‘It’s a pretty busy little house’: Silverware prepped and chandeliers dusted for open day
Leigh Millington has decades of experience at the regal homes, and he’s met his fair share of royalty in the process. What goes on in a day in the life of a butler.
Tasmania
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Over the past 46 years working in two vice regal homes, Government House executive butler Leigh Millington has met some extraordinary people.
“Queen Elizabeth, of course, I’ve looked after her three times,” Mr Millington said.
He has looked after or met all of the royal family except Princess Kate, including a 10-month-old Prince William when he was working at Government House in Melbourne.
Mr Williams has been at Hobart’s Government House for 36 years and said he still sees things in the house he is “amazed by”.
He said a typical day in the life of a butler varied a lot.
“It could be anything from serving a house guest breakfast in the mornings, and then we may have a small presentation or a school group, so there might be a morning tea.
“If we’ve got house guests staying there’s going to be a dinner for them and I’d be setting up this dining table getting ready for the evening meal, attending to whoever the house guest is in the afternoon and then the dinner that evening.
“It’s a pretty busy little house,” he said, with diplomatic guests such as heads of state and ambassadors visiting typically once a month.
Mr Millington said he was lucky to have a dedicated team of staff that took a lot of pride in looking after Government House.
“We feel that we are the custodians of the house and looking after it for all Tasmanians,” he said.
Months of planning has gone into preparing the house to be opened to the public this Sunday.
From 10am-3pm, visitors are invited to view the history and charm of the historic house and gardens, built in 1857, and potentially meet Governor Barbara Baker’s two border collie dogs who Mr Millington said have free rein in the house.
Government House produce, preserves, Christmas puddings and more will be available for purchase and visitors are encouraged to bring a picnic to dine on the lawns, where there will be live music.
Mr Millington said open day usually drew thousands of visitors, and he was expecting this weekend to be just as busy, depending on the weather.
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