24 November 2023 , 15:56
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Getting a job in the royal household doesn't sound particularly easy - and it turns out there is a bizarre test that is set for anyone who applies to work as a housekeeper in Princess Kate and Prince William's home, where standards are clearly incredibly high.
The test isn't the usual kind of thing that you would expect to happen in any old job interview, but this is a royal job interview, so normal rules just do not apply. Despite its unusual nature - it will sniff out any candidate who doesn't have a good eye for detail.
Kate and William aren't the only royals looking for employees whose attention to detail is second to none. King Charles, for instance, is very particular about the way he takes his tea - which is understandable, as it's the nation's favourite drink and as monarch, he is basically tea-drinker in chief.
The test that aspiring housekeepers for William and Kate was revealed in a documentary called Sandringham: The Royals at Christmas in which the Royal Family's head of staff recruitment explained just what it entails, the List reports. Tracey Waterman explained that "one of the tests I like to do, to see if a candidate has a potential eye for detail, is to place a dead fly, either in the fireplace or on the carpet". Once the trap is set, she waits to see if the candidate will notice its presence, and if they do - their chances of actually getting the job skyrocket.
"Once the dead fly is placed, I then bring the candidate into the room [...] It's a great test," Waterman added, explaining that only "one out of 10 [candidates] will actually bend down and pick [the fly] up." The ones that do go that extra mile and pick up the dead fly, are, stand-out candidates: "That's the special housekeeper."
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Kate and William have other rules for their staff, but many of these are actually said to ensure informality and a good work atmosphere, rather than adhering to rigid royal traditions. For instance, the couple has a "zero tolerance" for gossiping amongst their staff.
They also like their staff to wear formal work clothes most of the time, especially when their aides are around their children, according to author Valentine Low's book Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown. Low revealed that an aide said, "The kids run around the office, and [William] does not want it to be stuffy. If we have important meetings or are going to Buckingham Palace," where they would always don suits or more formal workwear.
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