The Royal Butler: My Remarkable Life in Royal Service

by Grant Harrold

An unforgettable portrait of the royal household, told by by the former butler to King Charles III.

Grant Harrold had been obsessed with the royaly family since childhood. In this unforgettable memoir, we journey along with Grant as he finds his way to the heart of the royal household.

The unique relationship between the monarch and their staff has always been shrouded in mystery but The Royal Butler artfully reveal never before heard stories about his time in royal service.

Today, Grant Harrold is a leading expert on etiquette, and in The Royal Butler he draws on his time as a member of the Royal household of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Based at their country Highgrove House in The Cotswolds, his duties included being butler for The King and Queen, The Prince and Princess of Wales and The Duke of Sussex. On occasions, Grant also had the honour to Butler for the Late Queen Elizabeth II and her Husband The Late Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh.

Experience life with the royal family asThe Royal Butler brings to life the extraordinary world of the Windsors like never before.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Memoir, Biography, Royalty, Biography Memoir, History

272 pages, Hardcover

Published September 23, 2025

Reviews

[*TUDOR^QUEEN* · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

The author Grant Harrold was butler to Prince Charles and his then live-in partner Camilla in the early years following the death of Princess Diana. Specifically, he was butler at the Prince Charles' beloved Cotswold getaway home Highgrove, but travelled with them also working at Clarence House, Sandringham, and Balmoral in Scotland. Before that he worked at Woburn Abbey, seat of the Duke and Duchess of Bedford. This immediately piqued my interest as decades ago there was a documentary series on PBS called "Country House" about Woburn Abbey which I absolutely loved and binge watched with my mom. It turns out that Grant was prominently featured in this series (which I don't remember), so I've got to go back and rewatch them now since they are readily available for viewing on YouTube. Funnily enough, he had been a fan of this documentary during its first season, then wound up being featured on the show himself! He had a knack for realizing his dreams, being a fan of large estates, castles, and royalty. There is another documentary available to watch on YouTube that I devoured many times over the years called "Elizabeth R - A Year in the Life of The Queen" from 1992 (BBC). There is a scene where Queen Elizabeth II and the rest of the royal family participate in the traditional Scottish Ghillies Ball at Balmoral in Scotland. This is a lovely event where the royals comingle with the staff with live music and Scottish dancing as a thank you to the staff for their hard work. The author dreamt of being able to dance with the Queen at this event as he saw in the documentary...and it happened!

It seems revolutionary for a former butler to write a tell-all when I'm sure that staff must have to sign non-disclosure agreements. However, the way he handled this memoir was in no way shape or form a smear piece with spicy revelations. It was more about how he applied for and secured his jobs, his workflow, some amusing experiences, describing the various stately homes, and events that he attended like the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla. There was nothing untoward written about his interactions with the royals, but he did include direct conversations and happenings with them. He even interacted with Prince William and his then girlfriend Kate Middleton, which was delightful to read about.

[Sarah Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review: The Royal Butler: My Remarkable Life in Royal Service by Grant Harrold

Grant Harrold’s The Royal Butler offers a rare, intimate glimpse into the cloistered world of British monarchy through the eyes of a man who served at its beating heart. Given my interested in class and institutional power dynamics, I found myself both enchanted and unsettled by Harrold’s memoir—a work that oscillates between nostalgic reverence and inadvertent exposure of the monarchy’s anachronistic hierarchies.

What struck me most viscerally was Harrold’s portrayal of the gendered choreography of royal service. His descriptions of orchestrating flawless dinners for Queen Camilla or anticipating Princess Kate’s preferences evoked admiration for the invisible labor underpinning aristocratic life, yet also provoked frustration about how such labor (often performed by women domestically) becomes valorized only when attached to royalty. The passages detailing his childhood obsession with the Windsors—while endearing—unwittingly laid bare the class aspirationalism that sustains monarchy’s mystique. As a reader, I alternated between charmed amusement (his anecdote about Prince Philip’s blunt humor) and sober reflection on how these “quirks” humanize a system built on inherited privilege.

