29 October 2023 , 13:45
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The Royal Family may be among the wealthiest in the world but they are famously careful about not wasting money. The late Queen Elizabeth II was notoriously thrifty, King Charles saves his leftovers and the Prince and Princess of Wales shop at IKEA.
Having a net worth in the billions of pounds does help of course. And you might say having so many rooms in your palace makes switching off a few lights an easy decision.
But that does not stop us looking to the Royal Family for tips on how to live a better life. Here are some royal money-saving hacks that we could employ to save a few pennies.
Careful with the Christmas wrapping
It is said the late Queen was not a fan of expensive gifts, even though she received a fair few during her many years on the throne. She is said to have saved wrapping paper and ribbons so they could be reused for future festive celebrations.
The Windsors themselves prefer to exchange low-cost, humorous gifts on Christmas Day.
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Two bar Queen
You might imagine Buckingham Palace to be a welcoming and warm home. But King George VI is said to have hardly bothered to heat the building. It was so cold that Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of wartime leader Franklin D complained of getting chilly feet.
The late Queen would pack rooms, not with central heating, but cheap two bar electric fires.
Queen turns off the lights
Many homeowning parents will sympathise with this one. Queen Elizabeth was known to walk the corridors of her London home at night turning off the lights. There are thought to be 40,000 in Buckingham Palace so she probably got some help.
The Queen even had signs printed warning staff not to leave them on unnecessarily. Prince Harry says King Charles III, is another 'stickler for turning lights off.
The Prince and Princess of Wales visit a charity. The Royal Family has some useful tips on how to save cash (Getty Images)Save the leftovers
A former royal chef said that Charles makes a point of asking not to be served too much food. He is said to be very conscious that nothing goes to waste and that today's roasted lamb is tomorrow's shepherd's pie.
He has also announced an anti-food waste initiative for his 75th birthday on November 14. The late Queen was also known to favour simple morning meals - like the breakfast cereal famously stored in a Tupperware container.
IKEA instead of Fortum & Mason
The Prince and Princess of Wales revealed in a visit to Sweden in 2018 that Prince George and Princess Charlotte had furniture from the store in their bedrooms.
Re-use those old clothes
If you are lucky enough to afford a waxed jacket then do as King Charles does and wear it until it falls apart. He once told Vogue magazine: 'I'm one of those people who hate throwing anything away. Hence I'd rather have them maintained, even patched if necessary.'
Admittedly, the King has a team of helpers to patch and stitch for him, so the rest of us might have to learn these skills.
In 2008, Prince Philip raised eyebrows when he asked his tailor to change his favourite pair of 1950s-style trousers into something more contemporary.
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Get down to Zara
The Princess of Wales is one of our most stylish figures and red carpet occasions require her to look a cut above. But she is no stranger to high street fashion and performs many of her royal duties in the sort of gear we might find ourselves wearing. A Zara blazer is said to be a favourite.
Princess Anne's budget breaks
In 2014 the notoriously penny-conscious Princess was offered a room with a sea-view room at a hotel in Scotland but promptly asked for something cheaper. The switch saved her £40 on the original price.