Where Do Royal Employees Sleep?

[CrownPrinceLorenzo]

This has been bothering me for a while. I was wondering if servants, butlers, ladies-in-waiting, maids, cooks, whatever, sleep in the palaces. Like do they get boarding?

 

[BeatrixFan]

They do indeed. They sleep in and that detracts from the wage they recieve. They get rooms depending on their positions. Ladies in Waiting tend not to live-in but the others you listed do.

 

[CrownPrinceLorenzo]

Ahhhh thank you so much.

BTW, can they choose not to board? And just say, go home everyday and just come back the next day?

 

[BeatrixFan]

Well, speaking for the British staff, yes they can but the wages don't improve.

 

[norwegianne]

It depends on the royal family, I guess. I read in Billed Bladet that Prince Henrik and Queen Margrethe's new chef was living in Sweden and planned on driving to work every day.

 

[Furienna]

Where in Sweden does he lives, so he can drive to Denmark every day?

 

[JessRulz]

Where in Sweden does he lives, so he can drive to Denmark every day?

The man would probably have to live near Malmo, or somewhere around that area, so he could drive across the Oresund Bridge to get to Copenhagen every day for work. That would probably make the most sense IMO

 

[Furienna]

That would be my guess too. He has to live in Malmö or at least in Skåne.

 

[norwegianne]

Where in Sweden does he lives, so he can drive to Denmark every day?

Loads of Danes are moving to Malmø after the bridge over Øresund was erected and working in Copenhagen area. I think it said he and his family had just done it when he got the job as chef for Henrik.

 

[Iain]

This has been bothering me for a while. I was wondering if servants, butlers, ladies-in-waiting, maids, cooks, whatever, sleep in the palaces. Like do they get boarding?

When queen Salote was on the throne of Tonga her lady in waiting actually slept in the queen's bedroom.

 

[Henri M.]

This has been bothering me for a while. I was wondering if servants, butlers, ladies-in-waiting, maids, cooks, whatever, sleep in the palaces. Like do they get boarding?

Depending on their function and shifts. A gardener, a horlogier, a librarist do not need to sleep at the palaces of course.

Hofdames and Dames du Palais do not exist at all Courts. In the Netherlands they still exist and you can absolutely not compare them with cooks or a footmen.

That would be a serious insult.

They have access to the Queen as no any non-family person have. In the Netherlands these ladies work in a week shift and do have their own appartments at the palaces in which they, on their turn, are served as well by the footmen and the servants!

Hofdames used to be unmarried.
Dames du Palais used to be married.
Queen Beatrix has scrapped the difference. All her ladies in the regular Household are Hofdame.
They are led by the Grandmastress, the British equivalent is Mistress of the Robes.

When they end their services in the regular Household, Queen Beatrix places them in the Honorary Household and they are called Dame du Palais Honoraire which is a quite rousing title.

 

[Furienna]

When queen Salote was on the throne of Tonga her lady in waiting actually slept in the queen's bedroom.

Is that the Tonga in the Pacific ocean?

 

[Coquine]

Depending on their function and shifts. A gardener, a horlogier, a librarist do not need to sleep at the palaces of course.

Hofdames and Dames du Palais do not exist at all Courts. In the Netherlands they still exist and you can absolutely not compare them with cooks or a footmen.

That would be a serious insult.

They have access to the Queen as no any non-family person have. In the Netherlands these ladies work in a week shift and do have their own appartments at the palaces in which they, on their turn, are served as well by the footmen and the servants!

Hofdames used to be unmarried.
Dames du Palais used to be married.
Queen Beatrix has scrapped the difference. All her ladies in the regular Household are Hofdame.
They are led by the Grandmastress, the British equivalent is Mistress of the Robes.

When they end their services in the regular Household, Queen Beatrix places them in the Honorary Household and they are called Dame du Palais Honoraire which is a quite rousing title.

Henri M. (or anyone else who knows the answer), do you have some more information about these hofdames ?

I would like to know what exactly their job consists of and how they get in. I mean, do they need special qualities or qualifications and do they have to come from a noble family ?

 

[Henri M.]

Henri M. (or anyone else who knows the answer), do you have some more information about these hofdames ?

I would like to know what exactly their job consists of and how they get in. I mean, do they need special qualities or qualifications and do they have to come from a noble family ?

