Royals

Queen Elizabeth II allowed ‘no staff’ during important family event

Queen Elizabeth II often required time apart from regular routine in order to focus on family

Published June 16, 2026

Queen Elizabeth II deeply enjoyed family time with kids during picnics.

The former monarch ensured she spared time for her children after a spell of busy work routine.

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“Picnics were a massive thing for the late Queen,” former Royal butler Grant Harrold, said on behalf of Smooth Spins Casino, said. “She loved her picnics, and you can imagine the picnics come in different variations.”

Her Majesty loved everything from a meal together “with the hamper and travel rug” to “the posher picnics where they all go out somewhere and there's tables and there's chairs.”

“The chefs prepared all the food, the butlers would load everything into the vehicles, and off they would go,” he recalled.

Harrold said the staff “would go and help lay out the tables, but we wouldn’t serve the food. It would all just get put out and they would help themselves.”

“There was no staff, so it was a great chance for them to have private time as a family,” he added

Eleen Bukhari
Eleen Bukhari is a London-based journalist and MSc graduate from Brunel University with over five years of experience. Specialising in the British Royal Family and global entertainment, she provides expert analysis of monarchy traditions, celebrity culture, and the evolving media narratives surrounding the world’s most high-profile figures.