Buckingham Palace strange culture has been revealed by an insider.
Former Royal butler Paul Burrell is touching upon the alcohol culture in the London Palace and talks about how staff had given the place a nickname.
Speaking in documentary, ‘Life with the Queen, the King and Princess Diana,’ he said: “It wasn’t just bed-hopping that went on in the palaces; there was a degree of inebriation which often helped loosen people’s inhibitions.
“Forget Buckingham Palace, it was nicknamed ‘Gin Palace’ after the spirit that flowed freely through the everyday workings of the building. Gin, always, Gordon’s, was the drink of choice.”
Paul added: “Coming from a world where a pint of Mansfield Bitter pulled by my auntie Pearl in the local was the norm, with a cherry brandy or a snowball at Christmas.
“I wasn’t used to such extravagance, but I quickly became quite familiar with the ingenious ways in which the household smuggled booze for their soirees.
“I would be ordered by senior members of staff to empty a screw-topped tonic water bottle each night and fill it with gin for them to use for parties in their rooms. These parties were for a select group of staff.
He said: “There was a hierarchy downstairs as well as upstairs. Certain cliques of servants, depending on your rank and length of service, were invited to the soirees.”