The late Queen Elizabeth II ran a tight ship at her home in Buckingham Palace, starting with a strict morning routine in the royal bedroom involving an army of disciplined staff members.
Before her death in September 2022, the 96-year-old had been the longest-reigning monarch in British history, ruling for over 70 years. She was a stickler for rules and regulations, a habit that began the moment she opened her eyes.
In her private chambers at the palace, the late queen had a routine planned out for her flurry of royal staff who attended to her personal and business needs.
Helping her through her "long, and often arduous" days, maids, dressers, cooks and secretaries rushed to her aid, their work starting precisely at eight o'clock in the morning, when the monarch woke up.
Finding solace in the comfort of a routine, King Charles's mother "had solicitous staff ever in attendance and (for her) the comfort of a routine that rarely varied.
"At 8:00 a.m. Her Majesty’s Dresser entered the royal bedroom with the 'calling tray' and a pot of Earl Grey tea," according to Giles Brandreth’s new book, Elizabeth: An intimate portrait.
The former Member of Parliament continued: "The curtains were drawn, the bath was run (to a depth of seven inches and a temperature of 72˚ Fahrenheit - tested by thermometer, using Imperial measurements to the last), gently the Palace began to stir."
After bathing, it was time for the day's schedule to commence. Giles explained: "At 10:00 a.m., the business of the day began: her private secretary appeared; correspondence was considered, state papers noted; if it was a morning for receiving ambassadors or the day of an investiture, Her Majesty studied her briefing material – closely."
© Getty ImagesThe Queen's love of mornings
As part of her waking-up rituals, the famous royal also enjoyed a slightly more conventional introduction to the world each day with a little dance to ABBA and BBC Radio 2.
Close friend of Elizabeth and the late queen's dresser, Angela Kelly, 68, recently reflected on their time spent together choosing outfits before her busy day of royal engagements started.
She explained that the former monarch would move "side to side" every time the band's hit, 'Dancing Queen', would come on the radio and that the pair had great fun together.
Angela told Vanity Fair: "When the song came on, she loved it, and both of us would dance. The queen would move from side to side and sing. Her Majesty loved singing and had a good voice. I didn’t.
"I’d get carried away and be dancing all round her like I was at a disco, and the Queen would tell me to 'move over' because I can’t sing, and we laughed. They were moments to cherish, to see the queen so relaxed."
