William Tallon
Encyclopedia
William John Stephenson Tallon, RVM (12 November 1935 – 23 November 2007) was a steward
and extrovert member of the Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother
's staff at Clarence House
.
where he also went to school. He became interested in the Royal Family
, and began collecting newspaper articles in a scrapbook.
He was later employed at Buckingham Palace
. He was set to join Queen Elizabeth II on her Commonwealth
tour in 1953-1954 but was kept back and did National Service
with the RAF. Subsequently, he then asked the Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother if he could work at Clarence House. She agreed, and he remained with her until her death in 2002. He became Steward and Page of the Backstairs, the page closest to the Queen Mother. He was given the nickname Backstairs Billy.
After the death in 2000 of his partner, Reg Wilcock, the House Deputy Steward and the Queen Mother's Page of the Presence, in 2000, Tallon reportedly suffered from depression when the Queen Mother turned to a younger team.
When the Queen Mother died in 2002 Tallon was moved out from his Lodge house at Clarence House and he settled in a ground-floor flat with a garden in Kennington
.
released a TV documentary Backstairs Billy: The Queen Mum's Butler in 2009.
.
Steward (office)
A steward is an official who is appointed by the legal ruling monarch to represent him or her in a country, and may have a mandate to govern it in his or her name; in the latter case, it roughly corresponds with the position of governor or deputy...
and extrovert member of the Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
's staff at Clarence House
Clarence House
Clarence House is a royal home in London, situated on The Mall, in the City of Westminster. It is attached to St. James's Palace and shares the palace's garden. For nearly 50 years, from 1953 to 2002, it was home to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, but is since then the official residence of The...
.
Early life
Tallon was born in CoventryCoventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
where he also went to school. He became interested in the Royal Family
Royal family
A royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
, and began collecting newspaper articles in a scrapbook.
Work with the Royals
Tallon's first job in the Royal Household was as a junior assistant, at Easter Court at Windsor. This was in 1951 when he was aged 15. He had been writing letters asking for work with the Household for the previous five years.He was later employed at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
. He was set to join Queen Elizabeth II on her Commonwealth
Commonwealth
Commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has sometimes been synonymous with "republic."More recently it has been used for fraternal associations of some sovereign nations...
tour in 1953-1954 but was kept back and did National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
with the RAF. Subsequently, he then asked the Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother if he could work at Clarence House. She agreed, and he remained with her until her death in 2002. He became Steward and Page of the Backstairs, the page closest to the Queen Mother. He was given the nickname Backstairs Billy.
After the death in 2000 of his partner, Reg Wilcock, the House Deputy Steward and the Queen Mother's Page of the Presence, in 2000, Tallon reportedly suffered from depression when the Queen Mother turned to a younger team.
When the Queen Mother died in 2002 Tallon was moved out from his Lodge house at Clarence House and he settled in a ground-floor flat with a garden in Kennington
Kennington
Kennington is a district of South London, England, mainly within the London Borough of Lambeth, although part of the area is within the London Borough of Southwark....
.
Media
Channel 4Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
released a TV documentary Backstairs Billy: The Queen Mum's Butler in 2009.
Awards
He was one of the few holders of the Royal Victorian Medal in Gold, being the highest award in the lowest grade of the Royal Victorian OrderRoyal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
.