Former Royal Butler Says the Royal Family Loves Taking “Boring” Vacations
"They’re creatures of habit, they don't change."
The end of May marks a holiday weekend in both the United States and the U.K., but according to former royal butler Grant Harrold, King Charles and the rest of the royals don’t get up to any exciting plans. Instead, they’re focused on business as usual, and when they do go away, Harrold says it’s “a bit boring.”
Speaking on behalf of Heart Bingo Online, Harrold—who served King Charles as a butler at Highgrove House between 2004 and 2011—says members of the Royal Family are “normally working” over a long weekend. “The royals have very boring bank holiday weekends,” he shares. “Sometimes they will have friends come over for dinner, but overall it would still be a working day for them. They’re creatures of habit, they don't change.”
Workaholic King Charles, in particular, likes to keep the same schedule. “The King’s routine is the same every day. His mother was the same, so I think it’s just how he’s been brought up,” Harrold added. “Even if they’re away for a bank holiday weekend, they still do their same routines. They’re a bit boring really.”
Charles and Camilla wear matching tartan outfits while spending their first wedding anniversary in Scotland in 2006.
Queen Elizabeth, pictured with Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips in 1988, preferred to vacation on the Royal Yacht Britannia.
Prince William and Princess Kate, pictured with Princess Charlotte and Prince George in 2016, love to take ski trips.
Like the late Queen, The King and Queen Camilla like to spend their time on the Balmoral estate in Scotland, but before she married into the Royal Family, she preferred warmer spots. “Camilla likes the sun, I think she likes the Mediterranean,” Harrold says. “Before she went to Balmoral, she used to go on yacht holidays.”
He adds that Prince William and Princess Kate—who are big fans of the French Alps as well as beach vacations— also “seem to like their yachting holidays.” As for Princess Anne, she’s more like her mother and eldest brother.
“I'm not aware of Princess Anne going overseas like that,” Harrold shares. “I think she tends to do the traditional Scotland when she goes up there for her breaks.”
Although he’s a Balmoral enthusiast, King Charles does occasionally travel elsewhere, with Harrold noting that when The King goes on an overseas tour, he “sometimes ties in other trips.” The former butler continues that King Charles has “a house in Romania, which he will add onto a tour. But normally for holidays it’s Scotland. He’s more of a traditionalist.”
