Whanganui's former royal footman: '(The Queen) told me I was the 'best-looking Māori boy' she'd ever seen

Former royal footman Graham Karatau with some memorabilia from his days working at Buckingham Palace. Photo / Bevan Conley

Whanganui's Reverend Graham Karatau had a particular fondness for Queen Elizabeth II and knew her better than most people.

"I was a royal footman assigned to the Queen in the 1970s," he said.

"I lived and worked at Buckingham Palace for nine years."

Now a semi-retired Anglican priest and teacher, Karatau said he was called to serve Governor-General of New Zealand Arthur Porritt at Government House in Wellington as an 18-year-old in the 1960s.

"Arthur Porritt was from Whanganui, of course, and someone in my family knew his family.

"He wanted to recruit a young man from this area to join his staff and I was offered the position."

Born into a family of 19, which included five foster children, in Turakina, Karatau was working at his first job as a clerk with New Zealand Railways.

"I had never been away from home before and there I was moving to Government House in Wellington," Karatau said.

"The Porritts were lovely people to work for and I became good friends with their children as well."

Karatau traveled to London with the family after Porritt's term as Governor-General ended in 1972.

"I remember meeting the Queen as she stepped off the royal yacht and she told me I was the 'best-looking Māori boy' she'd ever seen," he said.

"I was flattered but then I thought to myself 'Has she seen any other Māori boys?' I suppose she would have met some when she visited New Zealand but it was a nice thing for her to say."

Karatau said the Queen was a "beautiful lady" and a very good boss.

"She was always very kind and when my mother came to visit, I tried to teach her to curtsy before she met the Queen.

''She couldn't quite get the hang of it and was so nervous that she fell over.

"It was the only time I got told off while working at the palace. The Queen said, 'That was not a good idea Graham'."

Karatau said he also liked Prince Philip who was given to using mild profanities.

"He complained about one of the 'bloody dogs' urinating on the floor and when I offered to clean it up, he said 'Liz' should do it because it was her dog.

"The Queen agreed that it was her responsibility and was happy to deal with it. She was really quite humble in situations like that."

A young Graham Karatau in one of the uniforms he wore as a royal footman serving Queen Elizabeth II.

Karatau said the duties of a palace footman were varied and he was one of a team of 25.

"We had seven different uniforms for different duties. Often a group of us would go to a place where the Queen would be visiting to check that everything was as it should be.

"Our accommodation was very comfortable but quite plain. I had a lovely view of the Royal Mews from my window. All our meals were provided and the food was always lovely.

"Even though it was a servant role, we were waited on ourselves - our laundry was done for us and there was a special room where uniforms were kept and a nice lady took care of them for us."

Karatau still has the ceremonial sword he was required to carry for some occasions.

"I never learned to use it and I would forget about it and bump it against the table sometimes when I went to sit down to dinner."

A butler from New Zealand was on the staff at Buckingham Palace for a time while Karatau worked there but he was otherwise the sole representative for this corner of the Commonwealth.

"I was very proud to serve and I know how fortunate I was to have the opportunity," he said.

"While I'm sad she's gone, I'm very glad that I had the chance to work for a wonderful lady."

Karatau returned to New Zealand when his mother's health was failing and settled in Marton for several years before recently moving to Whanganui.