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Royal butler: What William are Harry are really like behind closed doors

A former royal staffer has revealed what the world’s most famous brothers are really like behind closed doors. Photo: Getty Images
A former royal staffer has revealed what the world’s most famous brothers are really like behind closed doors. Photo: Getty Images

A former royal staffer has revealed what the world’s most famous brothers are really like behind closed doors, after he spent two years working inside Britain’s palaces.

Richard Kerrigan, now 31, worked as a banquet attendant at several royal residences and served at a string of high profile events including Charles and Camilla’s royal wedding in 2005.

It was here he came in closest contact with princes William and Harry – who were then dating Kate Middleton and Chelsey Davy respectively.

“The royals were just amazing,” he told Yahoo Lifestyle, adding: “I was in the room when William and Harry were speaking at Charles and Camilla’s wedding and they were both so thankful to the guests and staff.”

“No one was ever obnoxious or rude. There’s often this false idea that they’re going to be really pompous or posh and they’re just not at all.”

“Both of the princes always just seemed so kind and happy.”

Richard came in the closest contact with Princes William and Harry at their father’s wedding to Camilla in 2005. Photo: Getty Images
Richard came in the closest contact with Princes William and Harry at their father’s wedding to Camilla in 2005. Photo: Getty Images

Richard’s career in royal service began at the tender age 18 as he was training in food college near his hometown of Kent, England.

Throughout his time at the palace, he also had to come to terms with the often-intricate royal protocols which dominated formal events.

“There were lots of secret entrances which were mainly for us to get between rooms quickly without disturbing the guests,” he said.

“Each table would be horse-shoe shaped table, the royals would sit up one end and then we would serve people down the sides. For every seven guests there would be four staff.”

Richard also recalled each residence’s opulence and the intricacies each staffer would put in before each royal event.

Richard has since moved to Sydney and started his fitness and nutrition business, The Beach Life. Photo: Instagram/richardkerrigan_
Richard has since moved to Sydney and started his fitness and nutrition business, The Beach Life. Photo: Instagram/richardkerrigan_

“The palace was just beyond my imagination and you just can’t even imagine what it’s like until you’re there in terms of how grand it is and the complete attention to detail,” he said.

However, two years into his career serving the royals, Richard quit after he fell asleep while rolling up a carpet after a 36-hour shift in Leeds Castle in south-east England.

He has since made the move Down Under and established a successful fitness business on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

The program, known as The Beach Life, combines 30-minute outdoor workouts with home-made recipes – which Richard says are fit for a king.

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