Channel 4 (UK) documentary about William Tallon, nicknamed Backstairs Billy, who worked for the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother until her death in 2002. First shown Monday 2 February 2009.
There is a lovely story of Billy and Reg having an argument on the balcony. The Queen mum came out and said '' if you two old queens are finished this old Queen would like a drink '. Love it😀😁😂.
You must know Albert who repeated this old chestnut over and over again 🙃 and always thought he was funny . Nasty , spiteful gossip .. especially when it was about me .
My step grandad was a good friend of his. The whole circle were functional alcoholics and somewhat shallow about what was/wasn’t important in life. It was all about socializing, being seen in the right places and drink.
The Queen mother had more queen's than Henry VIII 😆, Can you just imagine the parties, Andrew wasn't the first royal pervert, his is learnt behaviour, Billy and friends got where they were not because of who they knew, but what the knew about who they knew, That's how it works round there, Silence is golden ✨
Tomorrow, I go to the doctor to see if my cancer is treatable or not. TV is no longer part of my existence so RU-vid, I adore. I came across this outstanding 49 minutes of utter brilliance and my spirits have never been higher. Thank you for this gift, I genuinely appreciate it. Brion
How I would have loved to have gone to one of Billy's parties. Lovely to see the divine June Brown, whom we sadly lost last week. May they both rest in peace.
I’ve watched this a couple of times now and what a marvellous companion he was to the late Queen Mother. Without her best friend how lonely she would have been. Bless William. He was very lucky to have 50 happy years. My husband of 58 years has died and all my friends have too. It is very lonely.
Yes despite him being human he was a loyal servant. There must be others in your local area who feel equally alone. Where are you located? Possibly someone here may be local to you.
The very best tribute to the Royal Family- his special Queen Mum- is the integrity and discretion he kept. He certainly could have made $$ from the knowledge he'd attained all those years. That is integrity.
I worked in Wallace Heaton of New Bond Street we had the Royal Warrants, I met (served) Billy quite a few times in the shop. He was the kindest, most down to earth, friendly person you could ever wish to meet. Lovely lovely loyal person and the Royal Family should be ashamed for the way they treated him.
What an interesting life he had, start to finish. Love him or hate him, he was loyal to the royals his entire life. It is sad that he died alone & it took a couple of days for them to find his body. Happens to the aged every single day.
He had the protection of the Queen mother for all the years he was swanning around and bullying and humiliating the younger members of staff. I think his downfall was on the cards from the first incident, his days would then be numbered once the Queen mother died. He was well looked after for many many years.
i read here the poor guy was poorly treated ??? how so ? He bullied his staff acted probably as the one and only queen at clarence house and gave tours through the queens rooms when she was not there ...this guy seems to have been a snake ...and as for being poorly treated ....when the queen mother died she no longer needed a butler and he got a pension and could retire . did he expect a title or a tiara or being taken over by another royal ? after all the stories they heard about him ?
Pretty obvious he abused the living crap out of his power!...I wonder WHAT the Queen said to him in those 2 hours.....he did alright, he certainly didn't end up on the street!...MAYBE the Queen said...IF you write or speak about anything you witnessed we will expose you for what you truly are!
He was loyal and it's hard being in charge and I am sure taking care of royals is even harder . Also he was the reason the Queen Mum enjoyed her later years and I bet he devoted alot of his personal life to his job . The Queen should of had him taken care of just for the love he had for her mother period . And I am sure he could have told many stories about them if he wasn't so loyal . Love him or hate him he did his job and duty until the day he died .
You're absolutely right. I was quick to judge as I watched this. But, by the end I changed my opinion. Apart from one, disgruntled member of staff, there seemed nothing to criticise, other than being utterly trustworthy, loyal and being held in fondness by his mistress. A world I can only imagine, which he deftly worked within, for 50 years. His funeral was attended by so many, including Lord Snowden and the great of showbiz. An extremely interesting man, who lived an extraordinary life.
