Royal family drinking habits revealed by palace experts and insiders
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
For Princess Diana’s former butler, Buckingham Palace was his “gin palace” where the drinks never stopped flowing.
Paul Burrell, who worked at the royal residence for 11 years before moving to Kensington Palace, has written a new book: “Royal Insiders.” In it, he said, gallons of gin are consumed every week, “some legitimate, some not.”
“I quickly became familiar with the ingenious methods by which the household smuggled liquor for their soirées,” he wrote. Sun. “Senior staff would order me to empty a screw-cap tonic water bottle every night and fill it with gin for them to use at parties in their rooms.”
PRINCE PHILIP’S POOR SPEECH AND UNFILTERED OPINIONS FEAR PALACE STAFF: ROYAL BUTLER
Paul Burrell (left) with Diana, Princess of Wales, August. 10, 1997. He wrote a new book called “The Royal Insider.” (Kent Gavin/Mirrorpix/Getty Images)
“Butlers could be seen carrying Russell Hobbs electric kettles around the palace filled with gin, not water,” he added.
Royal experts told Fox News Digital that palace aides aren’t the only ones who like to drink behind closed doors.
“According to biographer William Shawcross, it was an open secret that the Queen Mother (Queen Elizabeth II’s mother) enjoyed ‘drinking,'” Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital. “He enjoyed non-stop social gatherings and reportedly enjoyed a gin and Dubonnet at noon, red wine for lunch, a martini in the evening and rosé champagne after dinner.”
WATCH: KING CHARLES’S NIGHT-NIGHT WHISKEY DRINKING BY THE ROYAL WRITER
“Queen Elizabeth was known to be fond of gin and Dubonnet, her favorite cocktail,” he shared. “Princess Margaret was particularly fond of Famous Grouse whiskey. It was also reported that Princess Catherine loved her evening gin and tonic. Meghan Markle named her famous blog The Tig after her favorite wine, Tignanello.”
A family friend said this in 2021: people magazine Prince William has been known to bring his wife, Kate Middleton, a classic gin and tonic after tucking their three young children into bed.
“They look at each other, but in different ways,” the friend said.
Kate Middleton is seen sipping a soft drink here in 2012. Prince William reportedly likes to whip up a classic gin and tonic for his three children to wind down after they go to bed. (Mark Large – WPA Repository/Getty Images)
Sometimes Kate craves something sweeter. British royal expert Hilary Fordwich he told Fox News Digital.
“Princess Catherine always loved vodka, passion fruit and raspberry liqueur, which is sweeter than most drinks,” Fordwich said. “She even finishes it off with a splash of champagne. It was served to Prince William at his wedding.”
Even the health-conscious King Charles won’t miss a good drink.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
King Charles is seen attending a whiskey tasting while visiting the Royal Lochnagar Distillery in Scotland on October 16, 2018. The distillery is located next to Balmoral Castle. (Jane Barlow/PA Images via Getty Images)
Valentine Low, author of the book, “Charles is a man of healthy habits.” “Power and Palace” he told Fox News Digital. “He skips lunch. He eats a very light breakfast. But Michael Gove, a government minister, once told me how he went on a journey with the then Prince Charles on the royal train. In the evening he was invited for a nightcap with Charles and was offered a very nice malt whisky, a glass of Laphroaig.”
“They had a nice conversation about all kinds of topics, including government policies,” Low said. “And then, at the end of that night’s drinking, he realized it was time to go when there was a stealthy knock at the door.
Paul Burrell called Buckingham Palace the “gin palace” because palace aides reportedly secretly like to indulge. Royal experts spoke to Fox News Digital about senior members of the House of Windsor and their own drinking habits. (Pawel Libera/LightRocket via Getty Images)
“The next morning he was invited to breakfast with Charles. But before he left, Charles’s private secretary said in advance that he could ask for ‘a big boy’s breakfast’. So he joined the private secretary for eggs, bacon and toast. Then he went to see Charles, who served his own breakfast: a small glass of healthy juice and a few nuts and seeds.”
According to author Valentine Low, King Charles enjoys “healthy juice” in the morning. (Toby Melville-Pool/Getty Images)
“He had two breakfasts that day,” Low added.
Fordwich told Fox News Digital that the 76-year-old monarch is known as a “light drinker,” opting for the occasional martini “meticulously crafted with equal parts gin and vermouth.”
As for the late queen mother, Fordwich said she preferred Dubonnet and gin before lunch, wine with the meal and a dry martini in the evening. Sometimes he drank champagne at night. The routine mirrored that of the Queen Mother.
DO YOU LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
Many reports have revealed that Queen Elizabeth enjoys the occasional glass of champagne in the evening. She is seen having fun in Warsaw, Poland, circa 1996. (Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
Reports said the queen preferred Bollinger champagne, which has been a royal warrant since 1884. Her husband, Prince Philip, was more of a low-key drinker.
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh refreshes himself with beer during a carriage driving event, circa 1980. (Serge Lemoine/Getty Images)
“Prince Philip did not often drink wine at banquets, preferring a bottle of beer instead,” royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital.
Philip’s drink of choice was Boddingtons Bitter.
The royal family could generally handle alcohol, except for one senior member.
Kate Middleton watches Prince William enjoy a glass of beer during his visit to the Empire Music Hall Belfast on February 27, 2019. (Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images)
“Prince William bears the nickname ‘One Pint Willy,’ which I think is quite admirable,” Fordwich said. “It points to his low alcohol tolerance compared to the fairly robust drinking habits of the rest of the royal family.”
The nickname was given to William by former rugby star Mike Tindall, who is married to the prince’s cousin Zara. He revealed this on Rob Burrow’s podcast in 2023.
“He’s not one of the best smokers,” Tindall said at the time.
CLICK TO REACH THE FOX NEWS APPLICATION
Prince William, Prince of Wales, makes a cocktail while visiting the Trademarket open-air market on October 6, 2022 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images)
But Fordwich said William was more resilient in his younger days.
“He enjoyed the kamikaze shooting [during his clubbing days]”It combines vodka, lemon juice and triple sec,” he said.
Diana, Princess of Wales, at Christie’s pre-auction party, circa 1997. The royal family was known to be fans of white wine and peach Bellinis at social events. (Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
His late mother Diana broke from the mold and did not have a regular drinking ritual. He was said to enjoy white wine, especially Chablis, and peach Bellinis at social events.
Prince Harry sprays his friend Nacho Figueras with champagne from a mug at The Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic in New York, circa 2009. (Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images)
in 2019 Vanity Fair Royal correspondent Katie Nicholl reported that Prince Harry, who was once known for turning away people chasing vodka Red Bull in nightclubs, has adopted a healthier lifestyle, thanks to his wife. Today, she reportedly starts her day with a green juice.
