In the midst of the ongoing controversy surrounding Kate Middleton's health and wellbeing, Buckingham Palace is apparently looking for a little help in the Firm's communications department.
The palace has posted a job listing on its official website, in search of a full-time communications assistant tasked with making sure "our communications consistently spark interest and reach a range of audiences."
The job listing also reminds applicants that "the reaction to our work is always high-profile, and so reputation and impact will be at the forefront of all that you do."
(Notably, in the wake of Kensington Palace's Mother's Day photo scandal in which the first official photo of the Princess of Wales post-abdominal surgery was found to be digitally altered.)
The "entry-level" position is based out of Buckingham Palace 37.5 hours a week, Monday through Friday, and pays an astonishingly low £25,642.50 a year—just $32,783 in U.S. dollars, as The Daily Beast notes.
It's the questionable (at best) pay rate that once again—and certainly to the royal family's dismay—has the internet all abuzz.
"Whether this just meets the average salary or not, for an institution that has so much wealth paying 25k for this job is disgusting," someone posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. "That's as plain as day."
"That’s less than a cashier at a grocery store," another commented. "Explains so much about this PR disaster."
"Great opportunity if you’re looking to be paid about 10k under the average UK salary," another noted.
In fact, according to the most recent data, the 2023 median annual income in the United Kingdom was £34,963. It is worth noting, however, that the average income varies from region to region—in London, the average salary is closer to £45,000.
The palace's posted compensation rate is similar to the average salary for a communications assistant living in London, according to Glassdoor, but around £10,000 less than what the average U.K. teacher makes.
In 2022, Insider analyzed the pay rates for 503 jobs advertised by the palace between 2015 and 2021 and found that 10 of those positions offered starting salaries "below the living wage," as established by the Living Wage Foundation.
The same analysis found an additional 274 positions with salaries "within pennies of that rate."
The analysis. was conducted after a palace insider told the Daily Mail in 2015 that the Queen was preparing to "begin paying her staff a living wage."
"Her Majesty wants to make sure all her staff receive decent rates of pay," a source told the publication at the time. "She is aware of the example it sets."
At the time, a palace spokesman told the Daily Mail that it takes "into account the London and Regional Living Wage as key indicators" when establishing compensation rates, adding that it is "‘factored into pay policy for posts which are not eligible for an accommodation package."
London is one of the most expensive cities in the world—according to ECA International's latest Cost of Living report, it is the fourth most expensive location in the world to reside.
The future communications assistant to Buckingham Palace will inherit a difficult task, facing (at the very least) never-ending Princess Kate conspiracy theories, Prince William infidelity rumors, and faux King Charles death announcements... for starters.
Still, applicants can find solace (I guess) in the fact that despite the low pay, mandatory travel to all necessary royal events and the gargantuan task ahead, as a part of a "generous benefits package" the lucky future employee will also receive 20 percent off at all Royal Collection Trust Shops.
Score!
