Red wine for Meghan Markle, champagne for Queen Elizabeth – what are the other British royals’ favourite late night tipples?
Away from the state banquets and dinners, what is the tipple of choice before bed of members of the royal family?
Cleopatra was said to have bathed in red wine, Catherine the Great of Russia loved British beer so much she could drink any Englishman under the table and Queen Victoria’s go-to was an unusual mix of claret and malt whisky.
So what about today’s royals? From the queen, Meghan and Kate to the princes, we find out about their favourite tipples.
Princess Diana
Princess Diana was not much of a drinker but when she did, her go-to was peach bellini – a blend of prosecco with peach purée. She was said to be drinking them the night she sneaked out of Kensington Palace disguised as a man with Queen’s lead singer Freddy Mercury. Their destination – the famous London gay club Vauxhall Tavern.
The queen mother
It was no secret that during her lifetime the queen mother loved her daily gin and Dubonnet made with three parts Dubonnet, seven parts gin and a splash of lemon. And according to the book, Behind the Throne: A Domestic History of the British royal Household by Adrian Tinniswood, the queen mother would have gin and Dubonnet before lunch, wine with her meal, a perfectly mixed martini before dinner and a glass of champagne chaser.
She lived to 101 years old, so she must have been doing something right.