While many will be familiar with her public roles, Her Majasty is also the leader of a substantial team known collectively as The Royal Household. Known to the Royal Family informally as ‘the firm’ the business of being monarch obviously required leadership skills as well as diplomacy, authority and grace.
It is estimated that at least 1133 people worked directly for the Queen, with roles ranging from the grand and noble – such as Master of the Queen’s Horse and the Lord Chamberlain to more ‘normal’ roles such as gardeners, cooks and even PR people. Some are paid employees, others have honorary and unpaid roles, but it’s a substantial workforce to manage however it’s broken down. One estimate is that the salary bill for 2020-21 is £44.1 million.
Formally, the Household is divided into five main departments:
- The Royal Trust – Runs the royal museums and curates the royal art and antiquities collections.
- Chamberlains Office – Organizes the ceremonial duties of the monarchy. It includes both salaried staff and ceremonial and honorary positions.
- Privy Purse – Runs the household like a business, complete with HR professionals and payroll managers.
- Household’s Department – Work mostly in hospitality, catering, and property maintenance.
- The Private Secretary – Writes speeches, handles press, keeps the royal schedule, and assists the Queen in her duties as Head of State
Other members of the royal family also have their own households to manage.
Paul Gray is an entrepreneur and digital publisher who creates online publications focused on solving problems, delivering news, and providing platforms for informed comment and debate. He is associated with HRZone and has built businesses in the HR and professional publishing sector. His work emphasizes creating industry-specific content platforms.
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