Without a doubt one of the most interesting documentaries about the life inside the royal household. And William Tallon is without any doubt one of the most interesting characters: come to a life of service from a very early age, being gay, and fulfilling it like a human being, with some real faults, but being absolutely loyal to the queen mum to the end. But I am very disappointed in the reactions of the rest of the royals, especially the queen. It is clear that she has no real affection for anyone outside of her own family.
She gives the impression that she doesn't give much of a shit about anyone except Phillip. She made sure her children were educated so that the people surrounding them knew their role of sycophancy, and of course more money than you can shake a stick at. But care about, loving them? Nope. And none of them gives a shit about the hoi polloi including the staff.
Lovely story but I dont regard Billy as having "fallen from grace" merely because the gutter press hounded him. It just demonstrates what vile snakes they are. His boss passed away, that could not have been easy, change occured and hopefully he had fun in those last years with his friends. I certainly hope so.
I really enjoyed this, thanks for posting. Fascinating the life that went on behind the scenes in Clarence House - the Queen Mother was somewhat outrageous and I say that as a compliment. Billy was very handsome in his day.
Been looking all over for this documentary! Watched it a long time ago here on You Tube, and then it disappeared. I couldn’t even find it through a YT search. They really do need to make a series of this for Netflix! It would be brilliant.
So if the Queen, the Queen Mother, and Prince Charles are standing right there, how could the press blame the butler for wheeling Princess Margaret out? If there was a problem, wouldn't her family have stopped it? Craziness
@Tony McNeil Very good observation. Maybe the Family expected Billy would keep Margaret in the background, for her own good. His friend here, Reta Michael, relays what Billy told her (true or not) - that he was following Princess Margaret's own instructions.
@@comealongcomealong4480 Spot on. I remember a sketch on one of David Frost's earliest outings, "The Frost Report." It concerned overbearing waiters: Customer in Restaurant (Ronnie Barker), "Waiter ! I'll have the sweet now." Waiter (John Cleese) "Not till you've finished your cabbage." Princess Margaret (Who is used to being obeyed), "William ! Wheel me out with the others ..... NOW !" William, "No ! You are in no fit state." Can you imagine ! The shouting, growling, threats and spitting would have been heard in The Mall.
William had a home to go to on his retirement. We know nothing of what the Queen mother or the queen did for him financially. I know Prince Charles visited him. He was not forgotten, gave lavish parties and enjoyed his retirement. He went out in a style he was accustomed to , over drinking. I think he had a very good life.
His bizarre behaviour towards people he managed would certainly not be tolerated in a unionized shop, right? The Royal Family ought to learn how to retire someone with grace, I think. When my father retired from a university where he managed the heating plant a year earlier than he had to, he got bizarre gifts such as a coal shovel from his workers because he'd started out in a heating plant 35 years before shovelling coal, a filing cabinet from office staff he worked with, and a strange instrument in a wooden box from the Engineering Faculty. I imagine the university also gave him a going away party. My Grandmother when she retired at 65 was able to come in to work a couple of times a month to make the voluntary parting of the ways easier. My husband got a going away party and has an annual luncheon invitation near Christmas time from his old company although that may be gone since it hasn't been held in a couple of years. The Royal Family didn't do anything special for William? Even Prince Harry doesn't mention the name of his mother's butler in his book. I guess staff are just invisible to the Royal Family. Maybe, they should learn some manners? What's wrong with taking Princess Margaret out to greet people on the Queen Mother's 100th birthday? She wanted to go. Maybe, she wanted to participate in this memorable occasion. We can't all be perfect to the day we die, can we?
He got his Biblical three score years and ten so that was good. He died doing what he loved His life partner had died already Tallon. I wonder what his family of origin thaought about William? The bullying claims are disturbing especially as Willliam is described as volatile…. Oh well, sigh
Servant hierarchy...he was top dog. A butler is the boss of the servants. He would have kept the house running smoothly, as well as being personal servant to the Queen Mother. Even in small households, where you only had a butler, a few maids and one footman who doubled as a chauffeur, the Butler was boss. He was closest to the master of the house, often doubling as his personal valet, if a valet was not employed. So for him to be butler of a royal household...that's a huge undertaking. He was not just a bar boy.