Harrold’s expertise in etiquette shines in his analysis of unspoken codes governing royal interactions, but this strength doubles as the book’s chief limitation. His insider perspective, while valuable, often lacks critical distance. The memoir glosses over structural inequities—such as the racial homogeneity of senior staff or the monarchy’s colonial legacy—that a modern critique demands. A deeper engagement with feminist critiques of servitude (e.g., how female staff navigate patriarchal expectations) would have enriched his otherwise polished narrative. Additionally, the prose occasionally veers into overly sentimental territory, romanticizing a profession that demands self-erasure.

Strengths:

-Unprecedented Access: Reveals the meticulous, humanizing details of royal domesticity.
-Ethnographic Value: Offers scholars a primary source on contemporary monarchy’s inner workings.
-Etiquette Scholarship: Provides nuanced insights into performative class rituals.

Critiques:

-Critical Blind Spots: Overlooks systemic issues of race, class, and gender in royal service.
-Nostalgic Tone: Risks perpetuating uncritical admiration for hierarchical institutions.

Rating: ★★★★ (4/5) – A captivating but uneven memoir that illuminates royal service while leaving its shadows unexplored.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss for providing a free advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Final Thought: Harold’s greatest contribution lies in exposing the paradox of royal service: that those closest to power often wield the least agency. By turns poignant and provocative, The Royal Butler reminds us that even gilded cages require caretakers—and that those caretakers’ stories deserve interrogation as much as celebration.

[WM D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished reading a very interesting book about being the butler to royal family. In my opinion it was very well written. He went into detail about how he became a butler and the things that he had to endure when working for the royal family. He was often included in the royal family’s visits to the various royal houses and he stayed until after Charles became king.I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good nonfiction book

[Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read but find Mr Harrolds obsession with "being a member" of the Royal Family, a bit strange. I don't think this book tells the full tale of why he eventually ceased working for the RF. A quick Google search tells another story than that of him simply being made redundant King Charles scaled back staff. However, I give him credit for not using his book to air dirty laundry (unlike a certain fully fledged member of the family!) and he does come across as a likeable character. He seems very fair when talking about the Royals on TV.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating look into the Empire! Read by the author in his heavy Scottish brogue, a fun companion in my car!

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

I'm not usually a fan of these types of books. But this was brilliant, to read about a child who was obsessed with the Royal Family to then becoming a butler for The Prince of Wales (now King Charles III) dreams do come true, brilliant, really enjoyed it

[Jo Harris · Rating 2 out of 5]

I should start by saying this is absolutely NOT my usual genre, it was loaned to me by a friend to read whilst feeling somewhat under the weather but i thought id just embrace it. Well I’m afraid it’s done nothing to persuade me that i should read more of this, i found it to be a series of disjointed anecdotes and random tangents. Yep, i get that it was all ‘crazy’ and ‘surreal’ and if you find polishing someone else’s silverware, tables, shoes or anything else a ‘great honour’ thats fine, you do you, its just not for me.

[Eileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not a big royal watcher, but I am always interested in reading or hearing about people's lives and careers that are unusual and that I will never experience. This memoir is not gossipy or slanderous (which was the right choice), and Grant is very grateful and gracious for all that he got to experience while working for the royal family. He provides plenty of little anecdotes of his time with them.

I started this book in hardcover, but had to return it to the library and ended up finishing it on audio, which worked well.

{library, audio}

[Pat Lampe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very entertaining memoir by a man who trained and worked his way to one of the best positions in the monarchy. Amazing how many protocols and traditions he had to learn. I am sure his charm and enthusiasm helped him get through it all. Altogether a very good book. I listened to the audio version which featured a Scottish accent that added to the experience.

