London's self-employed plumbers can expect to earn up to �50,000, but the Royal Family's website is advertising for an experienced maintenance fitter at �19,500 a year.

Benefits include five weeks' holiday a year and, of course, the prestige attached to working for the Queen.

Some say experienced plumbers are not likely to go for it because the wage is too low.

It's a bit of prestige - there are certainly people out there who would like to say: 'I'm a royal plumber' Plumbing director Malcolm Osmore

But a Palace spokeswoman told BBC News Online they did not anticipate any problems filling the post.

Even basic administrative vacancies have attracted a rash of applications from graduates eager to work for the Queen.

She said vacancies crop up "as and when" but added: "When they join the Royal Household they tend to stay with us for quite a long time."

'Going rate'

She added that jobs were paid for from the Civil List and salaries were based on civil service wages.

Malcolm Osmore, director of A A Maintracts plumbers, in Tooting, south London said self-employed plumbers could expect to earn between �40,000 and �50,000.

But for those working for someone else, about �20,000 was the going union rate, he said.

He did not think the Palace would have any recruitment difficulties.

"It's a bit of prestige - there are certainly people out there who would like to say: 'I'm a royal plumber'. It would be a good training ground."

Plumbers' salaries have risen over the years due to a shortage of skilled tradesmen and increasing numbers of bathrooms in homes.