He observed a lot of VIPs and obviously had a lot of dirt on them. Look how the paparazzi was after him after the Queen Mum died. And he must have had a lot of responsibilities in that position to run a house of that size and for the people with immense egos. He would have been accountable for his staff and his making the slightest mistake. I wouldn't want to do something like that. I'm sure he was paid very well though so it's not like I feel sorry for him in any way.
@@donnagelina8548 Yes, and can you imagine the horror of the gutter press and television when they finally got hold of some of his treasured PRIVATE correspondence and momentos only to find that the juicy scandals that they hoped for WERE NOT THERE ?
A guy who made his way up the royal hierarchy by being good at his job, and when that happens there will always be people filled with jealousy, who will want to bring him down.
More like a guy that stepped on people as he climbed the ladder on his way up. A guy that let his position go to his head & killed off any & all humility that was left in him.
I think the QM could have left him a little cottage in her will, or some money. He probably assumed he would be looked after once the QM had died. But on the bright side, he spent many years doing a job he loved, with an employer he adored. It must be really hard to adjust to normal life after working in the rarefied atmosphere of Clarence House and the Royal world. There can be no other job like it. It was a shame Billy lorded it over the other staff though.
The queen's mother should have made provision for someone who devoted their life to serving her like that but after seemingly outing her for hiding her very sick child from public view. She clearly did not forgive him. Sadly Margaret's early death was down to the life that the queen's mother imposed on her a life she did not want to live at all hence excessive drinking and smoking. She had Wallis to blame for her husband's early death but there was no one else to blame for Margaret's demise.
I feel sad for Billy,just like that they kicked him out,short of saying serving this family is a thankless job not even a reward for his long and loyal service
He worked for the Queen Mother, not the Queen. The Queen Mother, Billy & her staff had their own court, totally separate from the palace. I don't think they removed him out of spite, but because he was no longer needed. Besides, a 2 hrs long meeting with the Queen is an honor & shouldn't be viewed as disrespect. In all honesty, she could've just written him a Dear John letter & the results would've been the same. I think William was just a bit spoiled.
"The shock of Princess Margaret's ill health stole the headlines"...."The upper household officials were furious with William"... I think this is more of a problem for the RF or the press or people of the UK themselves. What is wrong with seeing Princess Margaret wheeled out next to her mother? She was well dressed and decked out in jewels for her mother's party. Nothing in her behavior gave any indication that she was very 'unwell'; possibly rather. she was unable to remain on her feet indefinitely for all the outdoor festivities. Princess Margaret was human, not above earthy illness and frailties. The pretense and creation of a sort of mystique around the royals truly must go. It is becoming embarrassingly fake, and I don't think that most of the Commonwealth wants to hear about a household of 30 staff caring for the needs of one individual.
Exactly. Margaret could've done great things with her life, but she partied her best-looking years (30's and early 40's) away, and accomplished nothing.
Gosh there are some sad and bitter people commenting here and taking the opportunity to make nasty comments about the Queen and Queen Mother! The Queen Mother was clearly very fond and tolerant of this sad fellow. And the Queen spent two hours with him after her mother died! What a kind act on her part, indicating the gratitude she felt for the paid work he had done as a member the Clarence House household.
@Peter Hind. I agree. William was simply awful to other staff. He should never have had the freedom to abuse others. The Queen Mother was a spoilt lady.
I never understood how awful the press really is, until this story. And also, I'm apauled by that after 50 years of service, he still had a small pension. He still kept quiet and died with honor. Even though he misused his position, power does go to your head especially when you never had it before.
Well, when you consider the value of living rent free in grace and favor housing, how do you know the pension was small? Look at the percentage of income housing costs you … then add that back into your paycheck and see what it does to your finances.
He was a jerk. Doesn't matter how nice he was to some persons and turning down huge sums of money. He had a mean and nasty side to him. The staff knew his true colors.
