Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip have been married for 72 years and have enjoyed plenty of travel together. However, when they go away they opt for a particular arrangement when it comes to their bedrooms, a royal expert has said. When they are away – just as when they are at home – the royal couple do not share the same bed. Writer Brian Hoey revealed in his book ‘Not in Font of the Corgis’ that Elizabeth and Philip had separate cabins when they travelled on the Royal Yacht Britannia.
In fact, there were no double beds anywhere on the boat at all due to the royals’ preferences.
Hoey explained that when the Britannia was used for royal honeymoons, single beds would have to be roped together by the crew.
There are various reasons behind this sleeping arrangement, according to Hoey.
One of these is that many couples of Elizabeth and Philip’s generation and class don’t share a bed at all times.
Another explanation is due to their bedding preferences. “The Queen likes a longer turn-back on her sheets and blankets and lace trimming on her pillowcases; Prince Philip does not,” Hoey wrote in the book.
Philip allegedly “sleeps wide open whatever the weather temperature. He has never used a hot water bottle in his life.”
The Prince is also an early riser so doesn’t wish to disturb his wife in the morning.
Separate beds are far from the only thing Queen Elizabeth demands when she goes away.
She has particular requests when it comes to food. A royal expert has revealed that foreign chefs are given instructions by The Master of the Household department.
Telegraph reporter Gordon Rayner, who has attended 20 royal tours, said they are told not to cook anything with garlic as the Queen won’t eat it.
This strict rule is to avoid giving the Queen bad breath as she will have to greet a number of important people during royal tours.
The same restriction applies to spice. “The Master of the Household department will be in the reconnaissance party to tell foreign chefs not to cook anything with garlic or too much spice for fear of giving the Queen bad breath,” Rayner wrote in The Telegraph.
Staff are not always happy with royal demands, however. When they travel on long-haul flights they have to arrive in their Sunday best clothes and then change into more comfortable apparel in the tiny toilet of the plane, revealed Hoey.
The royal expert revealed there was one episode in particular where annoyance came to the fore.
“On one flight to Australia, there was a long queue immediately after take-off when the Mistress of the Robes, the Duchess of Grafton, pushed her way to the front, claiming senior priority,” Hoey wrote in his book.
“One self-identified gay footman, well down the line, exclaimed in a tone everyone could hear ‘Well, that’s the first time I’ve ever known a Duchess take precedence over a queen’.”
However, the Mistress of the Robes pretended not to hear and carried on to the bathroom.