[Emilia SR · Rating 1 out of 5]

This entire book is him fan-girling over the royal family? Snooze.

[Halls · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Royal Butler offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at a world most of us only glimpse through headlines and carefully staged photographs.

I don’t normally gravitate toward biographies, but I don’t mind picking them up from time to time—especially when the subject is the royal family. I’ve always had a bit of a fascination with them, so this book immediately caught my attention. What truly made it stand out, though, was the detailed look at the intricacies of being a royal butler—a role that demands absolute discretion, precision, and loyalty.

The author does a wonderful job explaining the rigid structure of palace life: the unspoken rules, the hierarchy among staff, and the immense pressure to maintain perfection at all times. It was eye-opening to learn how even the smallest actions—how a door is opened, how a tray is placed, or how one addresses a royal—carry enormous weight. (Spoiler: the level of protocol involved is intense, and mistakes are not taken lightly.)

What I appreciated most was how human the story felt. Beyond the grandeur and tradition, you see the sacrifices required of those who serve the royal household—long hours, personal lives put on hold, and the emotional toll of living in the shadows while witnessing historic moments firsthand.

Overall, this was an interesting and engaging read, especially for anyone curious about royal life from a perspective rarely shared. Even as someone who doesn’t often read biographies, I found myself pulled in by the uniqueness of the role and the respectful, revealing storytelling. A solid choice for royal enthusiasts and readers looking to step outside their usual genre. 👑📖

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even as a small child, Grant Harrold dreamed of working for the royal family and he ended up doing so. Born and raised in Scotland, he loved nothing more than the times he and his family visited large homes in the area. He was fascinated with the beauty and the lives of the people who lived in these homes.

His first real job as a butler was for Lord and Lady Tavistock. They were a friendly couple who liked him and enjoyed teaching him the job without finding fault with him. He, in turn, loved them dearly. However, his dream of working for the royal family came when an opening for a butler for Prince Charles came about. After numerous interviews at Clarence House, he finally was offered the job. Prince Charles was impressed with the people he had met and knew which may have helped him to get the job. He started the job just about the time that the Queen Mother passed away leaving the country in mourning for this fantastic and popular woman.

Grant tells of his dream of dancing with Queen Elizabeth that had stayed with him since he was a child. So, it was wonderful when he actually did get to dance with her at a Gillies ball. He writes respectfully of each member of the royal family and has no problem recalling mistakes that he made along the way and how he learned from them. I find it nice that this man has made a place for himself in teaching manners and dinner service. This book is a delight and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Copy provided by Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Adrienne Cullen-Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly good read. Grant Harrold comes across as a rather naive young man when he entered Royal Service and throughout his time there. He was butler to the present King when he was Prince of Wales and Camilla, later Queen Camilla. The royals come across as remarkably down to earth despite their wealth and power. Harrold was always a royal follower ever since he was a child. His parents too were Royalist and took the young Grant and his brother to see various castles and stately homes when they were children. Both of the children ended up in Royal service as a result of these excursions. What bothers me about the story is that the author seemed to like everyone and everyone liked him. As somebody who worked in very large organizations there will always be somebody one comes up against who can be nasty. There were none of these people in the book. However, I enjoyed every chapter of the book which I read in two sittings. I would recommend it to those who are still interested in the Royal Family.

[Kelli]

In The Royal Butler, Grant Harrold opens the gilded doors of royal life with grace, humor, and heartfelt honesty. More than a memoir of service, it is a fascinating study in loyalty, discretion, and the art of refinement. Through vivid storytelling, Harrold invites readers into the hidden world of royal etiquette a realm where duty meets humanity and every gesture carries significance.

The book shines in its warmth and authenticity. Harrold’s reflections on his years serving King Charles III, Queen Camilla, and the royal household are filled with charm and respect, revealing not gossip, but gratitude. His insider perspective, paired with his deep understanding of etiquette, transforms The Royal Butler into a captivating portrait of tradition, elegance, and personal growth.