@@mattkaustickomments I disagree, things don't have to be so black & white anymore. Most viewers are way more sophisticated than that and appreciate a complex character. I could really see someone like Hugh Grant being cast in such a juicy role!
@@jeanmyers1787 always found her same mould had her mother she didn't go much on lady Di that's why i didn't like her plenty of skeletons in that families cupboards
Glorious for Her Majesty to have him; panache, style, eye for every detail and devoted to her ! His entire life was her Court, and he was superb at it; people come, people go, he was there and she knew he would be.That invites a love, agency, a huge ego, jealousy, and hatred. I would have liked him a lot.
So long as you know and invest in yourself then it is not an issue. You are paid for your "labour" and the most important thing is "to know your worth". When it is time to go...then leave with dignity & grace. He could have looked after himself, but choose not too instead relying on his loyalty to be recognised & rewarded, following QM death always a mistake in my humble opinion.
@@johnson2joy prince Phillip left money for some of his servants, can’t remember whom. That is generosity, because they will never be wealthy, no matter what they do it with the money they make it. Royals pay minimum wages to their employees. I watched a documentary, can’t remember where. It is horrible paying job for to much responsibility. But o guess people line up to do it.
Another documentary about the royal servants one of them (servants) said that “they are royals, they are not your friends, they will be friendly to you but they are not your friends”. It seems to me that this guy was perhaps assuming a friendship he was not entitled to, however I do think that the QM was kind of leading him on too, he delivered what she wanted and in return she gave him free rein in the household which he chipped away at to see what he could get away with all the while she turned a blind eye. You reap what you sow and he most certainly did..
Oh, so that's what a court jester does. No, actually, it is a tragic story of an alcoholic servant who lived a bizarre existence. But as long as the Queen Mother (no pun intended) had a jolly good time, then it has a happy ending -- for her.
How wonderful to become such a faithful Royal aide and to enjoy the fruits of his labours. There's always the whispering and jealousy in the background looking to get the favorite.
Very good documentary. No doubt William Tallon made mistakes during his service to the Queen Mother, but who among us is perfect? His treatment after the Queen Mother's death was shabby to say the least, and the jackal-like behaviour of the media was disgusting.
Billy's behavior was disgusting, I'd say karma got the bitch, what docu were you listening to? He was a calculated ugly man with actions and choices to match
All that boot-licking, bowing and scraping for the Queen Mother, and in the end, he found out he was no better than the rest. Serves him right for the nasty way he treated his subordinates.
I am surprised that anyone would have expected QE II to say « thank you » to an employee for a long standing service. Billy wanted the job, he applied, got it and along the years he stepped up the ladder of power and influence. For his job he was paid, rewarded, protected from scandal and given a home. Billy had no expenses whatsover and imo he had a pretty good life. In the eyes of QEII, maybe Billy should have thanked HER, not the other way around, for being allowed in the inner sanctum and rub shoulders so to speak, with an incredibly rarefied society and also enjoying its perks. I don’t say that a « thank you » after 40 years of service would hurt, but the royal family doesn’t thank anyone for doing their jobs. On top of that, all royals are born and are growing up with an innate sense of self entitlement which kills any humbleness in them. They don’t do thank yous. This very fact was one of lady Diana’s frustrations too.
Maybe QE2 detested him, or was upset , disappointed w him …. Bc otherwise. It’s inhuman not to recognize someone. (Of course he was even lower than inhuman for the way he reportedly treated others. So, no evidence of any self reflection, but whines when it comes back around to him.
Poor Billy my arse, he was awful, an ugly little man, vengeful and nasty, additionally he indulged the queen mothers nasty, racist behaviors, pity on the household staff members he targeted and made miserable, too many people paid the price of Billy's mean games for their loyalty and devotion to their job and household, Billy got exactly what he bargained for, he made his bed and finally had to lie in it
Some of the royals are a cold lot.. employees and ex wives are expendable..treat appallingly..seems poor William tallon had a taste of that.. uncaring and cold..
