Being a part of the British royal family comes with many luxuries from designer wardrobes to globe-trotting getaways, and of course, refined tastes in food, fragrance, and even bath oils.
While us “common folk” associate the royal family with nothing but elegance, some of their preferences are straight up relatable — especially when it comes to the smells they both love and hate!
According to former royal staffer, Grant Harrold, who served as King Charles’ personal butler from 2004 to 2011, both the King and Queen have distinct royal noses — and are not shy about voicing their strong opinions on certain scents!
Speaking to the U.K. fragrance retailer, La Fragancia, Grant revealed that Charles, 76, hates the scent of a fake tan.
Grant recalled a funny moment where the King and Queen Camilla, 77, actually paused dinner due the smell of a fake tan in the room.
Grant remembered serving them their dinner when suddenly the King got a strong sense of smell he did not care for. “Charles started sniffing and asked Camilla if she could smell something too,” Grant told La Fragancia. “She said it was awful and joked that maybe it was me.” The funny part? It was! “It was soon after their wedding and I had lost some weight, so I decided to get a spray tan. I remember it left my skin with this awful sweet smell and that evening, I went to do dinner service.”
When it was discovered that it was indeed Grant, he was promptly excused — and given the entire week off. “It was so bad, I was sent to the pantry and given the night and eventually the whole week off!”
The King and Queen’s dislikes for certain scents are even vocalized outside of the dining room.
Also speaking to La Fragancia, former royal gardener Jack Stooks revealed the Queen is very particular about certain plants. “I do know that Camilla hates the smell of the fritillaria meleagris plant, as it has a very pungent scent. I recall her once telling me not to put them in her garden,” he said.
But not everything is negative! Jack, who spent over 20 years as a senior gardener for the royal household, also revealed scents that the King and Queen both love. “Camilla loves the outdoors and her plants. She has Lily of the Valley in her wedding bouquet and also has a diamond brooch designed to resemble a spray of the plant. The smell is a floral yet fresh smell with sweet notes,” added Jack.
He also revealed Charles’ favorite essential oil. “The King loves lavender oil,” Jack continued. “At Highgrove, there was an area of lavender plants in strips, and we used to cut the flowers and send them off for pressing to create oils. I also recall that in the Highgrove shop, they sold a lime bath oil that he was really fond of. He clearly likes the scent of aromatic oils.”
While the royals will always be known for elegance and class, it’s also safe to say in a “sense” — The King and Queen: They’re just like us!
