Queen Elizabeth is hiring a housekeeper – at minimum wage

(CBS)

Queen Elizabeth II’s palace in Edinburgh has 289 rooms – and the Royal Household is looking for a part-time butler to keep them up to queen’s standards. No previous home management experience is needed, but the job ad emphasizes the need for a “proactive approach” – as well as a willingness to work for minimum wage.

The wage for the 20-hour work week is £9.50, or the equivalent of $12.96 an hour. That reflects the UK’s new minimum wage, which will rise from £8.91 an hour today to £9.50 an hour in April.

To be sure, the Royal Family employs hundreds of workers, from gardeners to security officers, but it might come as a surprise that the queen is hiring people on the nation’s base salary. After all, Forbes estimates her personal fortune at $500 million, while pegging the fortune of the “Company” she heads at $28 billion.

But royals aren’t known for high salaries, according to Forbes. For example, an entry-level IT worker earns about $40,000 a year, much less than the typical salary of about $51,000 for a low-level IT professional in the US.

Part-time housekeeper jobs will earn you around $13,000 per year, based on advertised hourly wages. Their work will include cleaning and taking care of “a variety of furniture and items, ensuring they are presented to the best of their ability,” the job posting announced.

On the other hand, the Royal Household hangs a number of benefits that can make the base pay more agreeable for the applicant. The job comes with 33 days of paid leave – compared with about 10 days for the average American worker – and a 15% contribution to the worker’s retirement account.

So what does it take to be Queen Elizabeth’s housekeeper? The job posting notes that previous restaurant or hotel management experience “would be an advantage but not a necessity.”

It adds, “We’re more interested in your proactive approach and your ability to face new challenges.” High standards are a must, as is good organization, good time management and the ability to work efficiently.

“Above all, you will be eager to learn new skills and advance your hospitality career,” the post notes.

The applicant also needs to be a British citizen or authorized to work in the UK – and must be cleared through security. That includes a background check and can take four to six weeks to complete, according to the Royal Family.

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