I wonder if the Queen ever used a hoover

[Wenwes]

I was fighting with my stupid hoover this morning and it occurred to me to wonder if the queen had ever had a similar issue. Did she know how to use a hoover I wonder? Or how to put a wash on? Or do a food shop?

They also had a little cottage where the Queen mum used to take Elizabeth and Margaret and they used to do cooking and household tasks, like, washing up etc, as a normal family without having servants around.

That's lovely, I bet it was nice to have some normality in such an unusual situation.

The fact that someone else will do it if you don’t probably takes away the feeling of drudgery associated with it

definitely, it's the novelty factor! I'd be star struck meeting Obama for example but for the queen it's just another day at the office 😊

The only thing I remember my nana saying about the Queen was that there was no way she had ever opened a sardine tin.
I guess if you always have people who can do nearly everything for you, it can seem quite a quaint pleasure to do everyday tasks.

I've always enjoyed watching programmes and reading articles about Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, I remember watching a programme about how all the royal children were taught plain cooking and gardening and how Albert had a little house called 'Swiss Cottage' built for them so they could get a 'flavour' for housekeeping too. Apparently it is still there.

royalcentral.co.uk/features/the-swiss-cottage-osborne-and-queen-victorias-children-105159/

She strikes me as a carpet sweeper gal not a Hoover person

Sweeping is probably kinder on hundreds of aging, expensive carpets too.

I still sweep sometimes for a deep clean, it shifts the pile and releases dirt that the vacuum doesn't always lift up. It's surprising what can be swept up after pulling the surface dirt up with the vacuum. Particularly satisfying on the stairs.

I would be amazed if she hadn't done all sorts of mundane tasks throughout her life, she just didn't have to do it every day.

I doubt it.
She had an army of people to do literally everything for her, paid for by us.
I find it hilarious that people think she 'served us'

Re: Regal hoovering

I think for small dry spillages her Majesty would likely use a compact battery operated dustbuster (ash from Margaret's Rothmans, pick and mix, pocket lint) but for more substantial soilage (cornflakes, crumbs from one of Charle's organic bakeries, crummage from PopTarts) HRH would likely opt for either bagless Dyson, or the jaunty Henry the Hoover range, with multiple attachments to prevent bending.
A British make of course!
...Sad face...
:(

I often like to see no-one all weekend, mooch about in pj's, not wash my hair and eat toast, watch TV. By monday I feel well rested and refreshed.

I do wonder if the queen ever told everyone to have the weekend off so she could slob around in private. Must be horrible to have people hovering around all the bloody time.

This reminds me of an anecdote I was told by my great aunt. They worked for the government overseas on an island and he went there as a young man after university. Unlike many of their contemporaries they didn't come from money and so couldn't afford full time staff. Charles used to leave his shoes outside his bedroom door each night: my uncle would creep out at night and take them off to clean and polish before replacing them. He never said a word.

I like to think she had Rumbas with Corgis sitting on them

Have you ever seen the video of Charles not knowing how to iron? In a way that looks like he's not only never ironed but never seen anyone iron- I will try to find it.

If I had money that's how I'd live too. I can't think of anything lovelier. Dirty clothes in the hamper and they reappear washed and ironed in the wardrobe. He's got his head screwed on, that guy.

You’ve given this a lot of thought!

I saw someone say yesterday (possibly Tony Blair) that at picnics at Balmoral guests were not allowed to do anything, and the RF waited upon them. I’m not quite sure how arduous a task that would’ve been as, presumably, the picnics wouldn’t have been actually prepared by the RF.

Given half of Mumsnet claim never to iron a thing, I should think this makes him a kindred.

She didn't just know how to drive. She was a mechanic.

Love the use of 'claim' here as if a world without ironing is unimaginable 😂

Yes, prior to her dads death they lived in Cyprus in naval accommodation. I suspect she did light housework (it's insinuated she did at least)

Actually it was Malta!

Probably when she was younger.

Thing is, being the queen and having her whole life orchestrated, she would add more value if she answered a few letters, went through her box or opened a hospital rather than doing the chores

Same principle as to why people have secretaries I guess

I asked my DH the other day if he thought she'd ever had beans on toast. I'm hoping she did!

She knew her way around a tool box pretty well when she was a military mechanic during the war