Working for Queen Elizabeth II may appear to be a dream come true. You’ll have the opportunity to stay in a palace and possibly rub shoulders with members of the royal family. However, the reality is that some of the jobs aren’t glamorous, and critics have long claimed that the royal family underpays its employees. Now, the queen is under fire after an ad was published that revealed the pay for one of the palace’s degree-required jobs.
What is the size of Queen Elizabeth’s staff?
Queen Elizabeth employs a large number of people. At one time, Buckingham Palace employed over 800 people. This number has dropped dramatically over time, particularly since the monarch relocated to Windsor Castle during the COVID-19 pandemic. Windsor Castle employs approximately 150 people. Around 200 part-time and full-time employees work at Balmoral Castle, the queen’s Scottish vacation home, and another 200 work at Sandringham House.
Butlers and housekeepers, dishwashers, chefs, gardeners, horse groomers, telephone operators, and secretaries are just a few of the jobs available in the royal household. However, the pay for the majority of those jobs may not be what you’d expect from a woman worth $600 million.
The most recent job posting’s description and pay
Working for the royal family will not make you wealthy, as many non-private sector jobs pay between $20,000 and $35,000 per year. In the case of a recent opening, this is the case.
An advertisement for a Personnel Security Adviser was posted in August 2021. The position is described as having a “shared and unique purpose, joining the professional business behind the monarchy” in vetting duties at the palace, as well as Windsor Castle, Sandringham, and Balmoral, according to Express. It requires both experience and a degree, and the pay is £25,000 ($34,285) for 37.5 hours per week on a one-year fixed-term contract.
The hourly pay is £12.80, which is higher than the London living wage of £10.85. However, given the monarch’s wealth and the fact that her family costs the British taxpayers £67 million per year, critics are still stunned by the amount.
Critics say the royal family is ‘out of touch’
The Mirror’s Liam Gilliver commented on the pay, calling it “meagre” and noting that it is “more than £6,000 lower than the median annual earnings for full-time employees in the United Kingdom.” He also stated that the queen appears to be “out of touch” by posting this pay.
A number of people also commented on the wage on social media.
One Twitter user wrote, “They pay/expect others to work for ‘buttons,’ yet we pay them billions for waving and being ‘economical.”
“It’s time to get rid of the kings and queens!” What use are they if they can’t even pay their employees the NLW with their billions?” another person stated.
A third person claimed the queen was being “stingy” by offering such a low salary for the job.
