royal Household.
The correct title of these senior royal servants is Page of the Backstairs, and the Queen currently has four. They were first appointed by Queen Anne in the 1700s when she wanted to differentiate between the Ladies of the Bedchamber and her closest male servant. Such was their importance that the Page was set apart from the other domestic staff of the Royal Household and was paid a salary in excess of £100.
Not much has changed since those days, other than perhaps the salary, which is undisclosed. It is reputed not to be that high, but certain perks are afforded to the Page, which gives him an air of seniority and superiority.
The Page’s office is situated next to the Queen’s lift, at the entrance to her private apartments. One remains with her at all times, with a deputy standing in on the rare occasions when time off is taken. They serve her drinks and meals. They deliver the red boxes, and deal with all of her domestic arrangements. The corgis are under their control: one previous Page incurred the wrath of Her Majesty by squirting a soda siphon at one of the dogs that had misbehaved. The Queen was not amused.
No one is permitted access to the private apartment, not even other members of the family, without their permission. They are the only members of the Queen’s household who will be in attendance in her private moments on holiday, or with friends and family. In the past, the Queen and Prince Philip would escape to a very small cottage where she enjoyed cooking for her husband. The duty Page commented that he was left to do the washing up and that Her Majesty’s scrambled eggs were a nightmare to remove from the pans.
Their duties in the Palace include personally meeting and greeting important visitors such as dignitaries and heads of state. They will then escort them to Her Majesty. At state functions, they will be spotted standing directly behind the chair on which Her Majesty is sitting. When travelling in a State Coach they will be there, standing at the back of the carriage dressed in uniform, which is worn for ceremonial and state duties.
The Queen has been fortunate over the years and has chosen well. She has formed strong bonds with her Pages. They become close confidants, and know exactly what each little nod, smile or raised eyebrow means. Her first Page, my great uncle Ernest Bennett, was chosen when she was still a princess. He was working for the Countess of Athlone but the then princess was so impressed that she asked him to work for her.
My great uncle was with her in Kenya when she received the news that she had become Queen. He then went on to support her through a substantial period of her reign. Such fondness and high regard grew between them that she awarded him the Royal Victorian Silver and Gold medals. He attended the coronation, and all overseas visits and formed strong relationships with the Queen’s children. Prince Charles was quoted as saying ‘he was one of the family’.
At Sandringham, which by royal standards is small and cramped, the workload of the Page increases. They will personally oversee the family’s needs and wishes. A few years ago, one Page muttered that he and Her Majesty had collected well over a hundred chamber pots from the cellar.
Not much is written or divulged about the life of the Pages as they remain private and discreet. Offers and bribes to sell their story are politely and firmly refused. My great uncle, for example, meticulously kept diaries of his work and of all the overseas trips on which he accompanied the Queen. But they are now safely in the Windsor archives.
The walls of the Page’s office and private apartment within the Palace are often adorned with handwritten notes, cards and signed photographs from all members of the family and visiting families. This vast collection of royal memorabilia will rarely be seen by the public. The Page lives a life of total discretion and privacy.
One Page who did become publicly known was William Tallon, who served the Queen Mother and was known by other members of staff as ‘Backstairs Billy’. He lunched daily with the Queen Mother and always had a perfectly mixed gin ready at noon. His devotion to the Queen Mother and to Clarence House was so great that he was utterly devastated when she died. It was impossible for him to adjust to ‘normal life’ and he died a very unhappy man.
The life of the Page is arduous. It is a vocation. They are in possession of great knowledge and confidences. They rarely mix with other staff, making their way up and down the vast corridors of power as inconspicuously as possible. Those who do retire, find it hard to settle into normal life. Most continue in their duties way past retirement age. They become almost as royal as the Royals themselves.
Of course, many changes are now taking place in the Palace. A new era is dawning. Prince Charles will be taking more and more responsibility. There are rumours of staff changes. But while the role of the current Page will evolve, he will doubtless remain one of the most important members of the Royal Household.
More insider secrets, by Thomas Blaikie
- During the power cuts of the 1970s, the Queen sat at her desk, unperturbed and in the dark, wearing a mink coat.
- In the days when the Queen spent Christmas at Windsor and then moved on immediately to Sandringham, all her Christmas cards, decorations and presents, including a menagerie of soft toys given to her by Hardy Amies, went with her.
- The Queen’s private letters, marked ER in one corner, are sent by special messenger or registered post to help post-office workers resist the urge to make off with them.
- Royal bathrooms feature three basins. To avoid confusion, they are labelled, ‘teeth’, ‘hands’ and ‘face’.
- The Queen Mother was possibly the only person to get through the entire 20th century without having to draw or open her bedroom curtains herself.
- Extracted from Corgi & Bess by Thomas Blaikie (Fourth Estate, £9.99).