Front Page
August 2005 Issue 2
Top Story
Queens pants only cost us 0.003p per year each
HRH Queen Elizabeth allows a rare glimpse  at the Royal undies on the line

HRH Queen Elizabeth allows a rare glimpse
at the Royal undies on the line

Details of the Queens entire annual underwear budget have been revealed, prompting critics to demand the monarch trim her spending.

Buckingham Palace said Wednesday that the figures, which showed the Queen sized royal underpants cost each taxpayer just 0.003 pence a year, proved Queen Elizabeth and her household were providing good value for money.

Amounting to around £4.11 per day, critics seized on details of the £1,500 a year underpants bill.

Lawmaker Bill Rutford, a Labour Party Fundraiser, said the monarchy provided "reasonable value" but called the expenditure of luxury underwear as "indefensible".

"We ought to have more of the royals using normal shops for their everyday expenses. I know for a fact that there are perfectly comfortable women’s pants available in Matalan for less than £4.00 for 3 pairs."

Cover of Mary Simpsons controversial book
Cover of Mary Simpsons controversial book

A controversial new book by former Buckingham Palace housemaid Mary Simpson has just been released, which looks specifically at the flamboyant underwear tastes of the Royal Family. Her book entitled 'The Royals Downstairs' gives stark descriptions of the monarch’s underwear tastes and demands.

"Quite frankly I am surprised she's only wasting £1,500 a year on her pant shopping, considering how many pairs she has", explained Ms. Simpson, "she is obsessed with having the newest styles as soon as they hit the cat walks. Sometimes she would have new lines flown in directly from New York just so she could have some before they became common"

Alan Reid, Keeper of the Privy Purse, slammed the accusations made by Ms. Simpson, "This woman is not to be trusted. She is making money through the abuse of the highly trusted and respected position of Royal underwear technician. She left the Palace after a fall out with another member of staff and now she is trying to make money with this nonsense.

"We have acknowledged that HRH could cut back on some of the more expensive garments that she favours, but to suggest that the Queen of England should wear the same pair of pants twice is quite ridiculous."