Give amorous footman a medal!

BOTH the Queen and Prince Philip are very attached to their staff, who are like an extended part of the family. And they often take a sympathetic attitude to them when they land in trouble.

On one occasion, Philip noticed that a certain footman had been missing for a few days and asked his page where he had got to. ‘He was sacked, Sir,’ the page informed him.

Philip wanted to know what the man had done to deserve to be fired.

‘I am afraid they found him in bed with one of the housemaids, Sir,’ the page replied.

‘And they sacked him?’ the Duke said, outraged. ‘They should have given him a medal!’