Queen’s housekeeper resigns after staff revolt over Christmas ‘bubble’

Queen Elizabeth’s housekeeper at her Sandringham estate has “mysteriously” quit her job after working for the monarch for 32 years.

Patricia Earl, 56, left her post following a staff rebellion against plans to isolate them from loved ones for a month to form the queen’s Covid-19 bubble at Christmas, writes the Daily Mail.

The Sun reported that Earl felt “embarrassed” when royal house staff refused to accept the plan to remain in the royal bubble at Sandringham.

He was a respected member of the staff and was awarded the Royal Victorian Medal in 2018. The Royal Victorian Order, first established by Queen Victoria in 1896, is chosen at the Queen’s discretion and is often awarded to those who have served it. to her or royalty with dedication.

Earl declined to comment on his departure, but a Buckingham Palace spokesman told The Sun he was “completely friendly.”

A team of approximately 20 employees were asked to stay at Queen Norfolk’s estate, apart from their families, to support her, the Duke of Edinburgh and other royals during the holiday season.

But staff, including cleaning, maintenance and laundry workers, refused because they weren’t willing to be isolated from loved ones for a month.

They were asked to stay for four weeks so that they could care for the Queen in the same bubble amidst UK lockdown restrictions.

The Queen usually spends Christmas in Sandringham and arrives after the family Christmas party that is usually held at Buckingham Palace in December.

But the staff reaction means that she and Prince Philip will now have to spend Christmas at Windsor Castle for the first time in 33 years.

Earlier this week it was announced that they will be staying in Windsor for Christmas, where they have been isolated with a staffing bubble since October.

It is understood that they will not form a Christmas bubble with other royal families, which means that they will spend the day without any of their four children for the first time since 1949, when Elizabeth left 1-year-old Charles in the UK, so she could be with Philip in Malta.

Katie Nicholl of Vanity Fair said the Queen wants her children and grandchildren to “enjoy Christmas with their other loved ones” and “not feel torn” in the middle of the holiday season.

“The Queen has said that this is the year for her family to enjoy Christmas with other family members and not feel torn, as is often the case, when a royal Christmas takes precedence.”