When he was a boy growing up in Suffolk, Julius Smith’s grandmother would recall her time working as a cook in grand houses where butlers would ensure life ran smoothly for their wealthy employers.
Inspired by her stories, Smith enrolled in butler school aged 21 and over the past 30 years has worked for royal families, including Queen Elizabeth II, who he first served at Helmingham Hall near Stowmarket, Suffolk.
The 59-year-old has also worked at political summits, including one attended by US President Donald Trump in Saudi Arabia.
When asked for his top tip when meeting new people, he said: “Never assume or presume, and also you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
“If you want to be in this world, working for these people, you need to be ready for it because they will not wait for you. You’ve always got to be one step ahead.”
Smith grew up in Woolpit and Great Finborough and said his grandmother had been his “great inspiration”.
When training to be a butler he learned etiquette, household management and hospitality skills and now shares his experience and knowledge with more than 33,000 followers, external on Instagram.