"Below Stairs"

“I opened a newspaper one day and saw an advertisement: ‘Buckingham Palace Summer Opening of the State Rooms 1999’. Before even finishing my cursory glance, I had decided that it was me: the big ‘Buckingham Palace’ in heavy black type crowned by the royal coat of arms did it for me. I sent off my application and magically I was invited to an interview within a week.” In 1999 Jack Swift worked for the Royal Household, initially as a Buckingham Palace warden during the Summer Opening and then as a footman. His book, ‘Below Stairs’, uses his experiences during this time as a vehicle from which to launch the main character, Jason Right, and his story.