One of the greatest perks of my job as cabin crew is observing all the little quirks and rituals of passengers up close. If I’m working in first class, I sometimes even have the honour of waking up celebrities for breakfast before landing – including one very famous rock star with a reputation for irritability who, to my extreme relief, rolled over all bleary eyed and politely asked for a cup of tea.
I was interested to read, then, that the late Queen preferred not to be disturbed if she was still sleeping when her plane landed. I imagine that was a huge relief to the crew. How would one wake her majesty? A gentle whisper in the ear? A slight nudge to the shoulder? Perhaps a delicate sprinkling of Dubonnet over the royal head? It’s not a role for which there is any specific training.
