A ROYAL housekeeper made redundant after 13 years loyal service was forced to work three weeks without a day off and once worked 13 consecutive weekends, a tribunal heard.

Caroline Brown, 47, of Frampton-on-Severn, cooked and cleaned for Princess Anne and her husband, Commodore Tim Laurence, at Gatcombe Park, Minchinhampton.

But she was made redundant when Anne's daughter Zara and son Peter left home and they no longer needed a full-time cleaner.

Miss Brown took the Princess Royal and Commodore Laurence to an Employment Tribunallast week, claiming unfair dismissal.

The hearing in Bristol was told how she stared work in 1990 and became full-time on 35 hours a week in 1997.

She said: "It was not unusual to go three weeks without a day off. On one memorable occasion I worked 13 consecutive weekends."

But she said there were increasing problems with her getting time off work.

She fell out with Princess Anne in January this year.

She said she had worked her day off while organising a huge hunt meeting for other Royals at Gatcombe on January 3 and 4. So she took January 9 off as her day in lieu and left a prepared meal for the returning Princess.

But the Princess, furious that her housekeeper had taken a day off, completely ignored Miss Brown when she returned to work on Friday.

Miss Brown said: "That evening when HRH returned from London she was plainly not speaking to me. This is the Royal way of showing disapproval."'

The worsening relations came to a head at a meeting on March 14. Miss Brown was told by Commodore Laurence that her job was "in danger of becoming redundant". She was offered a part-time alternative but was made redundant in April.

The tribunal found in favour of Commodore Laurence and dismissed Caroline's case for unfair dismissal.

Chairman of the tribunal Chris Tickle said: "The tribunal finds that the applicant was fairly dismissed."

After the hearing solicitor Gareth Price said: "Miss Brown is disappointed with the outcome.

"She feels she gave them good and loyal service and wished to continue her career at Gatcombe where she had been very happy."