Every night since she was 15 years old, Elizabeth II sat at her desk and wrote in her diary – notebooks that were strictly confidential. And now the aide who has served the Queen for 44 years will decide which of her secrets will be revealed.

The late Queen of England accompanied actor Daniel Craig (left – who is famous for playing James Bond) and assistant “Paul Cao” (right) in a scene for the 2012 London Summer Olympics. Photo: AFP
The royal aide served the Queen for 44 years and became one of her closest confidants. Now, King Charles III has given him the power to decide which of his mother’s private documents can be published in the Royal Archives in the coming years

Every night since the age of 15, Elizabeth II has sat at her desk and written in her diary, a habit she may have inherited from her father, King George VI. The Queen has asked her staff not to interrupt her writing at the end of the day, unless there is a national emergency.

The royal family also knew that she wrote in black leather-bound notebooks and every morning she asked to destroy the blotting paper she had used the night before so that no one could decipher the content of what she wrote. Only Queen Elizabeth II has the key to the drawer in her office where she keeps her precious notebook. And only her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, ever skimmed the pages.
Queen Elizabeth II’s diaries, letters, and documents will be selected before being placed in the National Archives, through the role of assistant Paul Whybrew. Photo: Getty Images
Little is known about the notebooks that the Queen kept as a ritual for 81 years.

Now another man, Paul Whybrew, the Queen’s most trusted aide, will have access to those books and decide which information will be made public or kept private.

Until Queen Elizabeth II’s death last year, Whybrew’s official title was “Page of the Backstairs”. But the exact duties of the 64-year-old man who has served the Queen for 44 years are difficult to pin down. On paper, his job is to attend to the Queen’s daily needs: from waking her up for breakfast and managing correspondence and phone calls to receiving visitors and taking care of her beloved corgis. your precious.

After many years of service, Whybrew – who is also known in the royal family as “Tall Paul” (Tall Paul) due to his 1m92 height – became one of the people closest to Queen Elizabeth II. The two share a similar sense of humor, and the Queen sometimes invites Whybrew to watch television with her or help her complete her puzzles. She even awarded Whybrew the Royal Victoria Medal, in recognition of his career of dedicated service.

King Charles III also inherited the trust his mother had in Whybrew. The King assigned him to review the late Queen’s letters, diaries and other private documents, along with a team of people who would decide which parts would remain secret and which could be included. Royal Archives in the coming years.
The Queen of England has maintained the habit of writing a diary for 81 years, since she was 15 years old. Illustration photo: Getty Images
There is a precedent set by Queen Elizabeth II herself, who in 2012 authorized the publication of the diary of the Queen’s great-grandmother Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria also started writing a diary as a child, at the age of 13, and maintained this habit until 10 days before her death. In total, she filled 121 notebooks. After her death in 1901, her daughter Princess Beatrice reread all of Queen Victoria’s diaries and, following her mother’s instructions, eliminated anything that might upset the British royal family.
Queen Elizabeth II and assistant Paul Whybrew in 2004. Photo: Getty Images

Paul Whybrew became world famous on July 9, 1982. That was the day Michael Fagan, an Irishman, invaded Queen Elizabeth’s rooms at Buckingham Palace in the most serious security breach the British monarchy had seen in the 20th century.

“I’m more scared than I’ve ever been in my life,” Fagan told British newspaper The Independent in 2012, referring to the moment he pulled back the curtains and woke Queen Elizabeth.

“Then she said, and it was like the finest glass you could imagine breaking: ‘What are you doing here?!’”

According to a report by the London Police Department, the Queen tried to stay calm and had a 10-minute conversation with Fagan. Before being arrested by police, Fagan was found by Paul Whybrew. And he tried to calm the young man down by offering him a cigar and a glass of Scotch whiskey in his office.
Mr. Paul Whybrew at Queen Elizabeth’s funeral on September 19, 2022 at Windsor Castle, England. Photo: Getty Images
Since then, Whybrew’s tall figure has always appeared discreetly behind Elizabeth II, both at major celebrations and small events. His name resurfaced during the Covid-19 lockdown, when it became known that Whybrew was one of the few, along with Angella Kelly, the personal assistant and wardrobe manager of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, were exempted from distance restrictions and allowed close proximity to the monarch.

He was also regularly on duty backstage on September 19, 2022 during the state funeral for Queen Elizabeth II. “High Paul” can be seen walking behind the Queen’s coffin in the procession to Westminster Abbey, just behind the Queen’s family.