My feeling is, you get out of life what you put into it. Billy was loyal to the QM, yes, and a loyal & loving friend it seems, but his behavior toward others under his control was pretty bad ... a very complicated character. It would take a psychologist to sort out why he went to these extremes. I wouldn't have wanted to work for him. And it really doesn't say much about the QM does it - that members her staff couldn't go to her (or at least someone in her household) to report Billy's horrific actions, and be believed? "Absolute power corrupts absolutely" - she certainly gave him all the power and that was a major mistake.
The Queen mother could have put a stop to a lot of the unpleasantness that occurred. She could have chosen to make sure that staff members weren't bullied and William/Billy couldn't abuse his position. She liked the amusement it provided. She liked her position. She was a snob. She allowed others to humour her. But she still treated people badly. Margaret was similar. Snobs of the worse kind. And a penchant for show. But the other members of the royal family could also have acknowledged what he did for the Queen Mother. Treated him badly and not a word of thanks. He give up any personal life for her. She could have made provision for his retirement and security of a home for life. His care would have contributed to the Queen mother's long life. Those remaining treated him badly after her death and showed him no gratitude or respect. In his vulnerable state they made him homeless. Contempt of the worse kind. Sadly, the Queen Mother, the Queen and Princess Diana had a reputation for removing some members of staff who were loyal and faithful but dismissed as of no further use when a supposed situation didn't suit their tune. Camilla has made a huge difference to Charles' s attitudes and behaviour towards staff. Sophie and Edward are kind and considerate people, Kate and her family have shown William real life, but unfortunately Andrew has slipped the net. The Queen's favourite and indulged son and his daughters. Hopefully this trend is now disappearing or the Harrys', Andrews' and the wives with this attitude will increase.
Here I am thinking I know just about everything about the royal family and I have NEVER heard of Backstairs Billy! 😲... How did I miss this crazy story?!
If the Queen Mum truly cared for Billy she would have made provisions for him in her Will, like a hefty lump sum so he could buy his own cottage or she could have set up a life estate by buying a cottage herself and allowing him to live in it rent-free for life. The cottage would be owned by her estate and upon his death the estate would take back the cottage to be sold or rented out.
Donna…….The QM gifted him throughout his lifetime and on his retirement he moved to a Crown held property , south of the river , for him for the duration of his life. So I think you’re quite wrong. Long serving staff are always provided for either upon their retirement or the death of their “Principal “. Unfortunately the media prefer to serve the gullible , and those who fail to research the proper facts - it keeps them in business because the facts are quite dull and straightforward- no story . It always worthwhile to check for oneself if one is not in the position to know . I think it is horrendous how much money the press and media makes by dint of speculation , conjecture and carefully worded statements - merely preying on the innocence of gullibility and a natural ignorance. I do agree though , that he did NOT seem to receive much care , appreciation and thanks from the Queen for his lifetime of devoted service , something which I think to be unforgivable but so very characteristic of the Queen - her manner and approach to certain matters . I believe that Prince Charles did check on William though from time to time which does not seem to be included in this video. He was very grateful for the care William gave to his grandmother .
Obviously, the Queen Mum didn't care for Billy. I heard so many stories about how superior she acted toward the commoners, apparently forgetting the fact she may have been country gentry, she was not an aristocrat. She was also a racist and snob and interfered in QEII's marriage to Prince Philip and undermined the Queen during her rule. Of all the royals I disliked her the most. So glad her faults didn't rub off on Queen Elizabeth who was the opposite in treating people.
So glad to find this documentary. Always been interested in the life of William Tallon. He was poorly treated by the Royals at the end of his life. Lovely to see June Brown also....I'm sure Billy's parties were fun.
William stayed in my brothers gay hotel in Manchester. It was the very first gay hotel to be opened. I remember seeing William in the corridors wrapped in a towel in the early hours of the morning walking his way to sober up in the plunge pool. Personally I found him false. He was spiteful to other guests. I remember having a conversation. I informed him we are all human beings first. I was not disappointed when he stopped visiting.
