The British royal family employs a massive staff of over 1,000 people over their many estates, and while some of the jobs are expected ones like butlers and housemaids, others are far more unorthodox. That’s why we’ve compiled five of the more surprising royal jobs that you likely did not know existed.

Master Of The Queen’s Music

This position has been around in 1625, and it is given to someone for a period of 10 years. The current holder of the position is Judith Weir, who was appointed in 2014 as the first woman to ever hold the position. The master of the queen’s music does not have a specific set of duties, but he or she has the opportunity to compose music for royal events.

The Astronomer Royal

This position has been around since 1675, and the person holding it advises the Queen on the cosmos and all astronomical matters. Martin Rees, Baron Rees of Ludlow, is the current Astronomer Royal.

Royal Linen Keeper

A listing from 2017 explains that the person holding this position has to ensure “the cloth matches the magnificence of the banqueting table.” The royal linen keeper also has to make sure that “all linen requirements are met to the highest standards,” and to conserve linen for “future generations.”

Frames Conservator

Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms that hold hundreds of pieces of arts. The frames conservator makes sure that all  frames on art pieces are spotless, and a listing from last year explains that the person holding the position gets their own workroom. This gives the person the chance to always be onsite to take care of whatever problems arise with the frames.

Royal Pot Washer

The royal pot washer joins a seasoned catering team and makes sure all the kitchen appliances are clean at all times. An added benefit of this position is that the royal pot washer gets to travel with the Queen when she goes to different royal residences.

Certainly to us common folks, these royal jobs are rather over the top. However, the royal family operates like a well-oiled machine and perhaps, royal jobs like these help make it run so efficiently.