Queen Elizabeth II has a lot of aid and staff around her. However, a former lady in waiting shared that Her Majesty actually does her own shopping too.
Queen Elizabeth II Shopping Habits Will Surprise You
Queen Elizabeth II is expected to reunite with the other members of the royal family for Christmas. As the royal family's Christmas festivities became a topic, the family's habit of purchasing presents for their family and friends has been revisited.
Former lady-in-waiting and close friend of Her Majesty, Lady Anne Glenconner, shared the Queen's shopping habits. According to her, in her book Lady in Waiting: My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown, the Queen does her own shopping.
In 1975, while on a royal tour to Sydney with her sister, Princess Margaret, Australian diplomat Sir Roden Cutler VC was stunned when the princess asked to go shopping.
"I didn’t think the royal family went shopping," he said as quoted by Express. "I represent the Queen and I have never heard of her going shopping."
Lady Glenconner corrected him. According to her, the Queen shops too.
"Actually, the Queen goes shopping. She recently went to Harrods to choose some Christmas presents," she said. "My mother is a Lady of the Bedchamber and she went with her."
Queen Elizabeth II Shops Christmas Presents For Her Staff
Queen Elizabeth II buys her staff a special Christmas present and that has been part of a special royal tradition. She usually buys them Christmas puddings and accompanies it with a greeting card from herself.
Her father, King George VI, and grandfather, King George V, both practiced the same tradition — buying their staff Christmas puddings.
The Queen buys around 1,500 Christmas puddings for her staff from Tesco. She pays an estimate of £9,000 for the puddings.
She used to purchase the Christmas puddings from Harrods and Fortnum and Mason. However, she now switched and opted to purchase them from the popular supermarket.
The Queen gives her staff the same Christmas presents every year, Marie Claire reported. The Royal Family website confirmed the Queen's gifts to her staff.
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"About 1500 Christmas puddings paid for by The Queen (through the Privy Purse) are distributed to staff throughout the Palaces, staff in the Court Post Office and Palace police," the announcement on the site read.
"Continuing the tradition from her father, King George VI and her grandfather, George V – The Queen also gives Christmas puddings to her staff."
The Queen will be celebrating Christmas for the first time without her husband, Prince Philip. The Duke of Edinburgh passed away in April. The members of the royal family will be joining her at the Sandringham estate. However, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will reportedly not be there.
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