Royal Watch News

Queen Elizabeth's hand washer dies

Sep 24, 2012, 12:01 GMT

Queen Elizabeth

Britain's Queen Elizabeth's hand washer has died.

Peter Houison Craufurd - who held the title Washer of the Sovereign's Hands - performed the role when the 86-year-old monarch was in residence at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, but he passed away last week aged 82, the Daily Telegraph newspaper reports.

Speaking in an interview prior to his death, he said: 'We used to have to write to Buckingham Palace to offer to wash the monarch's hands every time they were in residence at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

'In his day, my father had to make that offer virtually every year, although it was very seldom accepted.

'More recently, we have been told by the queen's office that, as we have already washed her hands once, that is all she requires us to do. So now we have to wait until Prince Charles takes the throne before we do it again.'

Peter's eldest son Alex Houison Craufurd is expected to inherit the role and get the opportunity to wash Charles' hands should he become king.

Peter was tasked with being the royal's hand washer after his ancestors' vanquished men who were abusing King James V, so the monarch gave his family a farm and promised them they could keep it as long as they had water and towels at the ready to wash his hands.