These ladies
- are not paid
- have a certain 'standing' in society
- have access to the Queen and other members of the royal family

This automatically limits the group to ladies of wealth, a certain standing and often that are ladies with a background in aristocracy or patriciate (= 'old money'). Dutchmen often recognize these due to the sound of their (double) names.
The Hofdames are the 'eyes and ears' of the Queen in society. They represent her at society events in which she is not able to attend, for an example an annual diner at an Embassy here, the wedding of a high rank general there or the jubilee of a Justice at the International Court of Justice. That sort of events.

But their main task is to accompany the Queen. To be her extra eyes, ears and arms. To be her confidante and counsel. To organize all so that everything is right there on the right place on the right moment so that the Queen will never come in 'embarassing' situations (like waiting in the lobby for a car, being earlier than the Mayor, etc.). They are not paid. It is a great honour to serve The Queen, to have your own appartments and salons in her palaces. To be served by The Queen's footmen and servants. To sit in full gala at grand banquets. To accompany The Queen in the royal limousines or carriages.

All the ladies expenses are paid. They have housing, appartments, transport, etc. But their function is not paid. Therefore they are no real part of the Household (= 'the workforce'). They really have a high standing and you can easily recognize them being dressed up with hats and gloves et al.

Queen Beatrix has the following ladies in her daily surroundings:
- Grootmeesteres: M.L.A. van Loon - Labouchere
- Hofdame: R.D. de Blocq van Scheltinga
- Hofdame: M.J. Boellaard Stheemann
- Hofdame: O.A. Gaarlandt - van Voorst van Beesd (detached to Princess Máxima)
- Hofdame: J. Jeekel -Thate
- Hofdame: M.P. van Karnebeek - Van Lede
- Hofdame: E.J.M. Baroness van Wassenaer - Mersmans

Further:
- 1x Grootmeesteres Honoraire
- 6x Dame du Palais Honoraire
- 2x Hofdame Honoraire

And (paid) ladies like:
garderobières, coiffeuses, seamstresses, beauticians, secretaries, etc. who have direct access to Her Majesty.

 

[Coquine]

What an extensive answer, thanks a lot ! I'm very much intrigued by these ladies.

 

[zanychick3000]

On the British royal side of things, if you read the books by Paul Burrell, Stephen Barry, and the one by Prince Charles' housekeeper, Wendy something, I can't remember her last name. But you will indeed find that servants do sleep in royal homes. I am no fan of Paul Burrell, but I did enjoy reading about his description of life at Buckingham Palace.

 

[Skydragon]

Many of the royal servants prefer to live in as they do not get an allowance for renting elsewhere.

Their living arrangements have improved but, they still tend to be given the 'attic' rooms.

 

[Henri M.]

In the Netherlands, all members of the Queen's Household are paid by the State and earn the same salaries as civil servants in the Administration, in Provinces, Municipalities, etc.

There are only a few persons who are directly paid out of the Queen's own pocket. And there are former members of staff who live in grace and favour homes here and there, thanks for a livelong loyal and dedicated service. But as they enjoy normal State incomes, they do also enjoy good pensions. Maybe that is the reason why the Dutch courtiers seems as close as an oyster and remain deadly loyal: The Queen is a good boss who pays good and cares for her staff?

The Dutch Royal Household has between 600-800 staff, depending on how you count: only the palaces or also the Royal Archives, the Royal Stables, the Royal Forestry, the Royal Domains, etc.?

It's functions vary: Grandmaster, Master of the Ceremonies, Aide-de-Camps, Chief of the Military House, Grandmastress, Chef Protocol, Foresters, Footmen, the Court Jeweller, the staff of the Silver Chambers, the kitchens, the linen rooms, the cleaning services, the chauffeurs, the keeper of the greenhouses, the guards of the palaces, the Treasurer, the HRM & Salary administration, the floristers, the particulier secretariate of The Queen and the other members, the Hofdames, the Chamberlains, the Steward of the The Queen's Hunting Lodge, the Steward of the Queen's private estate Drakensteyn, The Master of the Hunt, the Queen's Chef de Bureau, the Royal- and Diplomatic Protection Service, the Steward of the Crown Domains, the Intendance of the Royal Palaces, the Bureau of the Court Marshall, etc. etc. etc.

 

[Iain]

Is that the Tonga in the Pacific ocean?

Yes, that's the one.

 

[Tricota]

That would be my guess too. He has to live in Malmö or at least in Skåne.

He does indeed live in Malmø. He was on tv, when him and his wife build their house there a few years ago.