Britain’s Prince William and Duchess Catherine have hired one of Queen Elizabeth’s servants as their new housekeeper.
The royal couple – who will welcome their first child into the world in July – have appointed the monarch’s former housemaid Antonella Fesolone, 42, to the $35,000-a-year position after being flooded with applications.
The Italian employee has worked at Buckingham Palace for 13 years, but is believed to have moved into a staff apartment at Kensington Palace – where William and Catherine are renovating their family home – and began her new role two weeks ago.
A royal insider told HELLO! online: ”Antonella is renowned for being very hard working. She is extremely dedicated and fully intends for this job to become her whole life. The queen will have given it her blessing. She does not like to stop people progressing through the ranks and will be happy that William and Kate have someone they can trust. ”
Antonella’s duties will include cleaning all areas of the residence, caring for the family’s clothing, silverware and glassware, and walking the couple’s black cocker spaniel Lupo.
The appointment comes soon after it was announced William and Catherine’s private secretary, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, is to leave his position.
Jamie – who has worked for the prince for eight years – will step down in September to take up consultancy roles in the private sector but has also promised to spend one day a week acting as a ”sounding board” for the younger members of staff who will take his place.