The recipe for Queen Elizabeth's afternoon tea snack was simple: Butter two slices of soft, white bread and slather one in strawberry jam—preferably handmade from Scottish strawberries grown in the gardens of Balmoral Castle, the Queen's summer home in Scotland.
According to royal experts, afternoon tea is served on a three-tiered cake stand, which is decorated with sandwiches, scones, and a variety of cakes with tea. The traditional afternoon tea involved sandwiches, scones served with cream and jam and sweet pastries along with cakes.
According to Brian Hoey, the author of At Home with the Queen, Her Majesty enjoys a pre-breakfast of biscuits and Earl Grey tea (no milk, no sugar) with her corgis (who get table scraps) before having breakfast with the Duke of Edinburgh.
Before you ask, according to her former butler Grant Harold, she's a stickler for tradition. The Queen drinks loose leaf tea, which once it's brewed is poured through a strainer into a bone china cup, before a splash of milk is added.
It's just a jam sandwich — bread, a bit of butter, and jam, cut into small circles (or similar shapes) for serving. These simple treats were a lifetime favorite of the queen's, with Chef McGrady stating that she enjoyed one every single day since she was five years old.
Chef Darren McGrady's vegetarian stuffed bell peppers may have been Princess Diana's all-time favorite recipe, as she came into the kitchen to request it for lunch at least a few times a week, he told Delish.
Queen Elizabeth requires her tea to be boiling hot. Former royal chef Darren McGrady, who served as personal chef to Queen Elizabeth and other members of the royal family for 15 years, recently revealed the British monarch's beverage preferences. "Hot tea has to be hot," McGrady told Coffee Friend.
The Queen was said to have taken her tea with a splash of milk, and no sugar. She requested that the tea was made in a teapot, never a mug, and had to be piping hot.
Her water of choice
When drinking all of your water from a bottle, you're bound to pick a favorite — and the Queen preferred the taste of Hildon Natural Mineral Water.
Queen Elizabeth adhered to a daily teatime meal; her preference for delicate sandwiches with the crusts cut off was well-publicized. Her favorite version was reported to be smoked salmon with cream cheese. If the old adage is true, one should eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dine like a pauper.
And, according to McGrady, while the Queen eats the same breakfast pretty much every day (Earl Grey tea and a bowl of Special K cereal) and opts for simple dishes like grilled chicken or grilled fish (alongside a gin cocktail or the occasional chocolate) for the rest of the day, it's the “jam penny” sandwich that she's ...
Dinner followed the same formula as lunch. Simple cooked meat and vegetables lead the way, with space for pheasant or venison should the Queen wish. Of course, Queen Elizabeth loved a Sunday roast just as much as anyone else. Along with chocolate, the Queen enjoyed some strawberries or peaches for dessert.
According to the MailOnline, the Princess blends a combination of kale, spirulina (a type of algae), matcha (green tea leaves), spinach, romaine, cilantro (coriander leaves) and blueberries together for a healthy morning drink.
Yes, really! The monarch isn't the only royal to enjoy the afternoon pick-me-up, with the likes of Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and the Duchess of Cornwall all having their own individual preferences. It seems the assumption that the royals sip on Earl Grey and nibble on scones is only partially true!
Tea and biscuits
The Queen started her day with a cup of hot Earl Grey tea with milk, no sugar, and a few biscuits. In England, cookies or crackers are called biscuits. A piece in Hello! revealed that her all-time favorite biscuits were Chocolate Bath Olivers which are crunchy cookies enrobed in chocolate.
When is Queen Elizabeth's Afternoon Tea Served? Royal tradition says Afternoon Tea is celebrated “between 3 pm and 5 pm with an assortment of cakes, pastries, dainty sandwiches and, of course, scones with clotted cream, curd, and strawberry preserves.”
What Kind of Milk do British Put in Tea? Usually, and in the past it's been whole milk that Brits use in their tea. In the US, 2% milk is passable, but don't offer me 1% or even talk to me about skim milk. The cream that's in whole milk adds a lot to the flavor of a cuppa.
Tate & Lyle. Apparently, the Queen has a sweet tooth, which goes some way to explain why Tate & Lyle has a Royal Warrant. In 1921, Britain's two biggest sugar producers, Henry Tate & Sons and Abraham Lyle & Sons, joined forces. One made sugar cubes, the other golden syrup.
Sugar is a popular addition to any variety. Everyday tea, such as English breakfast tea, served in a mug with milk and sugar is a popular combination. Sandwiches, crumpets, scones, cake, or biscuits often accompany tea, which gave rise to the prominent British custom of dunking a biscuit into tea.
After tea, the Queen returns to her office for an hour to wrap up the day's work. Unless Her Majesty must attend an event in the evening, she will typically retire to her room at 6 pm and ready herself for dinner at 8 pm.
The Queen had a cup of breakfast tea and the traditional afternoon tea every day, no matter where she was in the world—and even indulged in sharing a brew with Paddington Bear earlier this year.
One of the last places Princess Diana visited before her death was the Ritz Paris hotel — or more specifically, "L'Espadon," the hotel's restaurant, for dinner on August 31, 1997. It has been reported that Diana's last meal consisted of Dover sole, vegetable tempura, and a mushroom and asparagus omelet.
First by Van Cleef & Arpels: Lady Diana's perfume
His mother, Lady Diana, wore First by Van Cleef & Arpels, her favourite perfume. It has very floral notes such as rose, jasmine, and hyacinth.