Being a guest in a royal residence is, we imagine, a rather surreal experience. Though some of them, including parts of Buckingham Palace and Balmoral Castle in Scotland, have been occasionally opened to the public, it isn't quite the same as being hosted by the British royal family themselves. The late Queen Elizabeth II had one rather peculiar custom for when she would host guests at Balmoral Castle, which confused many, and it seems that her son, King Charles, and daughter-in-law, Queen Camilla, haven't continued the tradition.
According to various accounts from Prime Ministers hosted by the late Queen, she would always insist on sticking on a pair of yellow rubber gloves and washing up the dirty dishes after a meal. In his upcoming book, Power and the Palace, royal author Valentine Low revealed a conversation that he had with former Prime Minister John Major about the Queen's strange habit, Daily Mail reported. The former PM recounted a barbecue he attended at Balmoral with the mother of the Princess Royal and Duke of Edinburgh, where she insisted on doing the dishes herself, and when he stood to go and help her, a lady-in-waiting said to him: "No, no, no! The Queen likes to do it. But don't worry – when the plates and everything get back to the castle, they are all put in the dishwasher."
Queen Elizabeth's love of doing the dishes is well-documented
Queen Elizabeth's custom has been well-documented in the past: speaking exclusively to HELLO!, former royal chef Darren McGrady attested to the Queen's custom, as part of a routine with her husband. When asked if the late Prince Phillip had ever cooked for the Queen at Buckingham Palace, he replied: "He never cooked at the palace to my knowledge. Only on the grill, so mainly Balmoral for the family. Sweet though, that The Queen would then rinse the dishes." In fact, former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was so confused by her habit of washing up with her bare hands that she had a pair of gloves sent to the Queen.
Scroll down to take a look through our favourite photos of the late Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral…