Clara’s Verdict
There is a particular kind of insider memoir – modest about what it reveals, warm in its recollections, and careful not to betray confidences while still offering genuine glimpses behind closed doors – that the British reading public has always found irresistible. Grant Harrold’s The Royal Butler is an excellent example of the form. Harrold served in some of the grandest households in Britain before rising to serve the late Queen Elizabeth II and, ultimately, King Charles III, and his account of that journey is charming, occasionally very funny, and illuminated by evident affection for the institution he spent his career serving. I read this in print and was happy to revisit it in audio.
About the Audiobook
Harrold grew up in a working-class Scottish family with an unusual fixation on the royal family – watching documentaries about the Queen with a devotion that, as he freely acknowledges, made it the most unlikely possible outcome that he would one day walk the corridors of Buckingham Palace and Clarence House as a member of the household staff.
The memoir traces his career from nervous under-butler in various stately homes through to the highest levels of royal service. Along the way, he offers anecdotes about life inside the palaces – the protocols, the peculiarities, the unexpected moments of genuine human warmth – that are revealing without ever crossing the line into indiscretion. Prince Philip features in one particularly memorable passage (a remark at Harry and Meghan’s wedding that apparently had Harrold fighting to maintain composure). Charles is described with unmistakable warmth. The Queen is treated with reverence that feels entirely genuine rather than performed.
At nearly seven hours, this is a properly substantial memoir. Harrold’s voice is always that of someone who loved his profession and understood its traditions, and the result is a book that illuminates royal life from a perspective rarely captured: the view from service.
The Narration
Harrold reads his own memoir, which is absolutely right – his Scottish accent, warm delivery, and evident pleasure in the telling make this a particularly enjoyable audio experience. One reviewer of the print edition noted a habit of using “somebody and I” where “somebody and me” would be grammatically correct; this is a very minor wrinkle and barely registers in audio. The performance at nearly seven hours is warm and consistent throughout.
What Readers Say
Rated 4.4 stars from a substantial 542 reviews, the response to The Royal Butler has been enthusiastic. Readers describe it as “an absolute page-turner,” praise its balance of humour and respect, and note that Harrold’s insight into the expectations placed on household staff is genuinely illuminating. One reviewer specifically highlighted the combination of self-deprecating honesty about his own mistakes with evident pride in the institution he served. The few more cautious reviewers find it “a bit lightweight” – a fair characterisation, but one that rather misses the point. This is not an exposé; it is a fond portrait, and on those terms it succeeds admirably.
Who Should Listen?
For anyone with an interest in the British royal family, the traditions of household service, or simply a warm and well-told story of an unusual career path. It’s an ideal listen for those who found books like Robert Lacey’s royal biographies engaging but want something more personal and anecdotal. The Scottish working-class boy who becomes a royal butler provides an unusually democratic perspective on a very particular world.
Available now on Audible UK – listen to The Royal Butler by Grant Harrold.