It’s a royal memoir unlike any other gracious, intelligent, and brimming with the quiet dignity of a man who served history itself.

[Mila Cutteridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. The Audible version was especially lovely, and I’m usually not a fan of authors narrating their own books unless it’s a celebrity memoir. But Grant Harrold’s voice brought so much innocence and charm to the story that it completely worked.

What I liked most was that it did not try to spill royal secrets. Instead it offered a genuine and modern look at life in service. It was respectful, interesting, and simply a very pleasant listen. A refreshing change from the usual tell all style books about the royals.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an interesting, inside look into the life of a royal butler and how dreams really can come true. I found it very interesting to get an intimate view into King Charles' personality. He always appeared to me to be a stuffed shirt of the first order but this memoir paints him in a very different light--one of concern for the planet, (in his work to fight global warming) with a sense of humor, compassion and fiscal responsibility. To a certain extent.

[Barbara Deeprose · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Good Read

This book was well written and full of knowledge of our Royal Family, plus it was written with humour, even if Mr Grant was writing about some of his errors. I liked getting a little look behind the scenes at the palaces and stately homes. Would recommend this book to anyone who shares an interest in the family.

[Janice · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author is clearly a fanboy of royalty and the aristocracy. I’m sure he had to sign some confidentiality agreement so no juicy tidbits (that was left up to the Kings whiny son). Once I got past the authors bio of his early life ( who cares?) his experiences and descriptions in and of the various palaces/houses were interesting.

[René · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a tell-all

Butler who wished to work for the Royal Family as a child becomes butler to Prince Charles and Camilla armed Bowles.
Choppy, just "I did this..." "I did that..."
Probably interesting to Englanders who know names of people involved.

[Linda Berger · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Royal Butler

A great read. Thoroughly enjoyed the insider knowledge and perspective of his years of dedicated service to Lords and Royalty. A wonderful peek at the old traditions and different personalities of those highlighted. Really enjoyed this book!

[Nancy Bandusky · Rating 2 out of 5]

A dry read. Nearly half of the book is about the author's life before he even gets to be a "royal butler." There are some cute and interesting stories but, unfortunately, most of the book is just tedious remarks of the man doing his job.

[Lisa Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing life events come full circle

I enjoyed all the happenings and the surprises. What a fun variety of people too! His dream came true. I would have enjoyed more photos. I got the kindle version. If you’re a Royal Watcher, I recommend it!

[Debbie Kogut · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh

The author admitted that he cried more when the Queen died than when his own mother died. He was star struck by the Royal family, but also seemed to think he had special connections with them, that are clearly in his imagination. Not a very compelling book.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting account of his life and how he became involved with the royals but did not really follow the royal family after Princess Diana and most of the people and places mentioned were unfamiliar to me. Recommended by coworker and I like to read things outside my usual genre sometimes.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not many books make me laugh out loud, some truly fantastic anecdotes from Grant's time as a Royal butler. A fascinating insight into the world of the British Royal Household, and a great story of a working class boy done good.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

splendid

Heart warming, laugh out loud, tear jerking. A perfect start to my 2026 reading journey. Fans of the royal family will enjoy this read by Grant and how he made his dreams come true.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This regards the audio version of the book as read by the author. He has a very strong Scottish accent, and while I love it, it makes it too hard to understand the book. The book content itself sound very promising, so I'll have to try reading it via print.

[Jenny Rae · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a very interesting read, with a glimpse into the Royal Family, without too much dirty linen being aired, which was refreshing. I'm sure there is more to the overall story, but glad that he kept it honourable.

[Dennis Scholl · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent read

A simply written book about the life of this man who was a Butler to royalty. Nothing very exciting, but it’s a way to pass an afternoon.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun light read. I found it very amusing and heart-warming how much Grant revered the royal family. It was a very loving reminiscence of his life in service.