Queen Elizabeth's former aide Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Walter Hugh Malcolm Ross passed away at 76 years old on Oct. 27, 2019. After serving the Queen as the Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlain's Office for nearly two decades, he transferred to Clarence House as the Master of the Household for Prince Charles in 2006 until his retirement.
When Ross told Queen Elizabeth that he took the job at her son's home, Her Majesty, reportedly, remarked that he "must be mad" for choosing to work for Prince Charles. The Prince of Wales, allegedly, has a reputation for being a demanding employer and Ross attested that he indeed had more challenges serving Prince Charles than the Queen.
While he was still alive, Ross shared that Prince Charles called him names similar to his early days of training for the royal army. He revealed that he got an average of three calls outside of his working hours when he worked for Queen Elizabeth for 18 years. With Prince Charles, Ross said that he had at least six to eight calls off his working hours on his first weekend as the manager of his household.
As the Master of the Household, Ross took care of domestic staff issues and all the arrangements for Clarence House. He also had a key role in the funeral of Princess Diana, Princess Margaret and the mother of Queen Elizabeth. He did away with royal conventions for Princess Diana's funeral by allowing public mourners more space to see her carriage pass the streets of London.
Meanwhile, despite reports of their complicated relationship as mother and son, Queen Elizabeth has been giving Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, more responsibilities as the monarch. For instance, on Remembrance Day this coming Sunday, Nov. 10, it will be Prince Charles who will lay down the wreath to honor veterans on behalf of Queen Elizabeth.
This will be the third year in a row for Prince Charles to assume the duties of the Queen for this memorial holiday. Queen Elizabeth will still be present at the end but she will be staying at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office building's balcony just like last year.
Queen Elizabeth also had Prince Charles to walk and sit beside her as she delivered her speech at the State Opening of Parliament las September. It was a move seen by royal experts as a signal that the monarch might be ready step down and give her throne to her son, who has been preparing to be king for the last 50 years.
